API Test Automation Lead

Smart Source; Dadri; Hybrid; INR 1,800,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

Smart Source in India is seeking a QA Automation Lead to own API Quality Engineering strategy and drive automation across REST, GraphQL, and gRPC. You will lead functional, regression, and contract testing, and establish consumer-driven testing practices using Pact.

The role also focuses on performance/load testing, API security testing, and governance of CI/CD quality gates. You will mentor teams and champion an automation-first culture, collaborating with product, DevOps, and security teams.

Qualifications

• Strong experience with automated web/mobile/API and end-to-end testing.
• Automation-first mindset with hands-on implementation experience.
• Hands-on expertise with test automation frameworks and API testing tools.
• Understanding of test strategy, API testing, regression testing, contract testing, and performance testing.
• Experience with security testing and release validation.
• Excellent debugging and root-cause analysis skills.
• Experience leading QA teams and driving automation-first practices.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the API Quality Engineering strategy, including automation targets, testing pyramid, and release quality gates.
• Build and maintain API automation frameworks for REST, GraphQL, and gRPC.
• Drive functional, regression, integration, and contract testing across APIs.
• Establish consumer-driven contract testing standards using Pact or equivalent tools.
• Drive performance and load-testing programs, including baseline definition and capacity validation.
• Define and implement API security testing practices (auth bypass, injections, rate-limiting, OWASP Top 10).
• Govern quality gates across CI/CD pipelines with automation thresholds and dashboards.
• Extend automation coverage to web, mobile, and end-to-end flows for complete release validation.
• Own the defect management lifecycle: triage, root-cause analysis, severity, remediation tracking.
• Lead QA team and foster an automation-first testing culture; upskill teams on tooling and best practices.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, DevOps, security, and business teams to improve product quality.

Skills

API testing

Automation frameworks

Test strategy

Regression testing

Contract testing

Performance testing

Security testing

Release validation

Debugging

Root cause analysis

Tools

Pact

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Define and own the API Quality Engineering strategy, including automation coverage targets, testing pyramid, and release quality gates.
• Build and maintain API automation frameworks covering REST, GraphQL, and gRPC.
• Drive functional, regression, integration, and contract testing across APIs.
• Establish consumer-driven contract testing standards using Pact or equivalent tools.
• Drive performance and load-testing programs, including baseline definition, degradation detection, and capacity validation.
• Define and implement API security testing practices, including:
• Authentication and authorization bypass testing
• Injection testing
• Rate-limit validation
• OWASP API Top 10 coverage
• Implement and govern quality gates across CI/CD pipelines, including blocking gates, automation thresholds, and reporting dashboards.
• Extend automation coverage to web, mobile, and end-to-end flows to ensure complete release validation.
• Own the complete defect management lifecycle, including triage, root-cause analysis, severity classification, and remediation tracking.
• Lead the QA team and establish an automation-first testing culture.
• Upskill QA and engineering teams on automation, testing standards, tools, and best practices.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, product, DevOps, security, and business teams to improve overall product quality.

Must-Have Skills

• Strong experience in automated web, mobile, API, and end-to-end testing.
• Automation-first mindset with strong hands‑on implementation experience.
• Hands‑on expertise with test automation frameworks and API testing tools.
• Strong understanding of:
• Test strategy
• API testing
• Regression testing
• Contract testing
• Performance testing
• Security testing
• Release validation
• Excellent debugging and root‑cause analysis skills.
• Strong understanding of defect management and quality assurance processes.
• Experience leading QA teams and driving automation‑first testing practices.
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced, ambiguous, and high‑ownership environment.

Relevant Designations for Sourcing

QA Automation Lead, API Automation Lead, Test Automation Lead, Quality Engineering Lead, Lead SDET, QA Lead, Senior SDET, API QA Lead