Automation Engineer — QA Test Automation

nextSource; United States; Remote; USD 110,000 - 124,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare Benefits including Medical,

Voluntary STD & LTD

401(k) Retirement Planning

Discount Program

Job summary

nextSource is seeking an Automation Engineer to design, build, and maintain robust automated test suites for enterprise financial aid applications across desktop and web platforms. The role blends hands‑on scripting with strong quality judgments to translate requirements into repeatable automated coverage delivered on schedule.

The ideal candidate will automate against SQL Server, structured data files, and external system integrations, modernizing legacy desktop tests to web while ensuring

Qualifications

• 4–6+ years of professional experience in software test automation or QA engineering, with hands‑on ownership of automation frameworks
• Strong proficiency in Python, C# and XML scripting for test automation, with clean, maintainable, reusable code
• Hands‑on experience building and maintaining UI test automation using Playwright (or comparable tools such as Selenium) for web applications
• Experience automating Windows desktop applications using tools such as pywinauto, WinAppDriver, FlaUI, or similar
• Experience logging, tracking, and reporting defects and test results using a defect or test management tool (e.g., Jira)
• Solid working knowledge of Microsoft SQL Server, including writing T‑SQL queries to set up, validate, and clean up test data
• Experience with XML and structured data files, including generating and validating files for import/export and integration testing
• Experience testing and automating RESTful APIs, and validating integrations between internal and external systems
• Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), QA methodologies, and test design techniques (regression, functional, integration, data‑driven)
• Ability to analyze requirements and acceptance criteria, identify gaps, and translate them into complete, well‑structured automated test coverage
• Skill in debugging flaky or failing tests, performing root‑cause analysis, and clearly reporting defects to development teams
• Working knowledge of web accessibility (WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA) and an ability to include accessibility checks in automated test suites
• Mentor QA engineers on automation best practices

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, execute, and maintain automated regression and functional test suites for desktop and web applications
• Update and extend automation scripts each release cycle to reflect new features, changed behavior, and evolving requirements
• Build data‑driven tests that cover multiple data‑creation and import paths and multiple academic/award years
• Create and manage test data using SQL Server queries and XML or other structured data files
• Participate in sprint planning and estimation, and provide effort and story‑point input for automation work
• Review user stories and acceptance criteria, and flag gaps, ambiguities, or missing scenarios before test development
• Report results, defects, and quality risks clearly to the QA Manager, developers, and stakeholders
• Contribute to automation standards, reusable libraries, and documentation that improve team efficiency

Skills

Python

C#

XML scripting

UI test automation

Selenium

SQL Server

RESTful APIs testing

WCAG accessibility testing

Agile / Scrum

Root-cause analysis

Tools

Playwright

Selenium

pywinauto

WinAppDriver

FlaUI

Jira

Openpyxl

XML handling

Job description

Mode: Contract - long term

Location: Remote

(0) NO Awareness of technology

(1) LITTLE Awareness - read/heard of technology

(2) EXPOSURE to technology in environment

(3) SOME development in technology

(4) Very COMFORTABLE developing in technology

(5) EXPERTISE in technology i.e. could teach a class

Playwright / Selenium (Web UI Automation), Level - 4

SQL (T-SQL for Test Data & Validation), Level - 4

XML / Structured Data File Handling, Level - 4

Debugging & Root-Cause Analysis of Test Failures, Level - 4

Web Accessibility (WCAG 2.1/2.2) Testing, Level 3

Agile / Scrum Methodology, Level - 3

Financial Aid / Higher Education Systems, Level - 2

About the Role

As an Automation Engineer on the PowerFAIDS QA team, the candidate will be responsible for designing, building, and maintaining reliable automated test suites for complex enterprise financial aid applications across desktop and web platforms. This role blends hands‑on automation scripting with strong quality‑engineering judgment — translating business requirements and acceptance criteria into complete, repeatable, and maintainable automated coverage — while ensuring high‑quality delivery within established release timelines. The engineer will also update and extend existing automation scripts each release cycle, produce clear test documentation and result reports, and help triage and report defects. Strong collaboration with QA colleagues, developers, business analysts, and cross‑functional technology teams is essential.

