Senior SDET

Sparksoft Corporation • Columbia, MD

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior SDET leads the design, development, and continuous improvement of scalable test-automation frameworks for complex backend applications, APIs, transactional databases, and data integrations. The role establishes automation standards and quality gates; develops risk-based test strategies; reviews automation code; analyzes quality metrics; leads complex defect investigations; and provides technical direction and mentoring to SDETs and delivery teams.

The position works with users and stakeholders to define system scope, objectives, and test requirements, and coordinates testing across development, data, DevSecOps, security, and business teams. It may also serve as a project lead, directing and monitoring assigned systems developers or analysts. The role supports corporate initiatives, knowledge-sharing, continuous improvement, and business-growth opportunities beyond assigned project responsibilities.

Requirements

• At least 7 years of experience supporting software quality assurance, quality engineering, software testing, or test automation.
• At least 5 years of experience developing and maintaining automated test frameworks.
• Expert-level SQL experience with relational databases such as SQL Server.
• Experience testing cloud-based applications and data platforms.
• Experience with API, integration, system, regression, and end-to-end testing.
• Experience validating complex data transformations and data-integration pipelines.
• Experience working in Agile development environments.
• Experience with defect-management and requirements-traceability tools.
• Experience supporting CI/CD and automated testing processes.
• Experience developing automated tests with programming or scripting languages such as Java, C#, Python, JavaScript, or TypeScript and tools or frameworks such as Playwright, Selenium, REST Assured, Postman/Newman, pytest, JUnit, NUnit, or equivalent.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.
• Must have lived in the United States for 3 out of the past 5 years.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field; alternatively, an associate degree with two additional years of relevant experience, or a high school diploma/GED with four additional years of relevant experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting CMS, HHS, or other federal healthcare programs.
• Experience analyzing complex relational and dimensional data models.
• Experience testing ETL/ELT processes, data migrations, and large-scale data integrations.
• Experience optimizing automated test suites for execution time, coverage, and maintainability.
• Experience with Section 508/accessibility, performance, security, or resilience testing.
• Familiarity with federal security, privacy, and system-authorization requirements.
• Relevant certifications in software testing, Agile, cloud, or DevSecOps technologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and evolution of enterprise test-automation frameworks.
• Define automation architecture, coding standards, reusable components, and quality gates.
• Design, develop, code, test, and debug automated software testing systems and harnesses.
• Develop and maintain automated test suites for SQL programmability, including stored procedures, functions, and triggers, as well as backend and transactional database systems.
• Integrate and execute automated test suites within Azure DevOps or TFS CI/CD pipelines.
• Perform engineering evaluation, ad-hoc and structured software testing, statistical analysis and modeling, data warehousing, and analytics as needed.
• Work with users and stakeholders to define system scope, objectives, and test requirements.
• Provide analytical support and technical advice during conceptualization, development, and implementation.
• Plan and schedule testing and automation project tasks with users, systems software, and operations personnel, including objectives, time frames, costs, and manpower requirements.
• Identify and document software and system hazards using established analysis tools and techniques.
• Review and evaluate systems and software for adherence to government and commercial directives, standards, guidelines, and criteria concerning software and systems safety.
• Confirm design mitigations are captured in design documentation and verify their implementation.
• Maintain configuration-management procedures for test assets and automation harnesses.
• Coordinate testing across development, data, DevSecOps, security, and business teams.
• Mentor junior personnel and lead root-cause analysis of complex defects.
• May serve as project lead, instructing, assigning, directing, and monitoring assigned systems developers or analysts.
• Support corporate initiatives, knowledge-sharing activities, continuous improvement efforts, and business-growth opportunities beyond assigned project responsibilities.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation.
• 401(k) with employer contributions.
• Flexible paid time off.
• Hybrid ways of working.
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
• Curated in-office experience designed to foster community, team connections, and innovation.
• Opportunities to give back through Sparksoft Cares, including annual company-wide fundraising events.
• Training and development programs to build skills and prepare employees for leadership roles.
• Collaborative, transparent, and fun culture recognized as a Great Place to Work®.

What This Job Offers

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