Software Automation Engineer in Test

Job Title: Software Automation Engineer in Test Duration: Contract to hire Location: Preferred Dallas, TX Remote Note: Must attend the first week of employment to our client offices in Dallas. Job Description: You will work as part of a consulting engagement, embedded within a client's Scrum team and acting as the quality champion throughout the delivery lifecycle. You will own test strategy, automation, and quality visibility from planning through release, while representing strong quality engineering practices in a client-facing environment. Role & Responsibilities Partner with an existing SDET to drive testing efforts toward a near-term go-live Build and maintain automated test coverage using Playwright and TypeScript Support performance and regression testing (JMeter) Act as a Quality Champion, defining test scope and clearly articulating risks Collaborate with engineering and product teams in an Agile environment (Azure DevOps) Gain deep understanding of the application, data, and domain Work independently in a lean QA setup (2 SDETs, no QA management layer) Hard Skills - Must have Strong experience with Playwright & TypeScript Experience with test automation frameworks Agile delivery experience using Azure DevOps Experience working in secure or regulated environments Proven ability to operate autonomously and deliver in fast-paced environments Soft Skills / Business Specific Skills Strong ownership and self-starter mindset Clear and effective communication of risks and trade-offs Consulting mindset: influence decisions while aligning with client priorities Strong analytical thinking and curiosity to understand the "why" behind systems Nice to have: Experience with JMeter or performance testing tools Background in aerospace, manufacturing, or defense Familiarity with CUI / ITAR compliance environments Experience helping establish QA practices in low-maturity QA environments Exposure to AI-driven testing approaches