Software Development Engineer in Test; SDET

Location - Okemos, Michigan

Hybrid - 4 days' work from office

We are seeking a forward-thinking Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to help modernize and lead our test automation strategy. This role requires a candidate who not only executes tasks but understands the purpose behind them and can clearly articulate their approach and decisions. The ideal candidate will focus on building and maintaining scalable, maintainable, and integrated test automation frameworks across both UI and API layers using modern tools such as Playwright and Type Script , while also contributing to CI/CD testing integration.

In addition, this role will play a key part in supporting manual testing efforts within Agile feature teams—guiding test case design, conducting exploratory testing, and ensuring quality validation for areas not yet automated. This position is critical in enabling feature teams to take ownership of both automated and manual testing, driving faster and higher-quality releases.

• Partner with Agile feature teams to understand user stories, define acceptance criteria, and promote a test-first mindset through active collaboration in design and refinement sessions.
• Build, maintain, and continuously evolve test automation frameworks using Playwright (preferred), Type Script , or other enterprise-approved tools to support API and UI testing
  .
• Drive the transition from legacy frameworks (e.g.,
  Selenium + Java, Postman/Newman
  ) to modern, unified automation aligned with CI/CD strategies.
• Collaborate with developers and QA engineers to integrate automated test execution within CI pipelines, ensuring fast and actionable feedback.
• Support test case design, exploratory testing, and validation of complex workflows that are not yet automated.
• Develop and maintain automated API tests (REST/SOAP) and end-to-end test suites to validate both functional and non-functional requirements.
• Participate in code reviews and contribute to test architecture decisions to ensure reliability, reusability, and scalability of test assets.
• Write and maintain SQL queries to validate data integrity and support effective test data strategies.
• Act as a quality engineering champion by guiding automation strategy, mentoring team members, and driving continuous improvement in QA practices.
• Ensure traceability between requirements, test cases, and defects, while supporting compliance with enterprise standards (e.g.,
  HIPAA, security, audit readiness
  ).
• Support feature teams with manual testing efforts when required, including test execution and validation activities.

• Hands-on experience with Playwright (Type Script preferred) or similar frameworks such as Cypress
  .
• Proven experience migrating from legacy tools like Selenium + Java or Postman/Newman to modern automation frameworks.
• Familiarity with test reporting, dashboarding, and quality metrics in a Dev Ops-driven environment.
• Experience with test case management tools (e.g., qTest, QMetry, Test Rail) and requirements traceability practices.