Lead/Principal Software Development Engineer - Test
First seen by Alion on Sep 29, 2026.
Position Title : Lead / Principal SDET - Mobile Automation
Experience Level : 11 - 14 Years
About the Role :
We are seeking an experienced Lead / Principal SDET with 11 - 14 years of experience to spearhead our mobile test automation engineering efforts across Android and iOS platforms. In this leadership role, you will define mobile automation strategies, architect enterprise-grade framework solutions using Appium, drive API integration testing, and integrate automated quality gates into CI/CD pipelines. You will collaborate closely with engineering, product, and QA leadership to maintain high release velocity and product stability.
Key Responsibilities :
- Architecture & Strategy : Architect, design, and scale end-to-end mobile automation test frameworks for native and hybrid Android/iOS applications using Appium with Java, Python, or TypeScript/JavaScript.
- Technical Leadership : Lead and mentor test automation engineers, establishing best practices, coding standards, design patterns (e.g., Page Object Model, Page Factory), and code review processes.
- Continuous Integration & Delivery : Integrate mobile test suites with CI/CD tools (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI) and leverage cloud device platforms (BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, AWS Device Farm) for parallel execution.
- API & Integration Testing : Build robust automated test strategies for backend REST APIs using tools like REST Assured or Postman, ensuring end-to-end data integrity across services.
- Execution & Quality Assurance : Oversee functional, regression, integration, performance, and smoke testing across real devices, emulators, and cloud environments.
- Defect Management & Process Improvement : Lead defect triage sessions, perform root-cause analysis on framework/application failures, and continuously optimize QA processes and release readiness criteria.
- Stakeholder Collaboration : Partner closely with Product Managers, Architects, and Engineering Managers to align quality metrics with business outcomes and delivery schedules.
Requirements & Qualifications :
- Experience : 11 to 14 years of dedicated experience in software testing, test automation, and QA architecture.
- Core Automation Expertise : Deep, hands-on technical proficiency with Appium (including Appium 2.x, W3C WebDriver protocols, and Appium Inspector) across Android and iOS ecosystems.
- Programming Mastery : Advanced expertise in at least one object-oriented programming language (Java, Python, or JavaScript/TypeScript).
- Framework Design : Demonstrated track record of building and maintaining scalable automation frameworks ground-up (using TestNG, JUnit, PyTest, Cucumber, etc.).
- API & CI/CD Skills : Strong experience in API automation and seamless pipeline integration using Git, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or GitLab CI.
- Mobile Ecosystem Depth : Advanced knowledge of mobile-specific testing nuances (gestures, device capabilities, network simulations, memory performance, logs, and deep linking).
- Engineering Standards : Solid understanding of SDLC/STLC methodologies, Agile/Scrum processes, and software design principles.
Preferred / Good-to-Have Skills :
- Experience with Docker, containerized test execution, and cloud grid setups.
- Hands-on experience with mobile performance monitoring, security scanning, or accessibility testing.
- Proficiency in SQL and database verification techniques.
- Prior experience managing or leading cross-functional QA teams.
Skills
SDET, Software Quality Assurance, Testing, Automation Testing, Mobile App Testing, Mobile Testing, Python, Appium, Test Strategy, API Testing, Integration Testing