Lead Software Engineer in Test

Creating a world where pets live longer, healthier lives, from their very first meal.

We’re Looking For A(n): Lead Software Engineer in Test

Location: Hybrid (El Segundo, CA and/or Burbank/North Hollywood, CA)

What You’ll Be Doing

The Lead Quality Engineer is a hands‑on technical leader owning test automation strategy. This person designs scalable automation frameworks, integrates testing into CI/CD pipelines, mentors, and directly influences the organization’s ability to ship frequently, reliably, and with confidence. The role balances strategic test architecture with day‑to‑day leadership.

Test Strategy & Architecture

• Own the end‑to‑end test automation strategy across unit, integration, acceptance, and non‑functional testing layers
• Design and maintain scalable automation frameworks for APIs, web, and mobile platforms
• Integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines for rapid feedback
• Leverage AI‑powered tools to accelerate test creation, expand coverage, and reduce test maintenance burden

Engineering Quality Culture

• Champion a culture where quality is a shared responsibility across engineering
• Lead exploratory and usability testing practices throughout the delivery process
• Advocate for testable, loosely coupled architecture in design reviews and technical planning
• Analyze application logs, monitoring data, and production incident patterns to inform and expand test coverage strategy
• Reduce change failure rate and shorten lead time by improving test coverage and feedback speed
• Identify and eliminate testing bottlenecks that slow the delivery pipeline
• Report quality trends and risk to engineering leadership; serve as escalation point for QA matters
• Provide technical leadership through code reviews, framework design guidance, and best‑practice documentation
• Foster a learning culture: run knowledge‑sharing sessions, stay current on testing tools, and drive adoption of AI‑assisted test generation to multiply the team’s output

Qualifications

• Technical depth with strategic thinking – Can architect frameworks and also zoom out to align testing strategy with business delivery goals
• Quality ownership mindset – Views quality as a system‑level outcome; advocates for building quality in rather than inspecting it out
• Coaching & influence – Elevates the testing capability of QA engineers through pairing, mentoring, and clear documentation
• Cross‑functional collaboration – Works effectively across Development, DevOps, Product, and Security to embed quality throughout delivery
• Data‑driven decision making – Uses metrics (coverage, defect trends, pipeline health) to prioritize improvements and communicate quality posture
• Continuous improvement orientation – Relentlessly improves processes, tools, and test suites; never satisfied with the status quo
• Communication – Translates technical quality concepts into business‑relevant language for stakeholders at all levels
• Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (or equivalent practical experience)
• Preferred Education: Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (or equivalent practical experience)

Required Experience

• 5+ years in QA/test engineering, with 3+ years in a lead or senior IC automation role.
• Hands‑on experience designing and building automation frameworks (not just writing scripts).
• Strong proficiency in at least one programming language (Java, Python, TypeScript, or C#).
• Expertise with modern test frameworks (e.g., Playwright, Jest, Selenium, Cypress, Appium, RestAssured).
• Experience integrating automated tests into CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions).
• Demonstrated experience using AI‑powered tools (e.g., LLM‑based code assistants, AI test generators) to create, maintain, or expand automated test suites
• Experience using observability tools (logs, monitoring, APM) to identify production issues and inform test strategy
• Strong understanding of TDD and BDD practices.
• Proven ability to mentor engineers and influence testing culture across an organization.

Preferred Experience

• 7+ years in QA/test engineering, with 3+ years in a lead or senior IC automation role
• Load testing experience
• Microservices and distributed systems testing
• Security testing integration (shift‑left security).
• Experience in regulated environments or with compliance requirements

Golden Perks & Benefits

• Comprehensive healthcare coverage – 100% coverage of premiums for medical, dental, and vision plans for employee‑only plans.
• Annual bonus
• 401(k) match up to 3.5% of your contributions
• 6 paid sick and mental health days, Employee Assistance Program, free weekly yoga and meditation classes, and additional mental health benefits
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan with company contributions
• Reimbursements for a portion of personal cell phone and internet usage for eligible employeesProfessional development opportunities with mentorship, continuous learning programs, and performance‑based pay increases
• Charity sponsorships: $9 million donated to date
• Potential for quarterly KPI bonuses

The base salary range is $124,000–$155,000, plus bonus potential. Salary is based on a wide range of factors that include relevant experience, knowledge, skills, other job‑related qualifications, and geographical location.

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable law.