The not‑for‑profit membership organization is dedicated to providing excellence and equity in education — manages a complex ecosystem of systems and applications that support students, educators, and institutions across multiple programs and services. Working within the Information Technology division and closely with Product, Development, and business partners, this engineer will analyze existing workflows and test coverage and build scalable, reliable automation that reduces regression effort, improves data quality, and accelerates release confidence.

The ideal candidate is a hands‑on automation engineer with strong scripting craft and a genuine passion for quality, paired with solid experience automating enterprise applications that rely on SQL Server, structured data files, and integrations with external systems. They are comfortable working independently in established enterprise environments, supporting the move from legacy desktop to web, and delivering well‑structured, dependable, production‑ready automation with minimal ramp‑up.

Responsibilities of the role

• Design, develop, execute, and maintain automated regression and functional test suites for desktop and web applications
• Update and extend automation scripts each release cycle to reflect new features, changed behavior, and evolving requirements
• Build data‑driven tests that cover multiple data‑creation and import paths and multiple academic/award years
• Create and manage test data using SQL Server queries and XML or other structured data files
• Participate in sprint planning and estimation, and provide effort and story‑point input for automation work
• Review user stories and acceptance criteria, and flag gaps, ambiguities, or missing scenarios before test development
• Report results, defects, and quality risks clearly to the QA Manager, developers, and stakeholders
• Contribute to automation standards, reusable libraries, and documentation that improve team efficiency

Qualifications needed for the role

• 4–6+ years of professional experience in software test automation or QA engineering, with hands‑on ownership of automation frameworks
• Strong proficiency in Python, C# and XML scripting for test automation, with clean, maintainable, reusable code
• Hands‑on experience building and maintaining UI test automation using Playwright (or comparable tools such as Selenium) for web applications
• Experience automating Windows desktop applications using tools such as pywinauto, WinAppDriver, FlaUI, or similar
• Experience logging, tracking, and reporting defects and test results using a defect or test management tool (e.g., Jira)
• Solid working knowledge of Microsoft SQL Server, including writing T‑SQL queries to set up, validate, and clean up test data
• Experience with XML and structured data files, including generating and validating files for import/export and integration testing
• Experience testing and automating RESTful APIs, and validating integrations between internal and external systems
• Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), QA methodologies, and test design techniques (regression, functional, integration, data‑driven)
• Ability to analyze requirements and acceptance criteria, identify gaps, and translate them into complete, well‑structured automated test coverage
• Skill in debugging flaky or failing tests, performing root‑cause analysis, and clearly reporting defects to development teams
• Working knowledge of web accessibility (WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA) and an ability to include accessibility checks in automated test suites
• Mentor QA engineers on automation best practices

Preferred skills and attributes for the role

• Experience designing data‑driven automation that covers multiple record‑creation paths (e.g., manual entry, file import, API) and multiple academic/award years
• Experience with Excel‑based test artifacts (e.g., openpyxl) for test data generation and reporting
• Exposure to CI/CD pipelines, automated test execution in build and release processes, and source control systems such as Git
• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and experience working within sprint‑based release cycles
• Experience supporting the migration or modernization of legacy desktop applications to web, including re‑baselining automation suites
• Experience with performance, load, or security testing tools
• Familiarity with automated accessibility tools and assistive technology testing
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain test results and quality risks to technical and non‑technical stakeholders
• Provide guidance to QA engineers in automated testing best practices.

Pay Rate Range: $80-$90 per hr (Depending on Experience)

nextSource is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affidavit Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, organizational level, work styles, tenure, and life experiences or for any other reason.

nextSource is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [e-mail].

What nextSource Provides:

• Healthcare Benefits including Medical, Prescription, Vision & Dental Coverage | United Healthcare
• Voluntary STD & LTD | New York Life
• 401(k) Retirement Planning | Fidelity
• Discount Program

*You are Eligible to participate in the benefits program if you are considered a full‑time employee of nextSource, working at least 30 hours per week on a consistent basis. Your coverage will be effective on the 1st of the month following 60 days of employment.