Test Automation Lead

Job description

Are you looking for your next challenge? Are you ready to work with a performance-based small company? At Zantech, we are a dynamic Woman Owned Small Business focused on providing complex, mission-focused solutions with a proven track record of outstanding customer performance and high employee satisfaction. We would love to talk with you regarding the next step in your career. Come join our team!

Zantech is looking for a talented Test Automation Lead to contribute to the success of our upcoming Applied and Emerging Technology Support project for a Hybrid role based out of Camp Springs, MD.

The Test Automation Lead provides strategic direction and hands-on leadership for all testing initiatives across USCIS OIT portfolios, including functional, performance, interoperability, and automated testing. This role drives the integration of testing automation into CI/CD pipelines, establishes reusable test frameworks, and ensures high-quality software delivery through comprehensive test coverage and rapid feedback mechanisms. The Test Automation Lead will work across multiple USCIS product teams to implement industry best practices in agile testing while bridging the gap between testing maturity levels across different systems.

Responsibilities include, but will not be limited to:

• Test Strategy & Leadership

  • Develop and execute comprehensive test strategies aligned with USCIS product/portfolio objectives
  • Lead test automation team of 10-15 QA engineers and test automation specialists
  • Establish product-level and service-level testing standards across USCIS enterprise
  • Define test coverage requirements for functional, performance, security, and accessibility testing
  • Create and maintain test automation roadmaps aligned with DevSecOps maturity goals
  • Provide technical guidance on testing best practices to USCIS development teams

• Test Automation & CI/CD Integration

  • Design and implement automated test frameworks integrated into CI/CD pipelines
  • Build reusable, maintainable test automation scripts across multiple USCIS systems
  • Automate end-to-end integration testing across domains, systems, and services
  • Implement continuous testing to provide quick feedback on anomalies and defects
  • Establish automated regression test suites for critical business workflows
  • Create self-service testing capabilities for USCIS delivery teams
  • Optimize test execution time and resource utilization in pipeline environments

• Functional & Integration Testing

  • Design and execute end-to-end integration tests across multiple USCIS systems
  • Verify form types, business workflows, and cross-system data flows
  • Collaborate with development teams to ensure code testability
  • Perform early identification of product defects and quality issues
  • Coordinate test data management strategies across environments
  • Validate system integrations with external DHS and federal systems

• Performance Testing

  • Design and execute performance testing for USCIS systems handling millions of transactions
  • Conduct load testing, stress testing, and scalability assessments
  • Identify performance bottlenecks in applications, databases, and infrastructure
  • Establish performance benchmarks and service level objectives (SLOs)
  • Implement continuous performance testing in CI/CD pipelines
  • Provide diagnostic analysis and recommendations for performance optimization

• Interoperability & Compatibility Testing

  • Verify cross-system compatibility within USCIS enterprise architecture
  • Test API integrations and data exchange between USCIS systems
  • Validate compatibility across browsers, devices, and operating systems
  • Ensure proper functioning of microservices and containerized applications
  • Test against approved DHS/USCIS technology stack components
  • Coordinate testing for multi-system business initiatives

• Test Automation Frameworks & Tools

  • Select, implement, and maintain automated testing tools and frameworks
  • Evaluate and integrate commercial and open-source testing solutions
  • Build custom test harnesses for complex USCIS business logic
  • Implement behavior-driven development (BDD) and test-driven development (TDD) practices
  • Establish test reporting and analytics dashboards
  • Integrate test management tools with USCIS enterprise platforms

• Quality Metrics & Reporting

  • Establish quality metrics and KPIs for USCIS products and portfolios
  • Implement automated reporting on test coverage, defect density, and pass rates
  • Provide continuous feedback to delivery teams on quality trends
  • Track technical debt and quality degradation indicators
  • Present quality status and risk assessments to USCIS stakeholders
  • Support data-driven decision making for release readiness

