Test Automation Engineer - SME

About the role

The Test Automation Engineer - SME plays a pivotal role in ensuring Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) systems undergo rigorous, automated testing across development and modernization lifecycles. This role offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of automation, DevSecOps, and mission-critical aviation systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, optimization, and scaling of test automation frameworks integrated into modern DevSecOps and CI/CD pipelines.
• Create and maintain reusable automation libraries and frameworks that drive efficiency and consistency.
• Create advanced automated test scripts supporting functional, integration, regression, and performance testing.
• Ensure automation strategies align with safety-critical, compliance-driven, and certification-focused testing needs.
• Provide subject matter expertise on automation tools, frameworks, and industry best practices.
• Integrate automated testing into continuous testing pipelines, enabling faster, more confident releases.
• Collaborate with engineers, architects, and product owners to ensure systems are designed for testability.
• Manage defect tracking, root cause analysis, and automation-driven remediation efforts.
• Evaluate and recommend test automation tools and platforms aligned with FAA requirements and constraints.
• Mentor test engineers and analysts in automation methodologies, scripting, and coding best practices.
• Conduct code reviews and framework audits to ensure quality, scalability, and long-term reuse.
• Produce and present automation coverage metrics, dashboards, and executive-level reports.
• Serve as a technical leader driving automation strategy and advanced testing initiatives across FAA programs.

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship Required.
• Must have the ability to obtain / maintain a Public Trust clearance.
• Bachelor’s degree and 12 years of experience or Masters degree and 10 years or Associate’s degree and 14 years’ experience or HS diploma/equivalent and 16 years experience.
• Proven expertise in test automation tools (Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, JUnit, PyTest, etc.).
• Proficiency in programming and scripting languages (Python, Java, C#, JavaScript, or similar).
• Experience integrating automated tests with CI/CD platforms (Jenkins, GitLab, Azure DevOps).
• Knowledge of test management tools (JIRA, TestRail, HP ALM).
• Familiarity with cloud-based automation testing in AWS, Azure, or hybrid environments.
• Strong understanding of API testing tools (Postman, REST Assured, SoapUI).
• Experience with performance and load testing automation (JMeter, LoadRunner).
• Exposure to FAA programs or NAS systems.
• Experience with FAA systems, federal modernization efforts, or mission-critical test automation environments.
• Proficiency with TypeScript, HTML5, CSS3, and modern JavaScript (ES6+).
• Experience with relational databases such as PostgreSQL.
• Familiarity with unit testing frameworks including JUnit, Mocha, and Jasmine.
• Experience with containerization technologies such as Docker or Kubernetes.
• Understanding of DevOps principles and CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience scripting test tools and simulators.
• Experience supporting performance, stability, and regression test execution.