JOB TITLE: SDET Engineer
LOCATION: On-site in Austin, TX only Locals
DURATION: 6-month contract RATE RANGE: $60/hour on C2C
NOTES: Screen candidates on the below notes. The main question that needs to be asked is whether the person has/can write object-oriented Python code and perform API testing. I would avoid those who are doing Python scripts or whose experience is primarily UI testing or using Selenium.
Need Very Strong Candidates
Final Round Will Be Onsite
Please share genuine hands-on candidates with a good company background.
Only two-page resumes
Anything over 8 10 years of experience no more than 12 YOE
SDET:
Software developer primarily creating infrastructure-focused solutions
They need to be able to identify problems that need automation
Develop infrastructure that is not there
Need someone to guide the AI to come up with better infrastructure
Language does not matter as long as they have strong development experience
Strong automation
Created frameworks in the past
Feedback on the one candidate she is interested in: Anastasia
Because she worked on AI in a lot of projects
Created integrations with Jenkins in CI/CD for designing tests
It wasn t about her experience with Python, Selenium, or Playwright
NEED to know SQL VERY IMPORTANT
Not exactly like a forward-deployed engineer, but they do overlap
80 90% Developer automate each and every manual task
Software developer but need a QA mindset curious software developer
Python or Playwright is a plus
She would rather see a software developer than a QA
POSITION SUMMARY:
As a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET), you focus on our backend software. This role involves a mix of software development and quality assurance (QA) skills to ensure the reliability and performance of our software products. You are therefore responsible for writing, designing, and implementing automated and manual tests across various software layers, including unit, integration, and system levels. It is an exciting and demanding position that requires you to multitask, prioritize, and work in an extremely fast-moving, collaborative environment.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Design, develop, and execute test plans and test cases to evaluate software performance, functionality, and usability
Explore and analyze existing and new features, processes, and user flows to design comprehensive and effective test scenarios
Analytical and problem-solving skills to diagnose issues and develop testing solutions
Demonstrate curiosity in uncovering edge cases, rare situations, and hidden dependencies to improve overall software resilience
Collaboration and teamwork skills to work in agile, cross-functional teams
Positive attitude towards continuous improvement and learning, as well as mentoring others in test automation best practices
Strong time management and organizational skills to handle fast-paced environments and to meet deadlines
QUALIFICATIONS:
5 8+ years' experience in software testing, test automation, or development is required
2+ years of experience with Python
Strong experience with the latest backend web stack technologies such as .NET Core, C#, Python, or Java
Experience with frontend web frameworks like React and Angular
Experience with test automation tools and frameworks such as Selenium, Playwright, TestNG, Appium, or similar
Knowledge of databases and SQL for querying and verifying data integrity during testing
Ability to integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines effectively
Proficiency with version control systems like Git
Understanding of RESTful web services and API testing
Fluent English communication skills (both written and verbal) are required, along with flexibility in working hours to collaborate with teams across different time zones
IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE
Technical Requirements
60 70% Python development
Building internal automation tools and frameworks
Python scripting is the primary skill
30 40% testing/release support
Manual testing responsibilities fluctuate depending on release schedules
Playwright preferred
Team migrated from Selenium last year
Selenium experience is acceptable if candidate can transition
Basic SQL knowledge required
Advanced SQL not necessary
Comfortable using AI tools to improve productivity and automation development
WHAT THE MANAGER WANTS
The manager is specifically looking for engineers who:
Build automation frameworks and internal tooling
Write production-quality Python code
Support QA through automation rather than performing primarily manual testing
They are not looking for:
Traditional manual QA Engineers
Candidates whose experience is mostly manual testing
Candidates with fewer than approximately 3 years of experience
INTERVIEW PROCESS
Round 1 Phone Screen (40 45 minutes)
Resume review
Technical discussion
20-minute coding exercise
Easy to medium difficulty
Junior Software Engineer-level coding
More coding-focused than traditional QA interviews
Round 2 Onsite
Round 3 Onsite
Each interview includes coding exercises focused on Python/problem solving.
CANDIDATE FEEDBACK
18 years of experience
Concern:
May be overqualified
Potential retention risk
Manager is still willing to interview.
Approximately 2 years of experience
Less experienced than preferred
Manager is interested because of his software development background and will interview.
Rejected because they were:
Too junior (<3 years)
Primarily manual QA
Lacked strong development experience
RECRUITING STRATEGY
SDET candidates:
Software Engineers with testing backgrounds
Strong Python + Playwright experience
