QA Lead

Job Title: QA Lead

Location: Durham, NC (Hybrid)

Contract: W2 Only

Duration: 12+ Months

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced QA Lead to drive test automation strategy and ensure high-quality software delivery across multiple projects. The ideal candidate will combine strong programming and automation expertise with leadership skills to guide QA engineers, build scalable automation frameworks, and integrate testing into modern CI/CD pipelines. This role requires hands-on experience with test automation, API testing, and close collaboration with development, product, and DevOps teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, and maintenance of test automation frameworks for UI, API, and integration testing
• Define and implement automation strategies aligned with Agile and DevOps practices
• Mentor and guide QA engineers and SDET team members to improve automation coverage and quality practices
• Develop automated test scripts using modern programming languages and testing tools
• Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines to enable continuous testing and faster releases
• Collaborate with developers, product owners, and DevOps teams to ensure quality throughout the SDLC
• Perform API, functional, regression, and integration testing
• Monitor test results, identify defects, and work with engineering teams to resolve issues
• Establish quality metrics, reporting dashboards, and testing standards
• Support release validation and production readiness activities

Required Qualifications

• 13+ years of experience in software testing and automation
• Strong programming skills in Java, Python, or similar languages
• Hands-on experience with UI automation tools such as Selenium, Cypress, or Playwright
• Strong experience in API testing and automation (Rest Assured, Postman, Karate, etc.)
• Experience with test frameworks such as TestNG, JUnit, or Cucumber (BDD)
• Experience integrating automation with CI/CD tools such as Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, or Azure DevOps
• Strong understanding of SDLC, Agile methodologies, and DevOps practices
• Experience with version control systems (Git)
• Strong problem-solving and leadership skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with microservices testing and distributed systems
• Exposure to performance testing tools such as JMeter or Gatling
• Experience testing cloud-based applications (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform)
• Knowledge of containerized environments (Docker/Kubernetes)
• Experience leading distributed QA teams