Test Automation Framework Developer Full Time

Location: San Diego, CA, US

Date Posted: 2026-04-16

Category: Software

Subcategory: SW Testing

Schedule: Full-Time

Shift: Day Job

Travel: No

Minimum Clearance Required: Secret

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None

Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE

Description

SAIC is seeking a highly skilled Senior Software Tester – Test Automation Framework Developer to join our innovative team supporting mission-critical projects In this role, you will drive the development and enhancement of advanced test automation frameworks to ensure the delivery of high-quality software solutions. Collaborating with cross-functional teams, you will architect scalable, reusable test infrastructure that integrates into agile pipelines and supports continuous testing in dynamic and complex environments.

As a Senior contributor, you will provide mentorship to team members, champion best practices, and spearhead efforts to align test automation strategies with organizational objectives. Your expertise will play a key role in continuously improving testing efficiencies, reducing manual overhead, and accelerating time-to-delivery across our projects.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, develop, implement, and maintain modular and scalable test automation frameworks-including data-driven, keyword-driven, hybrid, and behavior-driven (BDD) frameworks-for web, mobile, API, and desktop applications.
• Create reusable, parameterized automated test scripts that align with functional, regression, integration, and performance testing needs.
• Automate workflows by integrating frameworks with tools such as Selenium WebDriver, Appium, Cypress, TestNG, JUnit, Cucumber, Postman, or other industry-standard testing tools.
• Collaborate with DevOps teams to incorporate automated test frameworks into Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, Azure DevOps, or similar pipelines to enable continuous testing.
• Refactor and optimize automation frameworks for performance, scalability, and maintainability. Ensure the frameworks are adaptable to changes in application architecture and new technology stacks.
• Partner with software developers, QA teams, and system engineers to ensure end-to-end quality. Advocate for automation best practices and coordinate test cases with business requirements.
• Enhance defect tracking and test coverage processes by integrating tools such as JIRA and TestRail. Develop customized reporting and metrics dashboards for enhanced visibility into testing results.
• Support junior engineers by providing training and mentorship in utilizing the automation framework effectively. Assist in onboarding team members to testing and QA methodologies.
• Develop clear and user-friendly documentation, including framework usage guides, test strategy outlines, and maintenance protocols.
• Stay current with emerging test automation tools and technologies. Make recommendations for adopting innovations (e.g., AI-based testing tools or advanced reporting libraries like Allure).

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree and seven (7) years of experience in test automation, software engineering, or QA roles.
• At least 3+ years of hands-on experience designing and implementing test automation frameworks at an enterprise level.
• Strong programming skills in languages such as Java, Python, JavaScript, or C#.
• Proficiency with automation tools such as Selenium WebDriver, Appium, Postman, Cypress, TestNG, JUnit, or Cucumber.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, or TeamCity.
• Advanced understanding of testing principles, methodologies, and agile development frameworks (Scrum, Kanban).
• Experience in API and database testing (REST, SOAP, GraphQL).
• Solid background in both manual and automated testing for complex systems.

Required Security Clearance:

• Must have an active secret clearance on first day of employment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certifications:
  • ISTQB Test Automation Engineer Certification or other quality assurance certifications.
  • Cloud solutions certifications (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform) or DevOps certifications are desirable.
• Experience working on government contracts, defense systems, or mission-critical, highly regulated environments.
• Familiarity with performance testing tools like JMeter or LoadRunner is a plus.
• Familiarity with modern approaches such as AI-driven test optimization, visual regression testing, or container-based test environments.

Target salary range: $120,001 – $160,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.