Junior Test Automation Engineer

This Test Engineering (TE) opportunity on the U.S. Navy’s Service Management, Integration, and Transport (SMIT) will allow participation on a high-visibility DoD program that provides engineering support to the Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI), the largest information technology (IT) network in the world. This position will provide many opportunities to challenge and grow your skills as a Systems Engineer.

We are seeking a T1 Software Test Automation Engineer to join our engineering team and help drive our automated quality strategy. In this role, you will focus on executing daily regression suites, updating existing test scripts to keep pace with minor software changes, and converting structured manual test cases into automated code under the mentorship of senior team members. You will blend software development skills with quality assurance methodologies to validate application functionality and ensure product reliability. The ideal candidate will document clear, reproducible steps for defects in tracking systems and participate in peer code reviews to quickly grow their skills. We are looking for an early-career professional with 0 to 2 years of experience, a solid foundational knowledge of at least one programming language (such as Java, Python, or JavaScript), basic exposure to UI automation tools, and a strong eagerness to learn.

Primary Responsibilities

• A successful candidate will demonstrate basic academic knowledge or introductory hands-on exposure to core test automation concepts and tools such as Robot Framework, Python, PyCharm, and GitHub. The candidate will learn and grow their skills with additional tools including GitLab, Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, SonarQube, and Bitbucket as required by Leidos and the USN, with guidance from senior team members.
• The candidate will support and learn about AI-Assisted Test Automation initiatives under the mentorship of senior engineers, helping Leidos explore innovative approaches that differentiate from current industry practices in this emerging area.
• The candidate will be introduced to Cameo and will assist in building test procedures, referencing test procedures, and recording test observations and conclusions within the Naval Enterprise Network (NEN) model with training and support.
• Lab Infrastructure & Hardware Setup: Assist with hands-on assembly and basic configuration of lab environments under supervision. This includes helping set up laptops, desktop workstations, enterprise printers, and observing server rack configurations while learning troubleshooting fundamentals.
• Microsoft Stack & App Testing: Conduct functional testing of Office 365 applications (Teams, Outlook, Excel) and enterprise browsers (Edge, Chrome) to help ensure reliable performance in a managed environment, documenting findings clearly.
• Virtualization & Remote Access: Learn to validate application delivery and user experience through Citrix Workspace and Remote Desktop (RDP) tools with guidance from senior testers.
• Test Automation (Learning & Growth): Develop foundational skills in Python and Robot Framework to create and maintain simple automated "smoke tests" for new builds and hardware configurations, with code review support from senior engineers.
• Virtual Environments: Basic familiarity or willingness to quickly learn Citrix Workspace and RDP sessions for application testing.
• Programming Foundation: Introductory knowledge of Python (coursework, bootcamp, or self-study) and a strong eagerness to learn Robot Framework for test automation and orchestration.
• Operating Systems: Comfortable or willing to learn working in both Windows and Linux environments for basic system configuration and log review.

Basic Qualifications

• Requires B.S. Degree and 0 to 2 years of prior relevant experience in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or related technical discipline from an accredited college or university.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and able to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance.
• Ability to learn and apply knowledge from multiple technical domains to solve testing challenges with guidance from senior team members.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with other technologists to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues.
• Familiarity with or ability to quickly learn Atlassian JIRA to track work assignments, log defects, and manage test cases.
• Must be able to work collaboratively in a team environment, both in-person and remotely.
• Comfortable working with mentorship and oversight to develop foundational automation skills and learn innovative testing approaches.
• Some travel required as needed to the Topside BSLN Lab (up to 10-25%).

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance (eliminates onboarding delay)
• Prior internship or co-op experience in software testing or quality assurance
• Exposure to test automation frameworks or scripting language

• Familiarity with AI-driven testing tools for object recognition in remote desktop sessions.

SMIT-NMCI

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.