Lead Software Engineer in Test

Golden Pet Brands • Burbank, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Lead Quality Engineer is a hands-on technical leader owning test automation strategy. This person designs scalable automation frameworks, integrates testing into CI/CD pipelines, mentors, and directly influences the organization’s ability to ship frequently, reliably, and with confidence. The role balances strategic test architecture with day-to-day leadership. Occasional off-hours availability may be required to support business needs.

Requirements

• Technical depth with strategic thinking — Can architect frameworks and also zoom out to align testing strategy with business delivery goals
• Quality ownership mindset — Views quality as a system-level outcome; advocates for building quality in rather than inspecting it out
• Coaching & influence — Elevates the testing capability of QA engineers through pairing, mentoring, and clear documentation
• Cross-functional collaboration — Works effectively across Development, DevOps, Product, and Security to embed quality throughout delivery
• Data-driven decision making — Uses metrics (coverage, defect trends, pipeline health) to prioritize improvements and communicate quality posture
• Continuous improvement orientation — Relentlessly improves processes, tools, and test suites; never satisfied with the status quo
• Communication — Translates technical quality concepts into business-relevant language for stakeholders at all levels
• 5+ years in QA/test engineering, with 3+ years in a lead or senior IC automation role.
• Hands-on experience designing and building automation frameworks (not just writing scripts).
• Strong proficiency in at least one programming language (Java, Python, TypeScript, or C#).
• Expertise with modern test frameworks (e.g., Playwright, Jest, Selenium, Cypress, Appium, RestAssured).
• Experience integrating automated tests into CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions).
• Demonstrated experience using AI-powered tools (e.g., LLM-based code assistants, AI test generators) to create, maintain, or expand automated test suites
• Experience using observability tools (logs, monitoring, APM) to identify production issues and inform test strategy
• Strong understanding of TDD and BDD practices.
• Proven ability to mentor engineers and influence testing culture across an organization.

Nice To Haves

• Load testing experience
• Microservices and distributed systems testing
• Security testing integration (shift-left security).
• Experience in regulated environments or with compliance requirements

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end test automation strategy across unit, integration, acceptance, and non-functional testing layers
• Design and maintain scalable automation frameworks for APIs, web, and mobile platforms
• Integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines for rapid feedback
• Leverage AI-powered tools to accelerate test creation, expand coverage, and reduce test maintenance burden
• Champion a culture where quality is a shared responsibility across engineering
• Lead exploratory and usability testing practices throughout the delivery process
• Advocate for testable, loosely coupled architecture in design reviews and technical planning
• Analyze application logs, monitoring data, and production incident patterns to inform and expand test coverage strategy
• Reduce change failure rate and shorten lead time by improving test coverage and feedback speed
• Identify and eliminate testing bottlenecks that slow the delivery pipeline
• Report quality trends and risk to engineering leadership; serve as escalation point for QA matters
• Provide technical leadership through code reviews, framework design guidance, and best-practice documentation
• Foster a learning culture: run knowledge-sharing sessions, stay current on testing tools, and drive adoption of AI-assisted test generation to multiply the team’s output

Benefits

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage – We cover 100% of premiums for medical, dental, and vision plans for employee-only plans.
• Annual bonus
• 401k matching up to 3.5%
• 6 paid sick and mental health days
• Employee Assistance Program
• Free weekly yoga and meditation classes
• Additional mental health benefits
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan
• Reimbursements for a portion of personal cell phone and internet usage for eligible employees.
• Professional development opportunities with mentorship, continuous learning programs, and performance-based pay increases
• Charity sponsorships
• Potential for quarterly KPI bonuses

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior