[Hiring] QA Automation Lead @Smart Working Solutions

Role Description

We are looking for a QA Automation Lead to drive the evolution of our QA function from a predominantly manual testing model toward a scalable, automation-led, risk-based approach, while maintaining appropriate oversight of existing manual QA processes. This is a hands-on leadership role (approximately 60% hands-on), combining automation strategy, technical execution, and team leadership.

• Lead and support a team of 4 QA engineers
• Improve automation maturity
• Establish a more effective and balanced testing strategy across the stack
• Focus on mobile application quality and end-to-end user journeys
• Prioritize UI, API/service-level, or manual testing to build an effective and efficient testing pyramid

Responsibilities

• Define and drive the QA automation strategy, improving framework quality, test coverage, and overall automation maturity
• Lead, mentor, and support a team of QA engineers, providing both technical guidance and hands-on contribution
• Design, build, and maintain scalable UI and end-to-end automation frameworks
• Improve and optimise automated test execution within CI/CD pipelines to ensure fast, reliable feedback
• Drive a risk-based testing approach, making informed decisions on test prioritisation, coverage, and trade-offs
• Shape a balanced testing strategy across UI, mobile, API/service-level, and manual testing layers
• Lead end-to-end testing efforts across mobile applications (iOS/Android) and backend services
• Evaluate where UI automation is valuable vs where API or service-level testing provides better efficiency and stability
• Manage bug tracking, triage, and failure analysis, providing clear reporting on quality metrics and risks
• Collaborate closely with engineering, product, and platform teams to improve testability and quality standards
• Contribute to continuous improvement of QA processes, tooling, and ways of working
• Support expansion into non-functional testing areas such as performance, load, and (longer term) security

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in QA / Test Automation, delivering automation in production environments
• Experience in a QA leadership or mentoring role, with responsibility for guiding engineers and shaping QA direction
• Proven ability to define and evolve automation strategy, not just implement individual automated tests
• Strong foundation in manual QA, including exploratory and regression testing, with sound judgment on what should and should not be automated
• Experience designing, building, or improving UI and end-to-end automation frameworks
• Experience working with modern UI automation tools (e.g. Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, WebdriverIO or similar)
• Experience with mobile testing and/or automation (iOS/Android), ideally in business-critical environments
• Strong understanding of risk-based testing and how to optimise coverage, speed, and confidence
• Ability to lead a team (approx. 4 engineers) while remaining hands-on and technically credible
• Experience with API / service-level testing and a solid understanding of test pyramid principles
• Experience integrating automated testing into CI/CD pipelines
• Experience with defect management, bug triage, and QA reporting
• Strong collaboration skills with engineering, product, and platform teams
• Familiarity with automation languages such as TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, Java, or Kotlin (TypeScript preferred)
• Experience working in modern product engineering environments with evolving systems and priorities
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to operate in complex environments

Nice to Have

• Experience with mobile automation tools such as Appium, BrowserStack, XCUITest, Espresso
• Experience with WebdriverIO or similar frameworks in TypeScript-based environments
• Exposure to performance, load, or other non-functional testing practices
• Familiarity with security-focused testing practices (not a core requirement initially)
• Experience in regulated or high-reliability environments (e.g. fintech, banking)
• Broader experience across backend or service-level testing strategy beyond UI automation

Benefits

• Fixed Shifts: 12:00 PM - 9:30 PM IST (Summer) | 1:00 PM - 10:30 PM IST (Winter)
• No Weekend Work: Real work-life balance, not just words
• Day 1 Benefits: Laptop and full medical insurance provided
• Support That Matters: Mentorship, community, and forums where ideas are shared
• True Belonging: A long-term career where your contributions are valued