An opportunity has come through our network for an Automation Engineer at a prominent financial services firm. This is a 12-plus month contract position with a hybrid work schedule, based in either Minneapolis, Minnesota, or Dallas, Texas. As a key member of the Identity and Access Management (IAM) Tools Engineering team, you will be instrumental in the design, development, and implementation of a custom Test Automation Framework. This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced QA automation software engineer who is equally skilled in both manual and automated testing, with a strong background in web-based applications and a passion for building robust testing solutions.

The Role: Building a Custom Test Automation Framework

As an Automation Engineer, you will be responsible for a critical function within the IAM organization: ensuring the quality and reliability of custom-developed tools. This role requires a hands-on approach and a deep understanding of software testing principles. You will be at the forefront of the team’s quality assurance efforts, designing and developing a custom Test Automation Framework that will streamline the testing process and ensure the successful deployment of applications.

A significant part of your responsibilities will involve reviewing design specifications to gain a clear understanding of the software’s scope, requirements, and requested functions. You will partner with the team during story delivery to ensure that every aspect of the software is accurately implemented. This requires a collaborative mindset and a keen eye for detail. You will be tasked with identifying the appropriate parameters, functions, and data to test and validate requirements and acceptance criteria, ensuring that every deployment meets the business needs.

The role demands a professional who can create effective and comprehensive test scenarios. This includes both granular and end-to-end scenarios for the user interface, data transactions, integrated systems, and the functional aspects of web-based software applications. You will work closely with leaders, stakeholders, subject matter experts, and project managers to ensure the team is delivering a successful product that aligns with the stated objectives. Your ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, developers, and other QA Engineers will be key to your success. You will also produce effective test scenarios to capture and communicate business processes and requirements, with the ability to translate these into automation for the Test Automation Framework. This role requires a 50/50 split between automation and manual testing, so you must be comfortable and proficient in both.

Essential Skills and Experience

To be successful as an Automation Engineer, you must have a strong technical background and a proven track record of success in software testing. We are seeking a professional with at least 5 years of practical software testing experience with web-based applications, specifically using automated test engineering tools. This includes proficiency with frameworks such as Selenium, Vulcan, or SpecFlow.

A college degree in Computer Science or a related engineering field is preferred, but equivalent work experience is also acceptable. A strong technical background is non-negotiable. You must have prior programming experience, specifically with SQL and .NET Core, and a solid understanding of how to embed test automation within CI/CD pipelines. This is a crucial skill for ensuring that testing is an integrated part of the development lifecycle. You should also have experience in all types of testing, including unit, integration, system, functional, non-functional, and performance testing.

Experience implementing and maintaining high-quality test automation for web applications is also a key requirement. You must be able to demonstrate your ability to build and sustain an effective testing framework that can adapt to a changing environment. This role offers a great opportunity to work in a dynamic and innovative team, contributing to a critical function within a major financial services firm. If you are an experienced and dedicated QA automation professional with a passion for web-based applications, we encourage you to apply.