Lead QA Automation Engineer

Gainbridge; United States; On-site; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Gainbridge is seeking a Lead QA Automation Engineer to own the automation strategy across a multi-surface product portfolio. This role includes improving existing frameworks and building new ones while making architectural decisions and communicating quality risks directly.

The ideal candidate has solid experience with Playwright and TypeScript, can build automation infrastructures, and ensures high-quality standards. Compensation ranges from $160,000 to $180,000 yearly, based on market and experience.

Qualifications

• Solid hands-on experience with Playwright and TypeScript.
• Experience building automation infrastructure from scratch.
• Successfully made architectural decisions and owned the consequences.

Responsibilities

• Own the automation framework across the product portfolio.
• Define testing criteria and depths across multiple surfaces.
• Represent QA in sprint planning and architecture reviews.

Skills

Playwright

TypeScript

Automation infrastructure development

Architectural decision making

Quality risk communication

Job description

We're looking for a Lead QA Automation Engineer to own the automation strategy across a multi-surface product portfolio. You'll improve existing frameworks where they exist and build from the ground up where they don't. This role requires independent judgment and direct communication of risk.

You’ll make the architectural calls, set the quality bar, and work directly with engineering and product. You’ll join an established QA team and report to the QA Manager.

This is a senior IC role with a path to people leadership within 12–18 months.

How You'll Contribute:

Architecture and technical strategy

• Own the automation framework across the portfolio: structure, conventions, CI integration, scalability
• Make tooling and architectural decisions — you set the direction, you’re accountable for outcomes
• Build new automation foundations on greenfield surfaces; raise the bar on existing ones
• Conduct code reviews that set the standard, not just check the box

Quality bar

• Define what gets tested, to what depth, and with what trade-offs — across multiple product surfaces simultaneously
• Write test plans, edge case coverage, and automation strategy per scope
• When release readiness isn’t there, you say so — clearly, with data, to whoever needs to hear it

Cross-functional accountability

• Represent QA in sprint planning, architecture reviews, and cross‑team syncs
• Negotiate scope and timelines with product and engineering when quality risk isn’t accounted for

Team and process

• Raise the craft of the QA engineers around you through structured code reviews and direct feedback
• Evaluate and improve QA and SDLC processes — if something is slow or unclear, fix it
• Participate in hiring as the team grows — screening candidates, conducting technical interviews, helping shape the bar

What We're Looking For:

• Solid hands‑on experience with Playwright and TypeScript
• You’ve built automation infrastructure from scratch and improved inherited systems — you’re comfortable with both
• You’ve made architectural decisions and owned the consequences
• You’ve pushed back on a release when quality wasn’t there — you know what it costs and you’ve done it anyway
• You communicate quality risk directly, without softening it for the room
• Your estimates are accurate; when they’re not, you say so early and adjust
• You’ve raised the quality of the engineers around you — through reviews, feedback, or direct mentorship

You’ll Thrive Here If You:

• Treat ownership as the default, not a perk
• Make decisions with incomplete information and adjust when you’re wrong
• Give your manager information they didn’t know to ask for
• Want a direct line from your architectural decisions to what ships
• Are open to leading a team within 12–18 months if the path emerges

Compensation:

Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several U.S. geographic markets. The base pay for this position ranges from $160,000/year in our lowest geographic market up to $180,000/year plus bonus in our highest geographic market. Pay is based on a number of factors including market location and may vary depending on job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience.