QA Automation Engineer

Nextlane; Madrid; Hybrid; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work up to 3 days a week

Private medical insurance

Vacation 23 days

Continuous learning

Teambuilding

Job summary

Nextlane is seeking a QA Automation Engineer (Mid/Senior) to transform quality engineering into automated practices across API, UI, integration and data layers. You will work with our QA AI Automation Staff Engineer to extend and run frameworks, write automated tests, and plug them into CI/CD pipelines.

This hands-on role embeds with developers, product owners and DevOps to shift from manual testing to automated, measurable quality.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in QA or software testing, including 3+ years developing test automation in production environments.
• Strong programming skills in at least one of Python, JavaScript/TypeScript or Java, with ability to read others' code.
• Hands-on experience with Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, REST-assured or equivalent tools.
• Solid API testing expertise: REST APIs, JSON payloads, authentication, contract testing, schema validation.
• Experience integrating automated tests into CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, Azure DevOps).
• Practical experience using AI-powered tools to accelerate test design, data creation and automation development.
• Strong knowledge of Git, code review processes and clean code principles for test automation.
• Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain automated tests across API, UI, integration, regression and data layers.
• Translate user stories and acceptance criteria into test cases and automated scenarios from sprint start.
• Enhance automation frameworks with reusable components, utilities and test data builders.
• Convert manual regression test suites into automated tests targeting high-risk workflows.
• Keep automation suites fast, stable and reliable by addressing flaky tests and coverage gaps.
• Leverage AI tools to generate test cases, data and scripts while reviewing outputs before implementation.
• Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines and monitor QA metrics.
• Collaborate with developers, product owners and DevOps to embed quality in the first story.

Skills

QA testing

Test automation

Programming (Python)

Programming (JavaScript/TypeScript)

Programming (Java)

CI/CD integration

Git

Agile/Scrum

AI-assisted testing

Tools

Playwright

Cypress

Selenium

REST-assured

GitHub Actions

GitLab CI

Jenkins

Azure DevOps

Job description

About Us

At Nextlane, we don’t just develop software solutions – we create the future of the automotive industry.

We are a company that combines advanced technology with a clear vision: simplifying and digitizing every step of the automotive customer journey, empowering manufacturers and dealerships to thrive in a constantly evolving market.

We believe in the value of every team member, offering opportunities for you to develop and contribute to meaningful solutions.

So… What does it mean to be a #Nextlaner?

• Be part of a growth-oriented culture.

• Collaborate with colleagues from all over the world.

• Believe in the Power of ideas and the diversity of thought.

• Be committed to provide an environment where you can learn, grow, and collaborate on projects that make a global impact.

Our success is measured not just by results, but also by the growth and satisfaction of those who are part of our company.

At Nextlane, you’ll have the opportunity to innovate, push boundaries, and work on solutions that are transforming the automotive world.

About the role:

We are looking for a QA Automation Engineer (Mid/Senior) to turn our quality engineering strategy into working automation, every sprint. Working alongside our QA AI Automation Staff Engineer, who defines the frameworks, standards and metrics, you will be the person who builds, extends and runs them inside product teams. This is a hands-on, delivery-focused role. You will write and maintain automated tests across API, UI, integration and regression layers, plug them into CI/CD pipelines, and put AI-assisted testing techniques into daily practice. You will work embedded with developers, product owners and DevOps so that quality is built in from the first story, not inspected at the end. You will help Nextlane move from fragmented, manual-heavy testing toward a consistent, automated and measurable quality practice across a unified, platform-led product organization.

Test Automation Delivery

• Design, develop and maintain automated tests across API, UI, integration, regression and data layers, following the QA automation strategy and defined standards.

• Translate user stories and acceptance criteria into test cases and automated scenarios from the beginning of each sprint, working closely with developers and Product Owners.

• Enhance shared automation frameworks by creating reusable components, utilities, fixtures and test data builders that can be leveraged across teams.

• Convert manual regression test suites into automated tests, focusing first on the highest-risk and most frequently executed workflows.

• Ensure automation suites remain fast, stable and reliable by identifying flaky tests, addressing root causes and eliminating redundant coverage.

AI-Assisted Testing in Practice

• Use AI tools such as LLMs, GitHub Copilot and similar solutions to generate test cases, test data and automation scripts, while critically reviewing outputs before implementation.

• Pilot and implement AI-driven testing approaches, including self-healing locators, specification-based test generation and AI-assisted failure triage.

• Leverage test analytics and defect trends to identify high-risk areas and help define testing priorities.

• Share learnings, prompts and best practices with the wider QA community to scale successful AI testing initiatives.

CI/CD & Quality Operations

• Integrate automated test suites into CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions, with deployments hosted on AWS and Azure, ensuring testing occurs on relevant commits, pull requests and releases.

