Senior SDET--Automation Architect

Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET V)Production Support Automation Strategy & AI Quality EngineeringPosition SummaryThe Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET V) serves as the senior technical leader for automation strategy, quality engineering, and AI-enabled testing within the Production Support organization. This role is responsible for establishing and driving automation direction, standards, frameworks, and quality engineering practices that improve software reliability, operational efficiency, production stability, and testing effectiveness. Operating under the strategic guidance and governance of the Zions Automation Center of Excellence (CoE), this position provides enterprise-level leadership in test automation architecture, Selenium Grid administration, AI-assisted quality engineering, DevOps integration, and quality assurance best practices.Minimum QualificationsBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mathematics, or equivalent experience.8+ years of experience in programming, test automation architecture, quality engineering, and the development of comprehensive test strategies.Strong Agile, DevOps, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) experience.Demonstrated experience transitioning teams from legacy frameworks to modern, scalable test architectures.Strong Agile, DevOps, and regression testing experience.Combination of education and experience may satisfy requirements.Core ResponsibilitiesStrategic Autonomy & Roadmapping:Drive proactive technology evaluation and independent road mapping for the organization's automation strategy, actively shaping the direction of the Automation Center of Excellence (CoE).Embracing Next-Gen Architecture:Evaluate, adopt, and build highly scalable, modern test architectures using the best evolving tools in the industry rather than strictly maintaining legacy Java/Cucumber frameworks or building custom frameworks from scratch.Continuous AI Adoption:Actively monitor industry trends and practically integrate AI tools into the testing lifecycle. Leverage AI for automated scenario generation, self-healing test scripts, synthetic data creation, and smart defect triage to keep engineering practices on the cutting edge.Cloud & Containerization:Utilize Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud testing grids (e.g., BrowserStack) to design and execute highly parallel, scalable test environments.Upstream Testing Practices:Champion shift-left testing, Behavior-Driven Development (BDD), and visual regression within the engineering phase to catch defects early, while ensuring seamless integration with downstream release verification.Technical Change Agency:Actively advocate for new tools, modern practices, and technical change across technology, operations, and business teams, moving beyond standard coordination to drive true technical transformation.Technical ExpertiseExpertise in Modern UI Automation, specifically testing dynamic architectures and web components (React, Angular, Shadow DOM).Expertise in Selenium Grid Architecture and development.Proficient in SQL and relational databases-Oracle, TeradataAdvanced experience with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes) and cloud-based execution platforms (BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, etc.).Strong practical knowledge of AI-assisted testing tools, Python/Java/modern scripting languages, and DevOps pipelines (Git, Jenkins, CI/CD integration).Expertise in API testing, microservices validation, and advanced data validation capabilities.Strong analysis, project management, communication, and organizational skills.Leadership ScopeOperates with significant strategic autonomy to evaluate technologies and set long-range organizational objectives for quality engineering.Works on the most highly complex technical and business problems, developing innovative, forward-looking solutions.Serves as an expert spokesperson, consultant, and technical change agent on specialized next-gen automation and AI testing initiatives.Drives alignment and technical change across technology, production support, QA, operations, and business teams.Location:Zions Technology Center - 7860 South Bingham Junction Blvd, Midvale, UT 84047.The Zions Technology Center is a 400,000-square-foot technology campus in Midvale, Utah. Located on the former Sharon Steel Mill superfund site, the sustainably built campus is the company’s primary technology and operations center. This modern and environmentally friendly technology center enables Zions to compete for the best technology talent in the state while providing team members with an exceptional work environment with features such as:Electric vehicle charging stations and close proximity to Historic Gardner Village UTA TRAX station.At least 75% of the building is powered by on-site renewable solar energy.Access to outdoor recreation, parks, trails, shareable bikes and locker rooms.Large modern cafe with a healthy and diverse menu.Healthy indoor environment with ample natural light and fresh air.LEED-certified sustainable building that features include the use of low VOC-emitting construction materials.Benefits: Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance - START DAY ONE! Life and Disability Insurance, Paid Parental Leave and Adoption AssistanceHealth Savings (HSA), Flexible Spending (FSA) and dependent care accountsPaid Training, Paid Time Off (PTO) and 11 Paid Federal Holidays401(k) plan with company match, Profit Sharing, competitive compensation in line with work experienceMental health benefits including coaching and therapy sessionsTuition Reimbursement for qualifying employeesEmployee Ambassador preferred banking productsApply now if you have a passion for impactful outcomes, enjoy working collaboratively with co-workers, and want to make a difference for the clients and communities we serve.