Lead QA SDET Data Engineering

We are seeking a Lead QA SDET to lead automation and quality assurance efforts for our data and ETL platforms. This role owns test automation delivery using Python across Snowflake, ETL/ELT, and Informatica-based systems for a program or team, while leading a small team of Senior QA SDETs.

Roles and Responsibilities
Key ResponsibilitiesAutomation & Technical Execution

• Design, build, and maintain Python-based automation frameworks for data and ETL validation.
• Automate source-to-target validation, reconciliation, and transformation checks across Snowflake pipelines.
• Build and maintain automated test coverage for Informatica ETL/ELT workflows.
• Integrate automated test suites into CI/CD pipelines for continuous execution.
• Review team members' automation code for quality, reusability, and maintainability.

Quality Assurance

• Own test planning and execution strategy for the program: functional, regression, integration, and data-quality testing.
• Validate data completeness, accuracy, consistency, uniqueness, integrity, and timeliness.
• Manage defect lifecycle for the program: triage, prioritization, RCA on recurring/critical defects, tracking to closure.
• Assess release readiness against defined quality gates; provide go/no-go input to leadership.
• Maintain program-level QA dashboards (execution status, pass rate, coverage, defect aging, automation stability).
• Identify test coverage gaps and risk areas across data flows.

Data & Domain

• Build strong working knowledge of the program's business-critical data flows.
• Translate business/data rules into concrete automated validation checks.
• Partner with Data Engineers, Developers, and Business Analysts to resolve data quality issues.

Leadership

• Lead and mentor a team of Senior QA SDETs.
• Facilitate program-level test status and quality reviews.
• Apply enterprise/organizational QA standards consistently within the team.
• Use AI-assisted testing tools where appropriate, with review of AI-generated outputs.

Required Skills

Core (Mandatory):

• Python – strong automation and framework development experience.
• Snowflake – strong hands-on experience in data validation/warehouse testing.
• ETL/ELT – strong understanding of pipelines and validation.
• Informatica – solid hands-on experience with ETL workflows.
• Strong SQL and data warehouse fundamentals.
• Data reconciliation, transformation, and profiling experience.

Quality Assurance (Mandatory):

• Test planning and execution across functional/regression/integration testing.
• Defect management and RCA (program level).
• Quality gates and release-readiness assessment.
• QA metrics/dashboard reporting.

Preferred:

• CI/CD and DevOps integration.
• Cloud data platforms / data lakes.
• API testing.
• Exposure to AI-assisted testing tools.

Experience

Recommended: 5-8 years, including hands-on Python/Snowflake/ETL/Informatica testing experience and prior experience leading a small QA team or workstream.

Key CompetenciesCompetencyExpected LevelPython (Automation)Advanced/ExpertSQLExpertSnowflakeAdvanced/ExpertETL/ELT TestingAdvanced/ExpertInformaticaAdvancedData Quality/ValidationAdvanced/ExpertQA Test Planning & ExecutionAdvancedDefect ManagementAdvancedQuality Gates & Release ReadinessAdvancedQA Metrics & DashboardsAdvancedTeam LeadershipAdvanced