QA Automation Engineer

What we do:

Kinder Systems () is the leading provider of subsidy management software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions to state agencies, Head Start programs, and childcare providers. Built and supported by industry experts, Kinder Systems envisions a world where all families, no matter their income level, have access to high-quality childcare. Hundreds of agencies in the publicly funded childcare sector use Kinder Systems applications via cloud or mobile devices to streamline their operations, ensure compliance with government regulations, and meet the needs of the families they serve.

The QA Automation Engineer delivers quality and performance across large-scale, multi-platform software products that include web, API, and mobile application interfaces. Those who are successful in this position are independent, hands‑on engineers who own their testing tasks end‑to‑end, proactively identify gaps in coverage, and collaborate effectively in a continuous integration environment. This role works closely with Software Developers to implement integration automation, execute full integration tests across connected systems, and validate release readiness within an Agile environment.

• Independently reviews requirements, specifications, and project documentation to derive test scenarios, identify edge cases, and ensure quality of products and tests to be developed.
• Writes modular, reusable automation scripts and implements integration automation by applying current techniques and formal test design strategies.
• Integrates automation into CI/CD pipelines, validates release readiness, and proactively communicates risks and blockers to engineering teams throughout the development cycle.
• Executes full integration tests and validates connected systems across supported platforms including iOS, Android, and web to ensure end‑to‑end quality of product.
• Applies accessibility testing fundamentals for web applications and contributes to improving accessibility coverage across the product.
• Debugs automation failures, analyze logs and API issues, identify root causes, and verify fixes independently.
• Owns testing tasks end‑to‑end, producing test plans, test cases, test procedures, and test reports while actively participating in peer code reviews and maintaining documentation.
• Collaborates effectively across functional areas with internal partner engineering teams, participates actively in sprint planning, and shares best practices with less experienced QA team members.
• Estimates own testing tasks, proactively identify gaps in coverage, and works productively end‑to‑end with minimal supervision while maintaining strong team collaboration.
• Uses AI tools daily to support test case generation, script refinement, edge case identification, and automation productivity — critically evaluating outputs before incorporating them into test work.
• Shares AI‑assisted approaches and discoveries with the broader QA team, contributing to a culture where AI is a standard part of the daily workflow.
• Apply an AI‑first approach across QA planning, test design, automation, defect analysis, documentation, and reporting by leveraging AI tooling to improve speed, coverage, accuracy, and overall software quality.

• 3+ years of experience in a QA automation engineer role, with demonstrated ability to own testing tasks independently end‑to‑end.
• Strong working knowledge of Java, Python, Type Script and/or JavaScript, with experience writing modular and reusable automation code.
• Proven experience creating reusable automation test cases utilizing tools such as Selenium and/or Playwright. Experience with Appium a plus.
• Strong experience in API testing (SOAP and RESTful), including SQL validation in support of integration test scenarios.
• Strong experience with XML, databases, and SQL; hands‑on experience integrating automation into CI/CD pipelines.
• Hands‑on experience with Linux, Windows, and/or mobile devices.
• Must have strong analytical and…