QA Automation Engineer

Socket.dev; United States; On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Empower Pharmacy, a leading 503A compounding and FDA-registered facility, seeks a QA Automation Engineer to design and maintain automated test frameworks for manufacturing, order management, and compliance-critical applications.

This role drives test strategy, integrates with CI/CD pipelines, and partners with developers, QA analysts, product owners, and validation teams to ensure high-quality software in a regulated pharmacy environment.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in QA automation in a software environment.
• Experience with regulated healthcare or pharma software is preferred.
• Proven ability to design test strategies, troubleshoot automation, and deliver reliable results.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain automated UI and API tests to improve coverage and speed.
• Integrate tests into CI/CD and manage test data and environments.
• Collaborate with developers, QA, and validation teams to ensure traceability and CSV compliance.

Skills

Test automation frameworks

Python

Java

JavaScript/TypeScript

API testing

SQL

CI/CD

Jira/Azure DevOps

Git

Debugging

AI-assisted testing

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

Tools

Selenium

Cypress

Playwright

Postman

REST Assured

JMeter

AWS/Azure

Job description

Empower Pharmacy is a visionary healthcare company dedicated to making quality, affordable medication accessible to millions of patients nationwide. As the nation’s most advanced 503A compounding pharmacy and FDA-registered 503B outsourcing facility, we’re redefining what’s possible in personalized medicine and pharmaceutical manufacturing. We’re proud to be recognized as one of Houston’s fastest-growing private companies and ranked #116 in Healthcare & Medical on the Inc. 5000 List for 2025.

Our strength is built on four core values: People, Quality, Service, and Innovation. Guided by these principles, we’ve created a uniquely integrated healthcare platform powered by advanced technology, operational excellence, and a relentless commitment to patient care. From manufacturing and quality control to distribution and customer experience, our teams work together to raise industry standards, expand access to critical medications, and improve outcomes for patients and providers across the country.

At Empower, joining our team means more than starting a new role. It means becoming part of a mission-driven organization that’s transforming healthcare at scale. We invest deeply in our people, encourage bold thinking, and create opportunities for growth, leadership, and innovation at every level. Your ideas matter here, your development is supported, and the work you do has a direct impact on the lives of millions.

If you thrive in a fast-moving, purpose-driven environment where innovation, collaboration, and ambition come together, Empower Pharmacy is the place for you. Let’s transform healthcare together.

POSITION SUMMARY

The QA Automation Engineer designs, builds, and maintains automated testing frameworks and test suites that validate the software systems supporting Empower's rapidly scaling 503A/503B operations, including manufacturing, order management, and compliance-critical applications. This role owns disciplined technical execution from test strategy and script development through CI/CD integration, defect analysis, and continuous improvement of test coverage and reliability. The engineer applies strong technical judgment to identify quality risks early, reduce manual testing effort, and ensure automated testing evidence meets the traceability and documentation standards expected in a regulated pharmacy environment. Success requires close partnership with developers, QA analysts, business stakeholders, and validation teams to deliver reliable, well-tested software under changing priorities. The role is expected to learn quickly, challenge assumptions constructively, and use AI-enabled analysis when appropriate to accelerate test design and defect triage while preserving human review, data integrity, and accountable decision-making.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Test Automation Development

• Automation Frameworks: Design, build, and maintain automated test scripts and frameworks (UI, API, and regression) that increase test coverage, execution speed, and release confidence.
• Test Strategy & Planning: Translate requirements and user stories into clear test plans, automated test cases, and acceptance criteria that support safe, repeatable, scalable releases.
• CI/CD Integration: Integrate automated test suites into CI/CD pipelines so tests run reliably on every build, and maintain the supporting test environments and test data.

Quality And Problem Solving

• Defect Management: Identify, document, and track defects using structured methods; work with development teams to determine root cause and verify fixes through automated regression.
• Risk Assessment: Evaluate the impact of code and system changes on existing test coverage, prioritize testing effort by risk, and flag significant quality risks before release.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities to reduce manual testing, improve test stability and maintainability, and strengthen overall test suite health through disciplined analysis and follow-through.

Regulated Collaboration

• Cross Functional: Partner with developers, QA analysts, product owners, validation, and quality teams to align priorities, resolve technical blockers, and coordinate reliable test execution.
• Compliance Discipline: Execute automated testing work with strong documentation, traceability, and data integrity practices consistent with computer system validation (CSV) and 21 CFR Part 11 expectations.
• Operational Learning: Build technical knowledge rapidly from test results, production incidents, and stakeholder feedback to improve test coverage and prevent recurring defects.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Strong knowledge of test automation frameworks (e.g., Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, or similar) and experience building and maintaining automated UI and API test suites.
• Proficiency in at least one scripting or programming language commonly used for test automation (e.g., Python, Java, JavaScript/TypeScript).
• Experience with API testing tools (e.g., Postman, REST Assured) and working knowledge of SQL for test data validation.
• Familiarity with CI/CD tools (e.g., Jenkins, Azure DevOps, GitLab CI) and version control systems (e.g., Git).
• Understanding of the software development lifecycle, Agile/Scrum practices, and defect-tracking tools (e.g., Jira, Azure DevOps).
• Ability to analyze test results and production data, identify failure patterns, determine root causes, and convert findings into practical improvements.
• Working capability with AI-enabled analysis for test design and defect triage, while maintaining human validation, data integrity, and accountable engineering judgment.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Required: Bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, or a related technical field, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and practical experience.
• Required: 6+ years of experience in QA automation, building and maintaining automated test scripts and frameworks in a professional software environment.
• Required: Proven ability to design test strategies, troubleshoot automation failures, document test evidence, and deliver reliable testing outcomes across cross-functional stakeholder groups.
• Preferred: Experience testing within regulated, quality-controlled, or highly documented software environments (e.g., pharma, healthcare, life sciences) where computer system validation (CSV), 21 CFR Part 11, and traceability are important.
• Preferred: Experience with performance or load testing tools (e.g., JMeter, k6) and exposure to cloud platforms (AWS or Azure).
• Required: ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL).
• Preferred: ISTQB Advanced Level – Test Automation Engineering (CTAL-TAE), or equivalent test automation certification.
• A plus: Microsoft 365 Certified: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals.
• A plus: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner or Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900).

Key Competencies:

• Customer Focus: Builds trust through customer-centric solutions.
• Strategic AI: Guides responsible AI adoption and adaptation.
• Optimizes Work Processes: Drives efficiency with continuous improvement.
• Collaborates: Partners effectively to achieve shared goals.
• Resourcefulness: Secures and deploys resources efficiently.
• Manages Complexity: Simplifies and solves complex challenges.
• Ensures Accountability: Delivers on commitments with integrity.
• Situational Adaptability: Adjusts approach to shifting conditions.
• Communicates Effectively: Tailors messages to diverse audiences.

Values:

• People: Empowering people defines who we are.
• Quality: Excellence in every product, every time.
• Service: Serving others is our highest purpose.
• Innovation: Advancing care through technology and discovery.

Employee Benefits, Health and Wellness:

We offer comprehensive benefits to support your health, well-being, and future, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, 401(k) matching, wellness perks, IV therapy, and compounded medications. Learn more: https://careers.empowerpharmacy.com/benefits/

Physical Requirements:

While performing the responsibilities of the job, the employee is required to talk and hear. The employee is often required to remain in a stationary position for a significant amount of the workday and frequently use their hands and fingers to handle or feel in order to access, input, and retrieve information from the computer and other office productivity devices. Employees are regularly required to move about the office and around the corporate campus. The employee is regularly required to stand, walk, reach with arms and hands, climb or balance, and to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl.