[Hiring] Senior Software Development Engineer in Test @Stord

Role Description

We're standing up a net-new Software Engineer in Test (SET) function — not to take quality ownership away from engineering, but to build the automation infrastructure that enables engineering teams to execute on ownership at scale. This role sits embedded within [Product Group], partnering directly with engineers and EMs who remain accountable for coverage, CI gates, and test strategy.

This role is for an engineer who thinks about testing as a systems-building problem, not a checklist. You'd rather write the automation that catches a regression before a human ever sees it than manually re-verify a happy-path scenario on every release.

Your work directly affects release velocity and confidence for a large-scale, high-growth platform. By assisting in the development of net-new frameworks and tests, you'll directly impact the Engineering organization's long-term ability to meet high standards in customer satisfaction.

What You'll Build

• Full-Suite Test Automation
  • Build and maintain scripts across every layer of the test pyramid: API, integration, end-to-end and load tests.
  • Partner with PMs to convert their most critical smoke suite user flows into automated coverage.
  • Build Playwright-based E2E suites covering [Product Group]'s golden-path user journeys.
  • Wire test suites into GitHub Actions CI, gating releases on passing coverage.
  • Own suite health standards and outcomes — flake reduction, runtime, and reliability as coverage grows.
• AI-Assisted Workflow Optimization
  • Build and refine tooling that turns acceptance criteria and user stories into test plans and automated test scripts.
  • Evaluate and integrate AI-assisted test generation tools into the team's day-to-day workflow.
  • Cut the manual effort required to interpret execution results, validate outcomes, triage suites, and keep coverage current as product ships features.
• Regression & Coverage Infrastructure
  • Build and maintain a regression test register mapping critical paths to automated coverage.
  • Wire coverage reporting into a shared dashboard and keep the dashboard accurate as coverage expands.
• Load & Performance Testing
  • Build load and performance test frameworks that engineers can employ in a variety of applications.
  • Partner with engineers to define and validate performance thresholds before release.
  • Ensure critical services are load- and soak-tested ahead of peak season.

Qualifications

• Test automation frameworks — You've built and maintained production E2E suites (Playwright or equivalent), not just written individual test cases.
• CI/CD integration — You can wire test suites into GitHub Actions (or equivalent) and configure release gates that actually block bad merges.
• Programming proficiency — JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, or similar. You write test automation as real software: structured, reusable, maintainable.
• API/contract testing — Hands-on experience with contract test tooling (e.g. Pact) or API test tooling (e.g. Postman).
• Load/performance testing — Experience with load testing tools (e.g. k6, Locust) or equivalent.
• Directed AI-assisted development — You use AI coding tools as a productivity multiplier while keeping your own technical judgment in the loop.
• CLI-native workflow — You operate primarily from the terminal and script your own tooling rather than relying on GUI test recorders.

Required Soft Skills

• Ownership & Accountability — You own features end-to-end and take pride in what you ship. You follow through from design to production and don't drop things.
• Strong Communication — You can explain technical decisions and trade-offs to engineers, PMs, and stakeholders. You ask good questions and listen well.
• Collaborative Approach — You work well with others, give constructive code review feedback, and actively seek input from teammates.
• Production Mindset — You prioritize reliability and user impact. You think about failure modes, monitoring, and operational concerns as part of your design process.
• Learning Agility — You're comfortable with rapidly evolving AI/ML technologies and tools. You stay current without chasing hype.

What Success Looks Like

• 30 days: Has audited existing test coverage against [Product Group]'s happy-path / sad-path scenarios, identified the top gaps, provided a test plan, and shipped at least one new automated test into CI.
• 90 days: Regression test register live and passing threshold criteria is gating releases; contract/API test tooling in place for at least one major service boundary; AI-assisted test generation piloted with at least one team.
• 6 months: Load/performance test framework in active use by engineers on applicable stories; [Product Group]'s release process clears Stord's Definition of Done quality gates without manual rework surfacing at UAT.