Principal QA Automation Engineer

Morningstar • Chicago, IL

3d • $121,389 - $151,563 • Hybrid

About The Position

This position is for a Principal QA Automation Engineer who will be responsible for developing and executing automated tests, leading the design and maintenance of automation frameworks, conducting exploratory testing, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. The role involves driving QA strategy, setting standards for quality, and integrating automated test suites into CI/CD pipelines. The engineer will also monitor application metrics and perform visual validation testing. Remote work requests will be considered consistent with the company's remote work policy.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related field, or a foreign equivalent and 8 years of experience in software quality assurance, test automation, and QA strategy development in QA Automation Engineer, Sr. QA Automation Engineer, Lead QA Automation Engineer, or relevant position.
• 8 years of experience with development and execution of automated test cases for web, mobile, and API applications.
• 8 years of experience with writing test automation scripts using scripting or programming languages such as JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, or Java.
• 8 years of experience using issue tracking and project collaboration platforms for QA documentation and defect lifecycle management.
• 5 years of experience with performance of exploratory and integration testing with external enterprise platforms.
• 5 years of experience with design and maintenance of automation within CI/CD pipelines using industry-standard tools.
• 4 years of experience working with cloud environments, including quality assurance in cloud-native applications (e.g., on AWS or similar).
• 4 years of experience with building up QA Automation framework.
• 4 years of experience with object-oriented programming.
• 4 years of experience with tools, including Selenium/Webdriver, Test NG, and Junit.
• 3 years of experience with validation of workflows in content management systems.
• 3 years of experience with applying monitoring and observability tools to assess system health and performance.
• 3 years of experience with implementation of visual validation tests using automated regression testing tools.
• Will accept any suitable combination of education, training, and experience.
• Must possess unrestricted right to work in the U.S. in this position.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute automated tests for user interfaces, APIs, and mobile applications using industry-standard automation frameworks.
• Lead the design, development, and maintenance of enterprise-grade automated testing frameworks and tools across web, mobile, and API platforms.
• Conduct structured exploratory testing to uncover edge-case scenarios and proactively identify gaps in automated and manual test coverage.
• Collaborate with product managers, developers, and DevOps teams to ensure quality standards and testing coverage.
• Stay current with evolving test automation trends and mentoring junior team members in QA best practices.
• Drive QA strategy and set standards for test coverage, performance, security, and reliability across 6 AWS environments supporting 200M+ monthly requests.
• Build and execute complex automated test suites using modern languages such as JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, or Java.
• Implement automated visual regression, integration, and exploratory testing to safeguard brand-critical user experiences.
• Integrate automated test suites in over 5+ CI/CD pipelines supporting release confidence and early bug detection.
• Execute comprehensive integration testing across internal systems and third-party platforms to validate seamless interoperability and data flow.
• Monitor 100+ key application metrics and synthetic tests daily using observability platforms to proactively identify degradation or downtime risks.
• Review content-driven applications and participating in quality assurance for content management system workflows.
• Produce and maintain test plans, execution reports, and audit-ready documentation using industry-standard project management tools.

Benefits

• 100% 401k match up to 6% of salary
• Stock Ownership Potential
• Company provided life insurance - 1x salary + commission
• Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision) including potential premium discounts and company-provided HSA contributions (up to $500-$2,000 annually) for specific plans and coverages
• Additional medical Wellness Incentives - up to $300-$600 annual
• Company-provided long- and short-term disability insurance
• Trust-Based Time Off
• 6-week Paid Sabbatical Program
• 6-Week Paid Family Caregiving Leave
• Competitive 8-24 Week Paid Parental Leave
• Adoption Assistance
• Leadership Coaching & Formal Mentorship Opportunities
• Annual Flex Stipend - $1000 annually to cover personal education & well-being expenses
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Charitable Matching Gifts program
• Dollars for Doers volunteer program
• Paid volunteering days
• 15+ Employee Resource & Affinity Groups

What This Job Offers

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