Principal Software Test Engineer
First seen by Alion on Oct 5, 2026.
Job Title : Principal Software Test Engineer
Location : Noida (Remote, travel if required)
Summary :
We are seeking a Principal Software Test Engineer who will play a key role in advancing test automation frameworks, tooling, and quality engineering practices across the Business Unit. This is a senior individual contributor role (70% hands-on) with additional responsibility to guide, influence, and mentor engineers while helping drive automation adoption and execution.
The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in web, API, and thick client automation, along with strong experience in framework design, CI/CD integration, and performance testing (JMeter). This individual will act as a technical anchor for automation, partnering with teams to improve quality, scalability, and efficiency of testing practices.
What you'll do :
Automation & Engineering (Core IC Work 70%) :
- Design, develop, and maintain scalable and reusable test automation frameworks for Web, API, and Thick Client applications.
- Build and enhance automation solutions to improve test coverage, reliability, and execution efficiency.
- Ensure CI/CD readiness, enabling seamless integration of automated tests into pipelines (e.g., Jenkins, Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions).
- Contribute to code reviews and continuous improvement of automation assets.
Driving Automation Excellence :
- Help drive adoption of automation frameworks and best practices across teams within the Business Unit.
- Collaborate with teams to identify automation opportunities and improve overall test strategy.
- Advocate for shift-left testing and early quality validation.
Performance & Quality Engineering :
- Design and execute performance and load testing using JMeter.
- Analyse system performance, identify bottlenecks, and provide recommendations for optimization.
Mentorship & Collaboration :
- Mentor and support QA engineers in automation tools, framework usage, and best practices.
- Provide technical guidance without direct people management responsibilities.
- Collaborate with product, development, and DevOps teams to ensure alignment on quality goals.
- Contribute to knowledge sharing and capability building within the team.
Operational Excellence :
- Participate in planning, estimation, and requirement analysis.
- Define and contribute to quality metrics and automation effectiveness tracking.
- Troubleshoot complex issues across application, database, and infrastructure layers.
Who you are :
- Bachelors degree in computer science, Engineering, or equivalent.
- 10+ years of experience in software testing with strong focus on automation.
- Proven experience as a senior individual contributor in quality engineering/automation.
Technical Expertise :
- Strong experience in designing and building test automation frameworks.
Hands-on expertise in :
- Web automation (Playwright)
- API automation (REST Assured / Postman/Karate API)
- Thick client / desktop automation (Test Complete)
- Strong understanding of CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.
- Experience in performance testing using JMeter.
- Proficiency in JavaScript or Typescript (preferred), Java, or similar programming languages.
- Experience with JIRA or similar test/defect management tools.
- Solid understanding of databases (Oracle, SQL Server) and SQL queries.
Core Competencies :
- Strong understanding of SDLC, STLC, and Agile/Scrum methodologies.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to debug and troubleshoot complex systems.
- Experience working in enterprise-scale applications/products.
Influence & Collaboration :
- Ability to influence without authority and drive adoption of best practices.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills across teams.
- Passion for mentoring and enabling others.
- Ability to balance hands-on execution with broader quality impact.
Cultural Fit :
- Excellent interpersonal and collaboration skills.
- Strong ownership and accountability mindset.
- Continuous improvement and innovation-driven.
- Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills.
- Adaptable and open to change.
- Passion for building high-quality, scalable systems.
Skills
Automation Testing, TestComplete, JMeter, Javascript, Java, Playwright Testing, Software Quality Assurance, Testing