QA Automation Team Lead

First Advantage; Polska; Hybrid; PLN 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

First Advantage is hiring a QA Automation Team Lead to drive automation strategy for a distributed SaaS ecosystem, reporting into Kraków with hybrid work 2–3 days on site. You will shape quality practices, mentor QA teams, and elevate testing maturity across platforms and services.

The role emphasizes architecture, scalable frameworks, and observability, with hands‑on leadership in UI/API testing, and collaboration with product/engineering to define acceptance criteria and quality KPIs.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years of hands‑on QA automation or test engineering experience.
• Proven experience leading automation strategy, frameworks, or quality engineering initiatives.
• Advanced proficiency with JavaScript/TypeScript‑based automation.
• Expertise with WebdriverIO and/or Playwright (primary tools).
• Strong experience testing distributed systems, microservices architectures, API communication flows, and event‑driven platforms.
• Deep understanding of automation design patterns and scalable framework architecture (Node.js/TypeScript preferred).
• Strong knowledge of REST API testing, schema validation, and contract testing.
• Familiarity with BDD practices and tools (e.g., Cucumber).
• Understanding of observability, monitoring, and logging tools as they relate to test ecosystems.
• Proficiency with GitHub, GitHub Actions, pipelines, workflow orchestration, and CI/CD quality gates.
• Strong Git practices: branching strategy, code review, PR quality standards.
• Experience integrating test frameworks with cloud testing platforms (BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, etc.).
• Ability to write and interpret SQL queries.
• Working knowledge of modern web technologies (HTML, CSS, DOM).

Responsibilities

• Define the automation vision, roadmap, and architectural standards across multiple products and services.
• Design scalable, reusable automation frameworks (UI, API, microservices, contract, and integration levels).
• Oversee automation framework consolidation, standardization, and governance across teams.
• Evaluate emerging tools and technologies to modernize our automation ecosystem.
• Mentor, coach, and upskill QA engineers across multiple locations and teams.
• Conduct technical reviews of frameworks, test design, test architecture, and automation code.
• Champion engineering best practices around observability, CI/CD quality gates, digital‑first testing, and shift‑left quality.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that reduce manual effort and increase automation efficiency and reliability.
• Partner with engineering leadership to define quality KPIs, metrics, and measurement frameworks.
• Ensure automation integrates effectively into CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions.
• Collaborate with developers, architects, and product managers to establish quality strategies, risk‑based test approaches, and acceptance criteria.
• Support exploratory, end-to-end, and UAT testing for complex scenarios where automation complements human validation

Skills

QA Automation Leadership

Automation Strategy

Framework Design

JavaScript/TypeScript

WebdriverIO

Playwright

API Testing

REST & Contract Testing

CI/CD & GitHub Actions

SQL

Agile/Scrum

Observability & Metrics

Leadership

Tools

WebdriverIO

Playwright

BrowserStack

Sauce Labs

GitHub Actions

Job description

This is a Hybrid work position, and individual will be required to report into our Kraków, Office 2-3 days per week.We are seeking a QA Automation Team Lead to provide technical leadership, elevate automation strategy, and drive quality engineering across our modern, distributed SaaS ecosystem. This role goes beyond hands‑on automation: you will define best practices, lead automation architecture, improve engineering quality culture, and mentor global QA team to deliver reliable, scalable, and high‑performing solutions.You’ll have significant ownership and influence, partnering with product, engineering, and architecture teams to shape our quality roadmap and uplift testing maturity across our platforms and services.What You'll Do:Automation Strategy & ArchitectureDefine the automation vision, roadmap, and architectural standards across multiple products and services.Design scalable, reusable automation frameworks (UI, API, microservices, contract, and integration levels).Oversee automation framework consolidation, standardization, and governance across teams.Evaluate emerging tools and technologies to modernize our automation ecosystem.Technical LeadershipMentor, coach, and upskill QA engineers across multiple locations and teams.Conduct technical reviews of frameworks, test design, test architecture, and automation code.Champion engineering best practices around observability, CI/CD quality gates, digital‑first testing, and shift‑left quality.Drive continuous improvement initiatives that reduce manual effort and increase automation efficiency and reliability.Quality OwnershipPartner with engineering leadership to define quality KPIs, metrics, and measurement frameworks.Ensure automation integrates effectively into CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions.Collaborate with developers, architects, and product managers to establish quality strategies, risk‑based test approaches, and acceptance criteria.Support exploratory, end-to-end, and UAT testing for complex scenarios where automation complements human validationWhat You Bring:Core Automation & Engineering Expertise7–10+ years of hands‑on QA automation or test engineering experience.Proven experience leading automation strategy, frameworks, or quality engineering initiatives.Advanced proficiency with JavaScript/TypeScript‑based automation.Expertise with WebdriverIO and/or Playwright (primary tools).Strong experience testing distributed systems, microservices architectures, API communication flows, and event‑driven platforms.Framework & Architecture SkillsDeep understanding of automation design patterns and scalable framework architecture (Node.js/TypeScript preferred).Strong knowledge of REST API testing, schema validation, and contract testing.Familiarity with BDD practices and tools (e.g., Cucumber).Understanding of observability, monitoring, and logging tools as they relate to test ecosystems.DevOps & ToolingProficiency with GitHub, GitHub Actions, pipelines, workflow orchestration, and CI/CD quality gates.Strong Git practices: branching strategy, code review, PR quality standards.Experience integrating test frameworks with cloud testing platforms (BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, etc.).Data & Platform KnowledgeAbility to write and interpret SQL queries.Working knowledge of modern web technologies (HTML, CSS, DOM).Ways of WorkingComfortable operating in Agile/Scrum environments.Strong communication and leadership skills, with an ability to influence cross‑functional teams.Ownership mindset with a focus on scalability, reliability, and long‑term improvements.Curiosity, adaptability, and commitment to elevating engineering quality.Nice to HaveExperience with serverless computing (AWS Lambda, Azure Functions).Exposure to performance testing tools (k6, Gatling).Understanding of accessibility testing principles (WCAG 2.1 AA).We have great people here and are looking for more. Come join us!Follow us:FacebookInstagramLinkedInXYouTubeEqual Employment Opportunities at First AdvantageFirst Advantage is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a workplace and recruitment process that is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Employment decisions at First Advantage are based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs. We do not discriminate in any aspect of employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, religion, creed, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.