Job Description

ECS is seeking a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to work in our Arlington , VA office.

The Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) is a highly technical role that bridges the gap between software development and quality assurance. The SDET is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining automated test frameworks and tools to ensure the delivery of high-quality software products. Unlike traditional QA testers, the SDET possesses deep software engineering skills and actively contributes to the architecture and codebase of testing infrastructure. This role partners closely with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders to embed quality throughout every phase of the software development lifecycle, from design through deployment and production monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Test Automation Development: Design, build, and maintain scalable and robust automated test suites, including unit, integration, functional, regression, and end-to-end tests.

• Framework & Tool Development: Architect and develop custom test frameworks, harnesses, and tooling to improve testing efficiency, coverage, and reliability across teams.

• CI/CD Integration: Integrate automated tests into continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines to enable rapid and reliable software releases.

• Test Strategy & Planning: Collaborate with engineering and product teams to define comprehensive test strategies, identify risk areas, and determine appropriate levels of test coverage.

• Code Quality & Review: Participate in code reviews for both production and test code, advocating for testability, maintainability, and best practices in software design.

• Bug Identification & Analysis: Identify, document, and triage defects with detailed reproduction steps and root cause analysis; work with developers to resolve issues efficiently.

• Performance & Load Testing: Design and execute performance, load, and stress tests to identify bottlenecks and ensure the system meets scalability and reliability requirements.

• API & Service Testing: Develop and maintain automated tests for RESTful APIs, microservices, and other backend systems to validate functionality, security, and data integrity.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with developers, DevOps engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders to promote a culture of quality and shift-left testing practices.

• Test Environment Management: Assist in the configuration, maintenance, and troubleshooting of test environments, test data, and mock/stub services.

• Documentation & Reporting: Maintain clear documentation of test plans, test cases, frameworks, and results; generate and communicate quality metrics and test coverage reports to leadership.

• Continuous Improvement: Stay current with emerging testing tools, technologies, and methodologies; proactively recommend and implement improvements to existing testing processes.

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust suitability determination.

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience).

• Experience: 7+ years of experience in software development, test automation, or a combined SDET role.