Lead QA Automation Engineer (PlayWright)

Position Overview:

We are looking for a Lead QA Automation Engineer (Playwright) to lead QA strategy, automation framework development, and testing for enterprise Web, Mobile, API, Retail, and POS applications. The role requires strong hands-on expertise in Playwright, Appium, API testing, programming, CI/CD, and database validation, along with experience in QA leadership and team mentoring. The candidate will also drive the practical use of Generative AI tools, especially Claude, to improve test automation, coverage, debugging, and maintenance.

ShyftLabs is a growing data product company founded in early 2020 and works primarily with Fortune 500 companies. We deliver digital solutions built to help accelerate the growth of businesses in various industries, by focusing on creating value through innovation.

Job Responsibilities:

Responsible for leading the quality strategy and execution of software solutions. This includes defining test strategies, governing automation frameworks, mentoring other team members, from initial planning through to final production deployment.

Lead the automation strategy and development of automated test scripts for PetConnect (Inventory and Store order process ) and POS B&M applications

Architect, build, and scale robust end-to-end (E2E) automation frameworks using Playwright.

Drive the adoption and hands-on application of various generative AI tools-with a primary focus on Claude-to accelerate test case creation, map test coverage, and automated test scripts from scratch.

Leverage AI assistants and Claude to streamline framework refactoring, optimize test code, and drastically reduce the overhead of ongoing test script maintenance and debugging.

Partner with cross-functional teams to define scope, objectives, and deliverables for all levels of automated and manual testing.

Establish and champion quality assurance best practices, procedures, and rigorous QA assessments.

Spearhead Playwright best practices, including parallel test execution, multi-browser strategies (Chromium, Firefox, WebKit), and resilient element locators.

Provide technical oversight and mentorship for existing automation frameworks.

Track and report on metric-driven indicators of test efficiency, effectiveness, and release readiness (e.g., defect counts, code coverage, automation velocity).

Oversee bug triage workflows, root cause analysis, and automated test code reviews prior to code commitment.

Demonstrate exceptional communication, technical leadership, and problem-solving skills to bridge communication between business stakeholders and engineering teams.

Drive engineering excellence across large-scale, enterprise-wide initiatives and release cycles.

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor Degree in Computer Science or equivalent

Experience in Quality leadership experience managing complex projects related to retail, B&M, Mobile POS applications

7+ years of experience working with Web, Mobile and API Service based applications

Deep proficiency in validating front-end web applications, back-end web services, and microservices using tools such as Postman and SoapUI.

7+ years of expertise working with leading automation tools and frameworks, with advanced proficiency in Playwright alongside Selenium, Cypress, RestAssured, PyTest, Robot, and BDD/TDD paradigms.

Extensive, hands-on experience leveraging various AI tools and Claude specifically within day-to-day QA workflows-proven ability to utilize AI for intelligent test generation, script acceleration, framework construction, and automated maintenance.

5+ years of experience working with Appium and such related tools for Mobile automation

Strong fluency in modern programming languages, with 5+ years working in TypeScript, JavaScript, Python, or Java.

Expertise in version control workflows and governance using Git, GitHub, and GitLab.

Proven track record of configuring continuous integration/deployment (CI/CD) pipelines and test scheduling via tools like Jenkins.

Proficiency in backend database querying and validation using Oracle and SQL tools.

3+ years of experience with Agile development practices, scrum and supporting apps like JIRA

Experience with test management tools like TestRail, Zephyr, HP ALM

Outstanding debugging, troubleshooting, and analytical capabilities for complex automated architectures.

Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with a proven ability to lead technical discussions and mentor teams.