Test Automation Engineer

As a member of Halvik's DME Scrum teams, the Test Automation Engineer designs, builds, and maintains automated test suites that are embedded in the CI/CD pipeline and run with every build and release. The program's Mandatory Iteration-Level Testing & Validation Framework makes testing a required delivery control and calls for a progressive shift from manual to automated execution. This role drives that shift. It contributes directly to the end-client's objectives by catching defects early, protecting existing functionality through automated regression, keeping defect rates within contract thresholds, and producing the objective test evidence needed for the Definition of Done, release readiness, and Authority to Operate (ATO) packages.

Core Responsibilities

• Strategic Execution: Lead the development of a test automation strategy and reusable framework for each assigned product, prioritizing automation of smoke, regression, end-to-end, and high-risk scenarios, and progressively converting manual test cases to automated execution in line with the program's Automation Transition Requirement.
• Operational Oversight: Manage daily execution, maintenance, and triage of automated test suites. Monitor results, isolate flaky tests, investigate failures, and log defects with clear reproduction steps and severity in the Government-furnished Jira instance.
• Collaboration: Coordinate with developers, the Senior Business Analyst / QA Analyst, the Cloud Engineer / DevSecOps / CI-CD, the Solutions Architect, and the Scrum Master to turn user stories and acceptance criteria into automated tests, build testability into features, and deliver tested increments every sprint.
• Technical Performance: Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines (e.g., GitHub Enterprise, Azure DevOps) so that tests run on every build, deployment, and promotion, and make results available for sprint demos, release readiness reviews, and ATO evidence packages.
• Government-Furnished Tools: Configure and operate OCDIO's automated testing tool (currently ClicTest) and any other Government-furnished testing tools, adapting quickly when tools change or new ones are provided.
• Test Coverage Across Categories: Build and maintain automated coverage across the required testing categories, including smoke testing in every environment (with post-deployment validation in Production), end-to-end workflows across UI, APIs, and data layers, persona and role-based permissions, regression, and integration/API contract testing.
• Performance, Security, and Accessibility Testing: Support automated performance and load validation under realistic transaction volumes, security checks aligned to the OWASP Top 10 and authentication/authorization rules, and automated Section 508 (WCAG 2.0 A/AA) accessibility scans.
• Evidence and Definition of Done: Ensure objective test evidence (executed scripts, logs, automated output, and pass/fail results) is attached to the corresponding Jira ticket before any item is marked "Done," and document the rationale for any testing category that does not apply to a given change.
• Quality Metrics: Track and report automation coverage, pass rates, and defect trends, and help keep the defect rate below the program's five percent Maximum Allowable Defect Rate (MADR) while supporting any corrective action planning.
• Data and Release Validation: Develop automated scripts to validate data migrations (record counts, transformations, field-level mappings) and to verify deployment and rollback procedures before production promotion.

Minimum Requirements

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in software quality assurance, including at least 3 years designing and maintaining automated test frameworks for web applications and APIs within Agile Scrum teams.
• Technical Proficiency: Advanced knowledge of test automation tools such as Selenium, Playwright, or Cypress; API testing tools such as Postman or REST Assured; at least one programming language used for automation (e.g., Java, C#, Python, or JavaScript/TypeScript); Git; CI/CD integration with GitHub Actions or Azure DevOps; and Jira for defect and test evidence tracking.
• Compliance: Must meet U.S. DOT contract requirements, including a favorable Public Trust background investigation and suitability determination.
• Certifications: ISTQB Certified Tester (Foundation Level or Test Automation Engineer) or an equivalent testing certification is preferred.
• Security Clearance: DOT Public Trust Clearance

Preferred Expertise

• Demonstrated success in Federal Contracting, particularly civilian agency IT modernization or Software Factory programs; prior DOT experience is a plus.
• Familiarity with ClicTest or other low-code/codeless automation platforms, and with Agile/Scrum practices such as behavior-driven development (e.g., Cucumber, SpecFlow).
• Experience with performance and load testing tools (e.g., JMeter, k6) and automated accessibility testing tools (e.g., axe, ANDI); DHS Trusted Tester certification is a plus.
• Experience automating tests for enterprise platforms used at DOT, such as Salesforce, Microsoft Power Platform, ServiceNow, Dynamics 365, or Appian.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

Privacy Policy – Halvik Corp

Halvik Offers a Competitive Full Benefits Package Including

Company-supported medical, dental, vision, life, STD, and LTD insurance

Benefits include 11 federal holidays and PTO

Eligible employees may receive performance-based incentives in recognition of individual and/or team achievements.

401(k) with company matching

Flexible Spending Accounts for commuter, medical, and dependent care expenses

Tuition Assistance

Charitable Contribution matching

Halvik Corp is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.

Halvik's pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.