Sr. SDET(Lead Automator)

Role Overview
The Senior SDET serves as the Lead Automator within the Quality Engineering function. This role is responsible for designing and building an automation framework from the ground up, while also operating as the primary automation resource embedded across multiple product teams.
You will work cross functionally, sitting in both the automation team and an individual product team, acting as a liaison and technical leader. This role owns automation strategy and execution, determines what should be automated, builds scalable solutions, and mentors manual testers to raise the overall quality and engineering bar.
This is a hands‑on, high‑impact role requiring close collaboration with DevOps, product teams, and engineering, with a strong emphasis on paired programming and practical mentorship.

Day‑to‑Day Responsibilities
40% – Automation Framework Design & Build
• Design and build the automation framework from scratch
• Select and implement tooling (Playwright / Cypress / Selenium, language choices, structure)
• Write and maintain scalable, reusable automation code
• Continuously evolve the framework based on team needs and system changes
This is the single most important part of the role.
25% – Embedded Product Team Automation
• Act as the primary / only automator embedded across ~5 product teams
• Identify what should and should not be automated
• Build automation directly into product team workflows
• Validate end‑to‑end user journeys across UI, API, and integrations
• Serve as the automation liaison between product teams and the automation function
15% – Mentorship, Enablement & Paired Programming
• Pair program with engineers and testers
• Teach and mentor manual QA testers on automation concepts and practices
• Review test code and reinforce automation best practices
• Raise the overall quality and engineering bar across teams
10% – DevOps, CI/CD & Tooling Integration
• Work closely with DevOps to integrate automation into CI/CD pipelines
• Ensure automation runs reliably, efficiently, and at the right stages
• Improve execution speed, stability, and feedback loops
• Support environment and pipeline troubleshooting as needed
10% – Strategy, Quality Ownership & Continuous Improvement
• Define automation standards and quality expectations
• Drive continuous improvement in test coverage and reliability
• Influence decisions around tooling, POCs, and new automation approaches
Contribute to quality strategy discussions with engineering and product leadership

Compensation: $120k to $133k Exact compensation may vary based on several factors, including skills, experience, and education. Benefit packages for this role will start on the 31st day of employment and include medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as HSA, FSA, and DCFSA account options, and 401k retirement account access with employer matching. Employees in this role are also entitled to paid sick leave and/or other paid time off as provided by applicable law.

We are a company committed to creating diverse and inclusive environments where people can bring their full, authentic selves to work every day. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer that believes everyone matters. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, marital status, national origin, ancestry, genetic factors, age, disability, protected veteran status, military or uniformed service member status, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations, and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to HR@insightglobal.com.To learn more about how we collect, keep, and process your private information, please review Insight Global's Workforce Privacy Policy: https://insightglobal.com/workforce-privacy-policy/.

Must‑Have Qualifications
• 7+ years of experience as an SDET, automation engineer, or software engineer with a strong testing mindset
• Proven experience building an automation framework from scratch
• Strong developer background with a testing‑first mindset
• Deep experience testing APIs (how to access them, what to validate, and how to write effective automated tests)
• Proficiency in one or more programming languages:
○ JavaScript / TypeScript
○ Java
○ Python
• Hands‑on experience with modern automation tools:
○ Selenium, Playwright, or Cypress
• Experience introducing new tools, POCs, or automation approaches within an organization
• Strong collaboration skills and comfort working as the sole Automator embedded within a product team
Clear communicator with the ability to mentor and influence without formal authority

Nice‑to‑Have
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Computer Information Systems
• Background in insurance or fintech (especially teams building and selling their own software)
• Certifications are a plus but not required (A+, Network+, AI certs are not heavily weighted)
Experience with CI/CD and DevOps collaboration

Benefit packages for this role will start on the 1st day of employment and include medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as HSA, FSA, and DCFSA account options, and 401k retirement account access with employer matching. Employees in this role are also entitled to paid sick leave and/or other paid time off as provided by applicable law.