• End-User Testing Facilitation

  • Coordinate User Acceptance Testing (UAT) with USCIS business stakeholders
  • Facilitate product demonstrations to internal and external end-user communities
  • Manage feedback collection and defect tracking from end-user testing
  • Validate business value delivery through testing with actual users
  • Support USCIS field office and service center testing activities

• Collaboration & Process Improvement

  • Work closely with DevSecOps, Security, and Development teams
  • Participate in Agile ceremonies and sprint planning activities
  • Identify and eliminate testing bottlenecks in delivery pipelines
  • Champion shift-left testing practices and early quality integration
  • Promote test automation culture and upskilling across USCIS teams
  • Contribute to continuous improvement of USCIS SDLC processes

Required Experience or Knowledge of the following technologies/functions:

• Experience:

  • Minimum 10 years of software testing and quality assurance experience
  • Minimum 5 years in test automation leadership roles
  • Minimum 3 years of federal government experience, preferably DHS or civilian agencies
  • Demonstrated experience with large-scale test automation initiatives
  • Experience testing complex, multi-tier enterprise applications
  • Track record of integrating automated testing into CI/CD pipelines
  • Experience with Agile/Scrum testing methodologies

• Technical Skills (Required):

  • Expert-level proficiency with test automation frameworks:

    • Selenium WebDriver, Cypress, Playwright, or similar for UI testing
    • REST Assured, Postman/Newman, or similar for API testing
    • JMeter, Gatling, or LoadRunner for performance testing

  • Strong programming skills in at least two languages (Java, Python, JavaScript, C#)

  • Experience with BDD frameworks (Cucumber, SpecFlow, Behave)

  • Proficiency with CI/CD tools (Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions)

  • Experience with test management tools (TestRail, Zephyr, qTest, ALM)

  • Knowledge of containerized testing environments (Docker, Kubernetes)

  • Understanding of API testing, microservices testing patterns

  • Experience with test data management and virtualization

  • Proficiency with version control systems (Git) and branching strategies

• Technical Skills (Highly Desired):

  • Experience with contract testing (Pact, Spring Cloud Contract)
  • Knowledge of chaos engineering and resilience testing
  • Familiarity with accessibility testing tools (JAWS, NVDA, axe-core)
  • Experience with mobile testing frameworks (Appium, Espresso, XCTest)
  • Understanding of AI/ML-based testing approaches
  • Experience with visual regression testing tools
  • Knowledge of synthetic monitoring and production testing

• Federal & DHS-Specific Knowledge:

  • Understanding of DHS/USCIS system architectures and data flows
  • Familiarity with federal security testing requirements
  • Knowledge of Section 508 testing standards (basic understanding)
  • Experience with testing in AWS GovCloud environments
  • Understanding of PII/PHI data handling requirements in testing

Preferred Experience or Knowledge of the following technologies/functions:

• USCIS-Specific Experience (Highly Desired):
  • Experience testing USCIS immigration systems or similar benefit processing systems
  • Familiarity with USCIS business processes and form types
  • Understanding of USCIS enterprise architecture and system interdependencies
  • Experience with USCIS Backstage or similar developer portals
  • Knowledge of USCIS Team Managed Deployment (TMD) quality gates

Required Education/Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field

• Master’s degree preferred

• Certifications (Required - Minimum 1):

  • ISTQB Advanced Test Automation Engineer
  • OR ISTQB Advanced Level Test Manager
  • OR equivalent professional testing certification

• Certifications (Highly Desired):

  • ISTQB Certified Tester - Expert Level
  • Certified Agile Tester (CAT)
  • AWS Certified Developer - Associate
  • Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)
  • Performance testing certifications (LoadRunner, JMeter)

Required Security Clearance:

• US Citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain an active Public Trust or higher clearance, per contract requirements.

“ Outstanding Performance…Always!”

Our corporate motto represents our commitment to build long-term relationships with both our clients and our employees by providing the highest quality service in everything we do. We strive for excellence for our clients and for each other. We embrace the opportunity to hire individuals with new talents and fresh perspectives. Zantech offers competitive compensation, strong benefits, and a vacation package, as well as a fast-paced and exciting work environment. Come join our team!