Lead SDET (Software Development Engineer in Test)

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Lead SDET (Software Development Engineer in Test) based in India.

This is a senior technical leadership role focused on building and owning QA automation across a sophisticated, multi-platform Mobile Security Suite. You will shape the overall test strategy while remaining deeply hands-on with automation across iOS, Android, and server-side SDKs. The role combines framework architecture, test infrastructure, CI/CD ownership, and technical mentoring. You will identify quality gaps, establish scalable testing practices, and turn them into measurable improvements across the engineering organization. Working closely with developers and QA specialists, you will influence how products are tested, released, and maintained. The environment is highly technical, collaborative, and security-conscious, with significant scope to introduce new tools and approaches. This is an opportunity for an experienced SDET to have genuine ownership of automation strategy and engineering quality.

Accountabilities: Define and lead the automation strategy across iOS, Android, and server-side SDKs, assessing existing coverage, identifying quality gaps, and establishing the tooling, frameworks, and roadmap required to address them.

Design, develop, maintain, and improve automated test suites across multiple platforms, remaining hands-on while collaborating with feature developers and other automation engineers.

Architect and maintain scalable test automation frameworks, including abstraction layers, reusable components, test data, fixtures, and supporting infrastructure.

Build and manage GitLab CI pipelines using YAML, Bash scripts, and Gradle to execute automated suites, provision local and test servers, and integrate testing with real-device cloud platforms.

Own test infrastructure and ensure automated suites can run reliably across required environments, including third-party real-device testing services.

Prepare quality, automation coverage, and testing reports, using findings to provide recommendations and define priorities with engineering leadership during planning cycles.

Mentor automation developers, QA engineers, and feature developers contributing to automated testing, establishing effective processes, code review standards, and engineering best practices.

Collaborate across a multi-language and multi-platform engineering environment, helping teams expand automation coverage where new technologies or product requirements emerge.

Continuously evaluate mobile and server-side testing technologies, AI-assisted coding tools, frameworks, and processes to improve automation effectiveness and team capabilities.

Identify quality and security risks proactively, particularly across products and SDKs where reliability, integrity, and secure operation are critical.

Requirements

6+ years of professional experience in software test automation, including experience defining automation strategy and leading or mentoring other engineers.

Demonstrated experience designing, building, and maintaining test automation frameworks from the ground up, including architecture, reusable components, abstraction layers, test data, and fixtures.

Strong hands-on mobile automation expertise in at least one major stack, such as iOS with Swift/XCTest/XCUITest or Android with Kotlin/Compose Test/Espresso/UI Automator, with the ability and willingness to expand across platforms.

Experience building and owning test infrastructure, including integrations with real-device cloud testing services.

Strong practical experience with GitLab CI, YAML-based pipelines, Bash scripting, and Gradle.

Solid understanding of Git, branching strategies, pull requests, and modern software development workflows.

Comfortable working across multi-language, multi-platform codebases and quickly learning unfamiliar programming languages, frameworks, and tools.

Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities, with the ability to influence technical direction without relying on formal authority.

Excellent communication skills, including the ability to present testing strategies, quality metrics, risks, and recommendations to engineering leadership.

Analytical and risk-focused mindset, with the ability to identify meaningful quality gaps across complex technical environments.

Self-directed approach to learning, with a demonstrated ability to identify and close tooling or skills gaps independently.

Experience with Java, Spring/Spring Boot, and JUnit 4/5 is a plus.

Experience with .NET/C# and automation for server-side components is a plus.

Background testing security-sensitive products, such as anti-tampering or threat-detection technologies, or experience in regulated/security-conscious environments is advantageous.

Previous experience establishing or leading a QA automation function from an early stage is also beneficial.

Benefits

Opportunity to take ownership of QA automation strategy across a complex, multi-platform security product portfolio.

Hybrid working environment in India.

Senior technical leadership and mentoring responsibilities with broad engineering visibility.

Hands-on exposure to iOS, Android, .NET, and Java-based technologies and testing environments.

Opportunity to work with modern CI/CD tooling, real-device cloud testing, and AI-assisted development tools.

Ability to influence automation architecture, testing standards, engineering processes, and long-term quality strategy.

Collaborative environment working alongside automation engineers, QA specialists, and software developers.

Professional growth through exposure to advanced security-focused software and evolving testing technologies.

How Jobgether works: We use an AI-powered matching process to ensure your application is reviewed quickly, objectively, and fairly against the role's core requirements. Our system identifies the top-fitting candidates, and this shortlist is then shared directly with the hiring company. The final decision and next steps (interviews, assessments) are managed by their internal team. We appreciate your interest and wish you the best!  Why Apply Through Jobgether?    Data Privacy Notice: By submitting your application, you acknowledge that Jobgether will process your personal data to evaluate your candidacy and share relevant information with the hiring employer. This processing is based on legitimate interest and pre-contractual measures under applicable data protection laws (including GDPR). You may exercise your rights (access, rectification, erasure, objection) at any time.     #LI-CL1