• Configure and maintain quality gates, reporting mechanisms and dashboards that provide rapid and actionable feedback to teams.

• Collaborate with DevOps teams to manage test environments and test data, ensuring reproducibility and version control.

• Monitor and report on QA metrics such as automation coverage, pass/fail rates, defect leakage and execution times.

• Support incident management activities by:

  • Reproducing and triaging production issues.

  • Validating fixes and hotfixes.

  • Contributing to root-cause analysis and postmortems.

  • Transforming lessons learned into new regression tests and process improvements.

Collaboration & Quality Culture

• Work as an embedded member of Agile/Scrum teams, actively participating in refinement sessions, sprint planning and reviews to identify risks early and improve testability.

• Partner with developers on unit testing and contract testing practices, promoting a strong shift-left quality culture.

• Mentor and support junior and manual QA engineers in developing their automation capabilities.

• Provide structured feedback to the QA Staff Engineer to continuously improve automation standards, frameworks and best practices.

What We're Looking For

Must Have

• 4+ years of experience in QA or software testing, including at least 3 years developing test automation within production environments.

• Strong programming skills in at least one of Python, JavaScript/TypeScript or Java, with the ability to read and understand code in the others.

• Hands‑on experience with test automation frameworks such as:

  • Playwright

  • Cypress

  • Selenium

  • REST‑assured

  • Or equivalent tools

• Solid API testing expertise, including:

  • REST APIs

  • JSON payloads

  • Authentication mechanisms

  • Contract testing

  • Schema validation

• Ability to design and execute manual testing activities, including end-to-end and integration testing scenarios when automation is not feasible or not yet implemented.

• Experience integrating and executing automated tests within CI/CD pipelines, such as:

  • GitHub Actions

  • GitLab CI

  • Jenkins

  • Azure DevOps

• Practical experience using AI-powered tools (LLMs, GitHub Copilot or similar) to accelerate:

  • Test design

  • Test data creation

  • Test automation development

• Strong knowledge of:

  • Git

  • Code review processes

  • Clean code principles applied to test automation

• Experience working within Agile/Scrum environments.

Nice to Have

• Experience with:

  • AWS cloud environments

  • Cloud-native testing practices

  • Docker containers

  • Infrastructure fundamentals

• Exposure to:

  • Self-healing test frameworks

  • AI-based test generation

  • Test analytics platforms

• Experience with:

  • Performance and load testing tools (k6, JMeter, Gatling)

  • Database and data testing (SQL)

• Security testing experience and familiarity with tools such as:

  • OWASP ZAP

  • Similar security testing solutions

• Active participation in incident management activities, including:

  • Issue triage

  • Reproducing production defects

  • Root cause analysis

  • Postmortems

  • Regression test creation to prevent future occurrences

• Background in:

  • Enterprise SaaS environments

  • Automotive software

  • ERP platforms

  • Other complex, integration-heavy products

• Experience testing legacy applications during modernization or migration initiatives.

How You Work

• Able to transform high-level objectives into actionable plans and working solutions with minimal supervision.

• Focused on building reliable, maintainable and valuable test suites, rather than simply increasing test volume.

• Strong communicator who collaborates effectively with:

  • Developers

  • Product Owners

  • QA colleagues

• Capable of explaining quality risks and issues using clear evidence and data.

• Curious about the role of AI in software testing, while remaining pragmatic about where it delivers real value.

Languages

• English: Fluent (primary working language).

• French or Spanish: Considered a strong plus.

Our Recruitment Process:

1. 30 minute introductory call with our Talent Acquisition Specialist.

2. Interview with Interview with the QA AI Automation Staff Engineer and an Engineering Manager.

3. Technical exercise: a hands-on automation case, reviewed together in a follow-up session.

What We Offer:

We understand that flexibility and trust are essential for our teams. Here are some of the benefits we offer:

• Remote Work: Up to 3 days a week!

• Work-life balance: We have flexible entrance and departure time.

• Summer schedule on Fridays: Start early your weekends!

• Referral Bonus: €1500 for every talent you refer (after 6 months).

• Flexible Remuneration: COBEE platform.

• Private Medical Insurance: Adeslas.

• Continuous Learning: Access to our internal platform for continuous development.

• Vacation: 23 vacation days plus an intensive schedule in July and August.

• Teambuilding: Our afterworks and activities are memorable!

Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

At Nextlane, we are committed to creating a space where everyone feels valued and respected. We firmly believe that diversity in experiences and backgrounds strengthens our culture and drives innovation.

• Support for people with disabilities. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, let us know so we can provide the best possible experience.

• Equal opportunities for all: We welcome applications regardless of age, gender, origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Join Nextlane and become part of the technological revolution in the automotive industry.

Discover why we are a great place to develop your talent!