Lead Test Automation Engineer

Guidewheel; United States; Remote; USD 150,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking company as a Lead Test Automation Engineer, where you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the quality and reliability of a cutting-edge FactoryOps platform. You will lead the design and implementation of robust automated testing strategies, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and mentor fellow engineers. This role offers the chance to work with a dynamic tech stack and be part of a mission-driven organization aiming to empower factories globally. Enjoy the flexibility of a 100% remote culture, generous equity options, and a commitment to personal and professional growth. Be part of a team that values integrity, collaboration, and innovation.

Benefits

Flexible PTO

Equity in the company

Health Benefits

401k with match

$500 home office set-up

Parental leave

Paid company holidays

Company laptop

Remote work flexibility

Opportunity for company travel

Qualifications

• 8+ years in software engineering or test automation with a focus on web applications.
• Experience with automation frameworks and CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong programming skills in TypeScript/JavaScript.

Responsibilities

• Design and maintain automated test frameworks across the tech stack.
• Lead the evolution of test automation infrastructure and best practices.
• Mentor engineers on automation techniques and quality mindset.

Skills

Test Automation

Software Engineering

Agile Development

Cloud Testing Strategies

Programming (TypeScript/JavaScript)

Automation Frameworks (Cypress, Selenium)

CI/CD Pipelines

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Cypress

Selenium

PostgreSQL

Node.js

Vue.js

Google Cloud

Job description

Who we are:

Guidewheel is on a mission to empower all the world’s factories to reach sustainable peak performance. We live in a world where you can check the weather of any city or the score of any football game from your phone—so why can’t we get that same instant, automated, and smart visibility into the factory floor?

Guidewheel has found a way to illuminate those blind spots at scale by starting with a simple truth: every machine–regardless of make, model, or age–uses power.

We first clip a sensor around the power draw of any machine (like a FitBit for Factories) to read the machine’s electrical “heartbeat,” and then can layer on additional functionality to empower manufacturers to improve productivity of their existing plants and machines by up to 2X—while simultaneously reducing energy cost and emissions by 15-20%

Founded out of Stanford and backed by top investors including Greycroft, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, and BlackRock and Temasek's Decarbonization Partners fund, Guidewheel is scaling fast, already successful with 300+ manufacturers including Johnson & Johnson, General Motors, and Coca-Cola FEMSA, and recognized by the World Economic Forum as one of the top companies globally poised to change business and society. We have strong momentum and alignment around our mission, investor support, and a culture that values diversity, a growth mindset, and results.

Check us out here:

• Series B: Led by BlackRock and Temasek’s Decarbonization Partners
• What do Guidewheel customers have to say?
• From our CEO: Lauren Dunford

What we value:

• Integrity matters: We are honest, straightforward and sincere. With each other. With our investors. With our customers.
• We (actually) care: About each other. About fighting climate change. About making a real impact.
• We use data to make decisions: We possess the courage to accept “hard truths” and confront challenges head-on.
• The power of a growth mindset is real: We strive to be the best we can be. We are committed to embracing change and expanding our capabilities.
• Results-driven with a bias for action. We are thoughtful and fast.
• Adaptable and resilient: Guidewheelers have grit. We thrive in fast-paced environments and aren’t afraid to take on hard things or embrace feedback and continuous improvement. We come through for our customers and teammates.
• Extreme teamwork. “No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it.” — H.E. Luccock

What you’ll do: We’re a fast-growing start-up—so although the below are your primary responsibilities, we look for teammates who are constantly looking for more: More ways to better themselves, the company, and those around them.

As the Lead Test Automation Engineer at Guidewheel, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the quality, reliability, and scalability of our FactoryOps platform. You will:

• Design, implement, and maintain robust automated test frameworks and strategies across Guidewheel’s tech stack (TypeScript, Node, Vue, PostgreSQL, Redis, Google Cloud).
• Lead the architecture and evolution of our test automation infrastructure, driving best practices for test coverage, CI/CD integration, and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, product, and design teams to define testable requirements, acceptance criteria, and quality benchmarks.
• Mentor and upskill engineers on automation techniques, frameworks, and quality mindset, fostering a culture of excellence and ownership.
• Analyze and troubleshoot complex system behaviors, proactively identifying risks and driving root cause analysis for defects.
• Partner in planning and prioritization to ensure quality is embedded throughout the development lifecycle, supporting rapid feature delivery and long-term platform scalability.
• Model resilience, transparency, and adaptability in a fast-paced startup environment.

Tech Stack: Our stack includes the following technologies: TypeScript, Node, Vue, PostgreSQL, Redis, and Google Cloud.

Who we want: The ideal Lead Test Automation Engineer will have a strong technical foundation and a passion for building and leading high-performing teams. You’ll bring:

• At least 8 years of experience in software engineering or test automation, with a strong focus on architecting automated test solutions for modern web applications.
• Deep hands-on expertise with automation frameworks (e.g., Cypress, Playwright, Selenium, Jest, Mocha), CI/CD pipelines, and cloud-based testing strategies.
• Experience designing scalable and maintainable test architectures for distributed systems and data-intensive applications.
• Strong programming skills (ideally in TypeScript/JavaScript) and familiarity with our stack.
• A builder mindset with a bias for action-comfortable jumping in, unblocking others, and driving quality through code and collaboration.
• An entrepreneurial attitude—you want to be part of building something from the ground up
• Experience in Agile development environments, ideally with globally distributed teams
• Relentless curiosity, high standards, and a sense of urgency—you set the tone for excellence in the team
• Strong communication and prioritization skills, with the ability to balance technical depth and leadership
• A desire to contribute to Guidewheel’s mission and culture, with radical candor and shared ownership

Some Nice to Haves

• Experience scaling automation for SaaS products with large data volumes.
• Familiarity with performance, security, and reliability testing in cloud environments.
• Prior startup experience and comfort wearing many hats.

What’s in it for you? There are a lot of reasons why you should want to be our Lead Test Automation Engineer, but some of the top reasons are:

• You’ll lead and grow a world-class engineering team working on cutting-edge technologies and high-impact systems
• You’ll play a critical role in shaping the technical future of a product-first startup with huge ambition
• You’ll get to build side-by-side with amazing humans on a mission to reach a $10B IPO by 2030—and see the real-world impact of your leadership
• You’ll get to work on meaningful challenges every day, supporting the backbone of the global economy while helping the planet
  
• You’ll join early and help build the FactoryOps layer for the world’s factories—and a company with generational impact
• You’ll be an equity partner in the business through our generous employee equity program—we want all our teammates to have a stake in Guidewheel’s success

Additional benefits include:

• Fair & equitable pay. Annual on-target earnings for this role are in the range of $150,000-$160,000 USD for domestic hires. For candidates located outside of the US, compensation will reflect fair market trends for that location. All compensation is dependent on many factors and our internal compensation and role bands..
• 100% remote culture. Work from wherever, whenever - we hired you to get a job done, and as long as that is happening, you have the autonomy to get it done where and when you feel comfortable.
• Flexible PTO policy. We value balance and boundaries. To be the best version of you, you need time away from your screen, so we want you to take it.
• Generous equity. Everyone at Guidewheel receives equity in the business. You will be working hard to build something great, and when we reach the finish line, you should be rewarded for your hard work.
• Health Benefits. We offer different health benefits to cover your personal needs from day one of employment - you pick the plan that makes the most sense to you.
• Additional Perks. Included but not limited to, 401k (match up to 4%), $500 home office set-up, parental leave, company laptop, retirement plan, paid company holidays, and some (if you choose) company travel to spend time with your Guidewheel peers.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

Guidewheel is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, age, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. Guidewheel makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.