At Cars Commerce, we’re fanatical about simplifying everything about car buying and selling. We do right by our customers and consumers to better connect the industry with simplified and tierless technology to enhance, measure and drive local automotive retail. Whether through our No.1 most recognized marketplace, Cars.com, our industry-leading digital experience, Dealer Inspire, our trade and appraisal technology, AccuTrade, our reputation-based digital wholesale auction marketplace, Dealerclub, or our new Cars Commerce Media Network, Cars Commerce is essential for success in the automotive industry.
No one ever travels alone here: at its core, Cars Commerce is collaboration. In fact, it’s built into the very fabric of our shared values. We like to say we Rise Together – putting people at the center of what we do, from consumer to customer to community. Life at Cars Commerce makes it easy when we share the ethos to be Open to All, encouraging open-minded communication because we know diverse thinking yields better outcomes. But critical to our success is Caring to Challenge and Taking Ownership, fueling a competitive spirit in a respectful environment where we think about tomorrow but act today. At our foundation, we have integrity, Doing the Right Thing, even when it’s hard. It’s our shared commitment to these values that makes Cars Commerce a place where growth becomes not only possible, but downright unavoidable.
But don't take our word for it. We are proud to be named one of Built In's 2026 Best Places to Work in Chicago and across the U.S. Ready to make your mark? Join a team that's driving real change in the automotive industry.
Summary -
This position is for a Lead Sr. Software Development Engineers in Test to develop automation strategies and testing solutions for the Dealer Inspire product.
This is a role will participate and lead SDETs responsible to evaluate software functionality and design and execute test cases that exercise code under development. This will include testing code as it is being developed, automating tests, and executing on a variety of tests to include: functional tests, integration tests, system-wide testing, regression tests, security tests, and performance tests as applicable for the changes at hand. In the leadership portion, this person will mentor and lead other SDET(s) in the team, mentor and guide engineers who request support in building test automation, strategizing in how to continually build the breadth and depth of the software test automation function in DI for high efficiency and quality in our products.
About the Role [Remote and must be based in the Chicago area. May require onsite interviews]
Join us in shaping a future of Automotive Commerce. Cars Commerce (cars.com) builds solutions for automotive dealerships, manufacturers, and consumers. Our driving force is to deliver a single platform that simplifies everything about buying and selling cars.
Our Websites Engineering Team drives our Dealer Inspire platform. We are embarking on a transformational journey, building innovative and integrated services that redefine how we deliver value to our customers. As a Lead Software Quality Test Engineer (Sr Lead Software Development Engineers in Test) you will develop automation strategies and testing solutions for the Dealer Inspire product. Dealer Inspire provides innovative digital marketing and dealership management solutions for the automotive industry. It offers a range of solutions designed to help car dealerships optimize their online presence, increase sales, and improve customer experiences.
This is an exceptional opportunity to shape the future of our platform and drive meaningful change at scale, making a lasting impact within the automotive industry.
You are an experienced, results-driven Lead Software Quality Test Engineer (using Playwright) who loves blending deep technical skill with real product instinct. You have built and evolved Software Quality and Testing Systems.
As a Lead Quality Test Engineer (Sr. Lead Software Development Engineer in Test) on our Websites Engineering Team, you'll play a key role in revitalizing our testing services and tooling — bringing a comprehensive technical strategy to simplify and scale testing systems across our platform. This is hands-on, high-impact work where your expertise will shape how we build quality into everything we ship!
This role includes testing code as it's being built, automating tests for speed and scale, and running the full spectrum of testing: functional, integration, system-wide, regression, security, and performance testing.
If you're passionate about quality, love solving complex technical puzzles, and want to make a real impact on a platform used by thousands, let’s explore!
This opportunity enables you to...
We're Excited About You Because…
In the spirit of pay transparency, we are excited to share the base salary range for this position. In addition to base salary, some roles are eligible for our bonus and/or equity programs, depending on level and role. Regular full-time positions are eligible for our comprehensive benefits package. If you are hired at Cars Commerce, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills and/or experience. If the salary range is close to what you're seeking, then we encourage you to apply and learn more about the total compensation package for this position.
Salary Range
$135,300.00-169,150.00
Learn more about our Benefits, Perks, & Culture on our LinkedIn Life Pages!
For US-based Positions: Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. Please note that we are unable to sponsor employment visas at this time.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. Applicants: Click here to review our Privacy Policy for Applicants. For current employees, please Click here to review our California Privacy Policy for Employees.
Cars Commerce is an audience-driven technology company empowering automotive that simplifies everything about buying and selling cars. The Cars Commerce platform includes the flagship automotive marketplace and dealer reputation site Cars.com, innovative digital marketing technology and services from Dealer Inspire, industry-leading trade-in and appraisal technology from AccuTrade, an exclusive in-market media network, and powerful and predictive AI technologies that enable more efficient and profitable retail operations. Cars Commerce is the essential partner to stay one step ahead in automotive.
