Senior Test Automation Engineer

Forge Group, LLC; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Complete Flextime

401(k) with Employer Matching

Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Forge Group, LLC is seeking a Senior Test Automation Engineer to lead automation within a DevSecOps delivery model for a DoW customer. The role will define risk-based test strategies, build resilient test frameworks, and integrate suites into CI/CD, validating Appian and supporting services.

The candidate will manage test evidence, coordinate automated and manual validation, and help teams prevent defects through proactive testing and robust coverage.

Qualifications

• 9+ years of professional software testing, quality engineering, or test automation.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• Experience integrating automated tests into CI/CD pipelines and designing stable, reproducible test execution.
• Experience with API testing, SQL-based data validation, and defect root-cause analysis.
• Experience testing Appian or another enterprise low-code platform.
• Active DoW-approved cybersecurity baseline certification or ability to obtain within 30 days.

Responsibilities

• Define risk-based automation strategies across unit, API, integration, UI, regression, data, accessibility, and performance testing.
• Architect and maintain Java-based Selenium automation frameworks using Gherkin/Cucumber patterns.
• Integrate automated suites into CI/CD with stable environments, test data, and quality gates.
• Automate Appian user journeys, record actions, and cross-system workflows.
• Build API and service-level tests for REST interfaces and microservices.
• Develop data-parity and reconciliation tests for source/target validation.

Skills

Advanced Java

Selenium

Gherkin/Cucumber

CI/CD

API testing

SQL-based validation

Section 508 testing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Java

Selenium

Appian

Cucumber/BBD

JMeter/Locust

Playwright

Job description

Senior Test Automation Engineer

Forge requires a Senior Test Automation Engineer to lead automation within a DevSecOps delivery model for a DoW customer. The role will define risk‑based test strategies, build and maintain resilient test frameworks, integrate suites into CI/CD, validate Appian and supporting services, manage test evidence, and help teams prevent defects rather than relying only on end‑of‑cycle detection.

Key Responsibilities

• Define risk-based automation strategies spanning unit, API, integration, UI, regression, data, accessibility, and performance testing.
• Architect and maintain reusable Java-based Selenium automation frameworks using Gherkin/Cucumber BDD patterns and complementary tools.
• Integrate automated suites into CI/CD with stable environments, controlled test data, actionable reporting, and appropriate quality gates.
• Automate Appian user journeys, record actions, role-based access, integrations, and cross-system business workflows.
• Build API and service-level tests for REST interfaces, microservices, error handling, authorization, and data contracts.
• Develop data‑parity and reconciliation tests that compare source, transformed, and target outcomes during modernization.
• Implement Section 508 accessibility automation and coordinate manual validation, evidence, and remediation verification.
• Plan and execute performance tests; analyze response time, throughput, resource use, and failure behavior under load.
• Triage failures and defects with developers, improve testability, reduce flaky tests, and publish coverage and quality trends.
• Produce traceable test plans, results, defect evidence, and release-readiness inputs for the DoW customer.

Qualifications / Requirements

The candidate must be able to think strategically, act tactically, and display strong analytical and critical thinking skills. They must also build strong cross-group working relationships and demonstrate exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.

Minimum Qualifications

• U.S. Citizen (Authorization to work in the U.S. will not suffice).
• Previous professional experience supporting the U.S. Federal Government, either as a federal employee or contractor, is required.
• 9+ years of professional experience in software testing, quality engineering, or test automation.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• Advanced Java and Selenium experience, including responsibility for architecting or substantially extending test‑automation frameworks.
• Experience integrating automated tests into CI/CD pipelines and designing stable, reproducible test execution.
• Experience with API testing, SQL-based data validation, test‑data management, and defect root‑cause analysis.
• Experience testing Appian or another enterprise low‑code/process‑automation platform.
• Experience with Gherkin, Cucumber, or comparable behavior‑driven development practices, and with Section 508 testing.
• Active CompTIA Security+ or equivalent DoW‑approved baseline cybersecurity certification, or ability to obtain within the first 30 days of starting; ability to obtain a recognized Section 508 testing certification within 90 days of starting.
• Active Tier 2 background investigation or higher, completed or favorably adjudicated within the previous 18 months.
• Worked on GFE (government furnished equipment) within the previous 12 months.

Highly Desired Qualifications

• Current Section 508 Trusted Tester, CompTIA Security+, ISTQB, CSTE, or comparable certification.
• Active Secret security clearance preferred.
• Previous professional experience supporting a DoW organization, mission, or customer is strongly preferred.
• Experience with Appian Selenium API, Cucumber for Appian, FitNesse for Appian, Playwright, JMeter, or Locust.
• Experience testing Python microservices, relational data migrations, and asynchronous or event‑driven integrations.
• Experience in IL4/IL5, AWS GovCloud, or comparable Government‑hosted environments.
• Experience producing automated compliance evidence or test results supporting ATO and release decisions.

Job Details

• Job Type: Full‑time
• Location: Replace (DMV/NCR area preferred)
• Salary Range: $130k–$150k per year

Benefits

Forge fosters a rich company culture built on a diverse, hard‑working employee base and offers a comprehensive benefits package tailored to employees’ needs.

• Complete Flextime
• 401(k) with Employer Matching
• Health, Dental, and Vision Coverage
• Health Savings Account (HSA) and Pre‑Tax Premium Options
• Supplementary healthcare and family support
• Extended Short‑Term and Long‑Term Disability
• Healthcare Insurance Deductible Paydown
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Tuition Reimbursement, Student Loan Repayment, and Education & Training Stipends
• Cell Phone / Internet Stipends
• College Savings Plans with Employer Contributions
• Alternative Work Locations and Telecommuting
• Employee Referral Awards
• Retention, Signing & Performance Bonuses
• Commuter Benefits
• Paid Sabbatical

Forge Group, LLC is an Equal Opportunity and/or affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or military or protected veteran status. We participate in the E‑Verify Employment Verification Program.