Lead Software Engineer (QE Automation)

About Williams-Sonoma

Founded in 1956, Williams-Sonoma Inc. is the premier specialty retailer of high-quality products for the kitchen and home in the United States. Today, Williams-Sonoma, Inc. is one of the United States' largest e-commerce retailers with some of the best known and most beloved brands in home furnishings. Our family of brands are Williams-Sonoma, Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen, West Elm, Williams-Sonoma Home, Rejuvenation, GreenRow and Mark and Graham. We currently operate retail stores globally. Our products are also available to customers through our catalogs and online worldwide.

Williams-Sonoma has established a technology center in Pune, India to enhance its global operations. The India Technology Center serves as a critical hub for innovation and focuses on developing cutting-edge solutions in areas such as e-commerce, supply chain optimization, and customer experience management. By integrating advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, data analytics, and machine learning, the India Technology Center plays a crucial role in accelerating Williams-Sonoma's growth and maintaining its competitive edge in the global market.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Lead Test Automation Engineer who operates at the intersection of modern test automation and Agentic AI systems. This role focuses on designing workflows where AI agents can deliver tests end-to-end while ensuring quality through robust guardrails, validation systems, and security practices. The role is critical in enabling teams to scale productivity and deliver high-quality software in an AI-native development environment.

Impact of the Role

• Enable teams to scale productivity through AI-driven automation
• Ensure delivery of high-quality software in an AI-native development environment
• Establish robust guardrails, validation systems, and security practices
• Drive adoption of Agentic AI in test automation workflows

Technology Platforms You Will Work On

• JUnit, Cucumber, RestAssured
• Selenium, Playwright, Cypress
• SQL and backend validation systems
• Java or similar programming languages
• Agentic AI systems and workflows
• Prompt and instruction design frameworks (e.g., AGENTS.md)
• CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement agentic workflows for end-to-end test delivery using AI agents
• Define and maintain guardrails such as AGENTS.md, validation checkpoints, and test frameworks
• Architect and scale UI and API test automation frameworks
• Write clear, maintainable, and reusable test specifications
• Evaluate AI-generated code and test outputs for accuracy and completeness
• Identify and mitigate AI-related security risks such as over-permissions, insecure dependencies, and data leakage
• Establish metrics to measure team productivity and AI impact
• Mentor team members on modern QA practices and AI-driven development workflows
• Review the work from junior members in the test automation team and help them grow to use Agentic AI workflows

Qualifications

• Strong experience with test frameworks such as JUnit, Cucumber, RestAssured, and mock frameworks
• Expertise in UI automation tools such as Selenium, Playwright, or Cypress
• Solid understanding of API testing and backend validation strategies
• Strong SQL skills for data validation and debugging
• Proficiency in Java or similar programming languages
• Understanding of Agentic AI systems, workflows, and prompt or instruction design
• Ability to design test strategies for AI-generated code and workflows
• Experience assessing AI outputs and improving reliability
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills
• Ability to adapt quickly to evolving AI technologies and tools
• Clear and effective communication skills
• Ownership mindset with focus on team-level impact
• Strong problem-solving skills with attention to detail
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and automated testing integration
• Exposure to AI safety, governance, and secure system design
• Experience testing microservices or distributed systems
• Familiarity with modern DevOps practices
• BS/MS in Computer Science or related field
• 8+ years of experience in test automation or software engineering

Why Join Williams-Sonoma

• Work on cutting-edge AI-driven test automation solutions
• Opportunity to shape next-generation quality engineering practices
• Be part of an innovation-driven technology environment
• Contribute to scalable and intelligent software delivery