Senior SDET / Test Automation Engineer

Cullerton Group; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 114,000 - 162,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

Job summary

Cullerton Group seeks an IT Software Engineer 4 (Senior SDET / Test Automation Engineer) for a Chicago hybrid role. This 12-month position requires 3-5 days onsite per week initially, with a path to 100% onsite.

The role offers $100/hour plus full benefits and opportunities to mentor a large team across projects. Key duties include building automated test frameworks, API and integration testing, and CI/CD integration, with strong emphasis on Java, Cucumber, JBehave, and JMeter.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in CS/Software Eng or related field.
• 8–10+ years in software testing and test automation, incl. 8+ years designing test automation frameworks.
• Hands-on design and development with Java, Cucumber, JBehave, and API testing.
• Strong SQL and relational database experience; API/ integration testing.
• Ability to lead and mentor onsite and offshore test engineers; onsite Chicago from Day 1.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute automated functional, regression, API, integration, and end-to-end system tests.
• Design and maintain REST API test automation frameworks.
• Develop scenario-based performance testing using JMeter.
• Integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines to support CI/CD.
• Create comprehensive test plans, cases, scripts, and data from requirements.
• Perform SQL queries and database validation for backend testing.
• Collaborate with product owners and dev teams to resolve defects.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to test engineers.

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field

Tools

Java

Cucumber

JBehave

REST API testing

JMeter

SQL

CI/CD pipelines

Jenkins

Git

Python

AWS

Karate

Job description

Cullerton Group has a new opportunity for an IT Software Engineer 4 (Senior SDET / Test Automation Engineer) in Chicago, IL. The work will be done hybrid, requiring 3-5 days onsite per week starting Day 1, with an eventual transition to 100% onsite. This is a 12-month position that can lead to permanent employment with our client. Compensation is 100/hr + full benefits (vision, dental, health insurance, 401k, and holiday pay).

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute automated functional, regression, API, integration, and end-to-end system tests.
• Design and maintain REST API test automation frameworks, including automated scripting, execution, and results analysis.
• Develop scenario-based performance and load testing using JMeter.
• Integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines to support continuous integration and delivery.
• Create comprehensive test strategies, test plans, test cases, test scripts, and test data based on business requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Perform SQL queries and database validation to support backend and integration testing.
• Collaborate with product owners and development teams to resolve defects, enhancements, and system integration issues.
• Provide technical leadership, training, and mentorship to onsite and offshore test engineers.
• Conduct exploratory and manual testing when necessary and promote automation best practices.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 8-10+ years of software testing and test automation experience, including at least 8 years designing test automation frameworks.
• Strong hands-on design and development experience with at least two of the following:
• Java - 3-5 years
• Cucumber - 3-5 years
• JBehave or comparable BDD testing frameworks
• 3-5 years of REST API / web services testing experience.
• 3+ years of scenario-based performance testing using JMeter.
• Proven ability to develop automated test scripts, test cases, test data, and regression suites.
• Strong knowledge of SQL and relational database queries.
• Experience with full-stack testing, third-party integrations, and end-to-end system integration testing.
• Strong understanding of the software development lifecycle, testing methodologies, and quality engineering best practices.
• Excellent communication, troubleshooting, collaboration, and technical mentoring skills.
• Must be available to work onsite in Chicago starting Day 1 and be willing to transition to 5 days onsite.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience with Python.
• Experience developing or testing applications using AWS Cloud technologies.
• Familiarity with Karate API testing framework.
• Experience with Test-Driven Development (TDD), continuous integration, and code review practices.
• Experience with Apigee or other API gateways.
• Knowledge of Jenkins, Git, CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps practices.
• At least 2 years of experience working in an Agile/Lean environment.
• Understanding of microservices architecture.
• Strong technical documentation and test reporting skills.

Why This Role?

This opportunity allows you to work on complex enterprise software platforms, enhance advanced automation frameworks, and contribute to large-scale software quality initiatives. You will collaborate with a cross-functional team of more than 20 professionals, lead testing improvements, and mentor engineers across multiple projects. Cullerton Group provides a professional environment with growth potential, competitive benefits, and the opportunity to support innovative technology solutions for a global industry leader.