IT Testing Automation Lead

Dollar Tree•Chesapeake, VA

About The Position

The IT Testing Automation Lead is a senior technical role responsible for driving test automation strategy and execution across a broad and complex technology portfolio spanning point-of-sale (POS) systems, supply chain and inventory management, e-commerce platforms, ERP, mobile applications, loyalty and pricing systems, and both SaaS and custom-developed applications. This role serves as the company’s client-side automation lead in partnership with a Cognizant-managed Test Center of Excellence (TCoE), acting as the internal subject matter expert who bridges business and technology expectations with hands-on automation delivery. The Testing Automation Lead will work closely with Solution Delivery Leaders, Development Leads, DevOps Engineers, and the Cognizant TCoE team to embed quality at every stage of the software delivery lifecycle. This role is expected to grow into a team lead capacity with responsibility for defining, hiring, and developing a small automation team of several engineers as the practice matures. The ideal candidate brings deep, current expertise in modern testing technologies and demonstrates a strong command of techniques spanning functional, API, performance, and regression testing disciplines. Hands-on experience in a high-volume retail environment is highly desirable.

Requirements

Demonstrated expertise in test automation, with a strong track record of delivering automation solutions across diverse and complex application landscapes in a fast-paced enterprise environment.
Hands-on proficiency with leading automation frameworks and tools, including Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, Appium, TestNG, JUnit, and Cucumber.
Proven experience with API test automation using tools such as Rest Assured, Postman, or Karate.
Practical experience with performance and load testing tools including JMeter, LoadRunner, or NeoLoad.
Proficiency in one or more scripting or programming languages such as Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, or Python.
Solid understanding of JavaScript-based Web UI automation frameworks and their application in enterprise retail systems.
Proven experience establishing automated quality gates within CI/CD platforms such as Azure DevOps or GitHub Actions, including pipeline configuration and test reporting integration.
Familiarity with Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid SDLC methodologies and the ability to adapt automation practices accordingly.
Proven ability to operate as a client-side lead — setting direction, reviewing third-party automation output, and ensuring alignment with internal business and technology objectives.
Experience working in or alongside a Test Center of Excellence (TCoE) or comparable enterprise quality engineering organization.
Prior experience in a lead or supervisory capacity, including mentoring junior engineers or guiding team members on automation best practices, even within a small or informal team structure.
Expertise in testing SaaS platforms, APIs, Web UI applications, mobile applications, and custom software in complex, integrated environments.
Solid grasp of risk-based testing (RBT) principles, with practical experience managing test data and environment dependencies at enterprise scale.
Ability to work collaboratively with distributed teams including onsite, offshore, and nearshore resources.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with enterprise platforms such as Tricentis Tosca is a plus.
Retail domain experience, particularly in high-volume, multi-store retail environments encompassing POS, supply chain, inventory, loyalty, pricing, or e-commerce systems.
Familiarity with POS system testing, including coordination of robotic test automation in lab-based or offshore environments.
Experience with test automation in ERP platforms such as SAP or similar enterprise systems.
ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL) or Advanced Level (CTAL) certification, or equivalent industry-recognized QA credentials (e.g., CSTE, QAI).
Hands-on experience developing and maintaining Java-based automation frameworks and custom QA tooling.
Demonstrated experience building or scaling a QA or automation team, including participation in hiring, skills assessment, and onboarding of automation engineers.
Familiarity with enterprise test management platforms such as qTest or TestRail for test planning, execution tracking, and reporting within a TCoE or structured QA environment.
Exposure to AI-assisted testing capabilities, including self-healing test frameworks and intelligent test prioritization tools such as Applitools, Katalon, or comparable platforms.
Experience with cloud-based test execution grids such as BrowserStack or LambdaTest for cross-browser and cross-device validation at scale.
Familiarity with Section 508 compliance standards and accessibility testing practices.
Possession of cloud-based technical certifications, preferably Microsoft Azure or Google Cloud Platform.

Responsibilities

Design, develop, and maintain robust, scalable test automation frameworks covering the company’s full application landscape — spanning commercial SaaS platforms and custom-built systems across POS, supply chain, ERP, e-commerce, mobile, and loyalty and pricing domains.
Serve as the client-side automation authority within the Cognizant TCoE engagement, providing technical direction, reviewing automation deliverables, and ensuring frameworks align with company standards and retail domain requirements.
Identify, evaluate, and champion the adoption of leading automation tools and methodologies that advance the organization’s quality engineering maturity.
Contribute to the evolution of TCoE standards, reusable automation assets, and best practices without necessarily bearing responsibility for the initial TCoE build-out.
Develop and execute comprehensive automated test suites covering functional, regression, integration, API, and end-to-end testing scenarios.
Lead performance and load testing efforts using industry-standard tools to ensure systems can sustain the demands of a 7,000+ store retail operation.
Collaborate with development and business teams to define test entry/exit criteria, review test coverage, and drive shift-left testing practices within CI/CD pipelines.
Support and coordinate offshore POS robotic test automation activities conducted in a dedicated lab environment, ensuring alignment with overall automation strategy.
Define, track, and report on key automation metrics including test coverage, execution rates, defect escape rates, and automation ROI to technology leadership.
Conduct root cause analysis on defect trends and provide actionable insights to development and business stakeholders.
Partner with DevOps and development teams to embed automated quality gates into build and release pipelines, enabling continuous validation at every stage of delivery.
Own the integrity of test data provisioning and environment readiness, ensuring automated suites execute reliably and consistently across all testing stages.
Stay current with emerging QA tools, AI-assisted testing capabilities, and retail technology trends to continuously elevate the company’s automation capabilities.
Define the skills, roles, and structure needed to build a high-performing automation team in support of the TCoE engagement and broader quality engineering goals.
Participate in the recruitment and onboarding of automation engineers, establishing clear performance expectations and development plans.
Provide day-to-day technical guidance, mentorship, and coaching to direct reports, fostering a culture of continuous learning and quality craftsmanship.
Assign and prioritize work across team members, balancing hands-on delivery with team oversight as the function scales.