QA Automation Test Lead

Job Description

Job Description

Job Description: QA Automation Test Lead

Duration : 6 Months // Contract

Location: Indianapolis, IN Onsite,
Rate $55-60/hr

Role Summary

The Test Lead is responsible for defining and driving the testing strategy for one or more product teams. This person leads a team of test engineers, owns the quality of releases, and partners with product, development, and operations to ensure software is delivered on time, meets requirements, and is reliable in production. The role combines hands-on technical expertise with people leadership and strategic planning.

Key Responsibilities

Test Strategy and Planning

Define test strategy, test plans, and quality metrics aligned with project goals and release schedules

Assess risk and prioritize testing efforts across functional, regression, integration, performance, and security testing

Estimate testing effort and contribute to sprint and release planning

Team Leadership

Lead, mentor, and coach a team of QA/test engineers; assign work and manage workload

Conduct performance reviews, support career development, and participate in hiring

Foster a culture of quality ownership across the engineering organization

Test Execution and Automation

Oversee design and execution of manual and automated test cases

Drive test automation strategy, framework selection, and CI/CD integration

Review test coverage and continuously improve the efficiency and reliability of test suites

Collaboration

Work closely with product owners, developers, DevOps, and business analysts to clarify requirements and acceptance criteria

Communicate status, risks, and blockers to project managers and senior leadership

Coordinate with vendors or offshore teams where applicable

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or equivalent experience

6 years of experience in software testing/QA, including 2 years in a lead or senior role

Strong knowledge of SDLC, STLC, and Agile/Scrum methodologies

Experience with test management and defect tracking tools (e.g., Jira)

Excellent written and verbal communication, with the ability to influence stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

ISTQB Advanced Level (Test Manager) or equivalent certification

Experience testing cloud-based applications (AWS, Azure, Eligible to workP) and microservices

Key Competencies

Leadership and mentoring

Analytical and risk-based thinking

Attention to detail and a quality mindset

Strong organization and prioritization

Problem-solving and adaptability

Stakeholder management

Success Measures

Reduction in escaped defects and production incidents

Increased automation coverage and faster regression cycles

On-time, high-quality releases

Team engagement, growth, and retentio

Role Descriptions: Key ResponsibilitiesOwn the overall test strategy| test plan| estimates| schedule| scope| entry and exit criteria| and testing deliverables.Lead functional| integration| system| regression| user acceptance| and release validation activities across applications and interfaces.Engage with business users and client stakeholders to understand requirements| assess testability| clarify acceptance criteria| and identify risks early.Coordinate daily activities across onsite and offshore testing teams| allocate work| monitor progress| and remove delivery impediments.Review test scenarios| test cases| test data| requirements traceability| execution evidence| and defect documentation for completeness and quality.Manage the defect lifecycle| facilitate triage meetings| drive root-cause discussions| and ensure timely closure of critical defects.Publish accurate test status dashboards| quality metrics| risk and issue logs| and release readiness recommendations to stakeholders.Collaborate with development| business analysis| infrastructure| data| security| and release management teams throughout the delivery lifecycle.Identify automation opportunities and work with automation teams to improve regression coverage| execution efficiency| and quality controls.Ensure adherence to client processes| quality standards| documentation requirements| audit controls| and applicable regulatory or compliance expectations.Support production deployment| post-release validation| incident analysis| and continuous improvement initiatives.Mentor test team members| conduct reviews| share best practices| and promote accountability and a quality-first culture.

Essential Skills: Key ResponsibilitiesOwn the overall test strategy| test plan| estimates| schedule| scope| entry and exit criteria| and testing deliverables.Lead functional| integration| system| regression| user acceptance| and release validation activities across applications and interfaces.Engage with business users and client stakeholders to understand requirements| assess testability| clarify acceptance criteria| and identify risks early.Coordinate daily activities across onsite and offshore testing teams| allocate work| monitor progress| and remove delivery impediments.Review test scenarios| test cases| test data| requirements traceability| execution evidence| and defect documentation for completeness and quality.Manage the defect lifecycle| facilitate triage meetings| drive root-cause discussions| and ensure timely closure of critical defects.Publish accurate test status dashboards| quality metrics| risk and issue logs| and release readiness recommendations to stakeholders.Collaborate with development| business analysis| infrastructure| data| security| and release management teams throughout the delivery lifecycle.Identify automation opportunities and work with automation teams to improve regression coverage| execution efficiency| and quality controls.Ensure adherence to client processes| quality standards| documentation requirements| audit controls| and applicable regulatory or compliance expectations.Support production deployment| post-release validation| incident analysis| and continuous improvement initiatives.Mentor test team members| conduct reviews| share best practices| and promote accountability and a quality-first culture.

Desirable Skills:

Keyword:

Skills: HiTech : Automation Testing

Experience Required: 8-10