QA Lead/ QA Practice Lead

Solytics Infotech; Pune District; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Solytics Partners Careers is seeking a QA Lead - Automation in Pune, India. This role involves leading a QA team, developing automation strategies, and ensuring software quality. You will need 5-9 years of QA experience, strong expertise in Python/Java, Selenium, and effective client communication. The position fosters leadership within a dynamic team, focusing on high standards in software quality and project management, while allowing for hands-on contributions.

Qualifications

• 5–9 years of experience in QA with at least 1+ years in a lead role.
• Strong programming skills in Python/Java.
• Deep expertise in test automation frameworks like Selenium.

Responsibilities

• Lead the QA Automation team, providing guidance and mentorship.
• Define and implement QA strategies and processes.
• Oversee development and maintenance of automated test scripts.

Skills

Test automation expertise

Leadership and mentorship

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving abilities

Client management

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Selenium

Python

Java

JIRA

Job description

Job Summary

We are looking for a highly skilled and experienced QA Lead - Automation to lead our test automation initiatives. You will be responsible for leading a team of QA engineers, developing automation strategies, and ensuring high software quality standards across projects. The ideal candidate has a strong technical background in Python/Java, Selenium, and BDD frameworks (e.g., Behave), along with excellent leadership, communication, and project management skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the QA Automation team, providing technical guidance, mentorship, and performance feedback.
• Define and implement overall QA strategy, including test planning, automation frameworks, and process improvements.
• Oversee development and maintenance of automated test scripts using Python/Java, Selenium, and BDD frameworks like Behave.
• Collaborate with product managers, developers, and stakeholders to ensure comprehensive test coverage and alignment with business goals.
• Own test planning, execution, and reporting for multiple projects/releases in parallel.
• Drive continuous integration and continuous testing within CI/CD pipelines using tools like Jenkins or CircleCI.
• Review code and automation scripts written by team members for quality and adherence to best practices.
• Perform root cause analysis of defects and help teams proactively prevent recurring issues.
• Champion best practices for QA processes, tools, and documentation.
• Participate in architecture and design discussions with the development team from a QA perspective.
• Manage test environments, data setups, and ensure readiness for testing cycles.

Key Requirements

• 5–9 years of experience in QA with at least 1+ years in a lead or senior role.
• Strong programming skills in Python/Java, including object‑oriented programming.
• Deep expertise in test automation using Selenium and BDD frameworks like Behave.
• Solid understanding of software testing principles, test strategies, and test case design.
• Hands‑on experience in designing, building, and maintaining automation frameworks.
• Strong skills in API testing and tools like Postman or SoapUI.
• Experience with version control systems (e.g., Git), and test management tools (e.g., Jira, TestRail).
• Familiarity with performance testing tools (e.g., JMeter, Gatling) is a plus.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.
• Good understanding of web services and protocols (REST, HTTP, JSON, XML).
• Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments and active participation in agile ceremonies.
• Knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure) is a plus.
• Strong debugging, troubleshooting, and analytical skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in Banking/FinTech domains.

Must Have

• Strong client communication and stakeholder management.
• Ability to work in high‑pressure environments.
• Excellent problem‑solving skills.
• Experience in team handling and mentoring.
• Strong analytical and decision‑making ability.
• Ownership mindset and accountability.

Travel Requirement

The candidate must be comfortable traveling between Pune and Mumbai as needed for the project.

Experience

8+ Years

Employment Type

Full‑time

QA Practice Lead Summary

We are looking for a QA Practice Lead who will own and drive the organization’s Quality Assurance function. This role requires a strong blend of strategy, leadership, client interaction, and hands‑on execution. The candidate will define QA standards, build scalable test practices, manage teams, and ensure high‑quality product releases across multiple projects.

The person should be comfortable acting as both a Practice Leader and Individual Contributor (IC) when required.

Key Responsibilities (Practice Lead)

• Define and implement the overall QA strategy, processes, and best practices across projects.
• Establish quality metrics, dashboards, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead and mentor QA engineers (manual & automation).
• Conduct performance reviews, skill development, and training plans.
• Build a strong quality culture within engineering teams.

Client & Stakeholder Management

• Act as primary QA contact for clients.
• Handle client escalations, reporting, and quality reviews.
• Participate in requirement discussions and provide QA estimations.
• Travel to Mumbai client location as required.

Hands‑on QA & Technical Contribution

• Design and review test cases and automation scripts.
• Perform complex functional, API, integration, and regression testing.
• Support release sign‑offs and production validations.
• Work closely with Dev, Product, and DevOps teams.

Required Technical Skills

• Strong experience in Manual Testing and Test Strategy Creation.
• Automation tools: Selenium / Cypress / Playwright / TestNG.
• Programming: Python or Java.
• API Testing – Postman, Rest Assured.
• CI/CD & DevOps integration knowledge.
• Test management tools: JIRA, TestRail, Zephyr.
• Performance & security testing knowledge is a plus.

Soft Skills

• Ability to work under pressure and handle multiple projects.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Leadership mindset with ownership attitude.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in building QA practices from scratch.
• Exposure to cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Experience in enterprise or product‑based environments.
• QA Certifications (ISTQB / CSM / SAFe – good to have).