What are the responsibilities and job description for the Software Test Automation Engineer position at Ad Astra Info Systems Llc?
Competitive Compensation & Benefits Package * 401(k) with Profit Sharing * Flexible Time Off * Office Dog!!
OUR CORE VALUES
- We recognize talent. We recognize and appreciate the unique God-given talents that our people bring to Ad Astra. Aligning these individual gifts with our work sets team members up to succeed.
- We’re unpretentious. There’s no room for ego. We admit our imperfections and have the humility to know what we don’t know.
- We’re passionate. We aren’t satisfied with the status quo. We’re on a mission together to protect the value of degree completion and to transform the higher education industry.
- We’re pioneering. We’re pioneering and aren’t afraid to fail—in fact, we celebrate it. We love it when our people boldly experiment with innovative solutions.
- We love fun. The health of our relationships is strengthened by working with people who stretch our thinking—and by enjoying the lighter side of life together. We don’t take ourselves too seriously, but we do take fun seriously.
- We have grit. Beyond talent and intelligence, our people have stick-to-itiveness. We push through challenges to make goals a reality.
ABOUT US
By combining our unparalleled domain expertise with leading edge technology, Ad Astra is helping higher education in its mission to advance timely student completions. We are building a cloud-based software platform that will provide the foundation for our next generation of industry-leading solutions and analytics.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Software Test Automation Engineer (STAE) drives quality and serves as the voice of the client within development teams. The STAE is engaged throughout the entire development lifecycle—from user story definition and code development to manual and automated testing and the completion of objectives and key results. The STAE designs test scenarios based on acceptance criteria, creatively executes manual testing to uncover defects, and develops automated tests to prevent regression. Through creative problem-solving and robust automation practices, the STAE ensures the delivery of high-quality, reliable software solutions for our clients.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Learn our applications inside and out and more importantly: understand our users
- Analyze user stories and client journeys to identify use cases, test scenarios and automation opportunities to mitigate risk
- Construct, revise, and execute manual test scenarios: with a drive towards detail and clarity
- Design, develop, and maintain automated test frameworks and test scripts
- Share and promote test automation knowledge and best practices throughout the QE team
- Accurately and consistently analyze, document and report test results
- Function as the quality champion on an agile team, actively participating in refinement and planning work in collaboration with software engineers and the product manager
- Demonstrate keen instincts about the severity and impact of software defects
- Take pride in the value our software brings to our users (and our industry)
- Demonstrate a high sense of urgency and unyielding attention to detail
- Take ownership in the delivery of quality software to our clients
- Seek out and suggest ways to improve efficiencies within the QE testing process
- Verify software defects are fixed and thoroughly test for regression related to the fix
- Investigate complex defects to identify the root cause
- Build test environments for accurate and in-depth testing of client issues
- Be creative; think beyond the defined test scenarios to conduct exploratory manual testing
- Collaborate with Product Managers to improve client usability
- Identify obstacles to optimal productivity and provide solutions for improvements
- Other duties as assigned
POSITION REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor's Degree, preferably in a technical field
- 2-5 years of experience in a Quality Engineering test automation role
- Experience with Playwright
- Knowledge of agile tools such as JIRA
- Excellent verbal and communication skills
- Excellent time management skills
- Comfort with fast-paced environment
ESSENTIAL COMPETENCIES
- Sense of Urgency
- Problem Solving
- Collaborative Communication
- Decision Making and Judgement
- Teamwork
- Self-Management
HOW PERFORMANCE IS MEASURED
Performance in this role is measured by the ability to design, implement, and maintain effective automated test solutions while making timely, sound decisions based on technical analysis, experience, and product risk. Success requires strong problem-solving skills to identify defects, improve test coverage, and enhance automation frameworks and pipelines. The role requires close collaboration with developers, product managers, and QE peers through clear communication of findings, advocacy for quality, and shared ownership of delivery goals. High performance includes championing automation best practices, sharing expertise to build and mature automation capabilities within the QE team, and demonstrating strong self-management through effective prioritization, planning, and adaptability. Proactively improving automation coverage, tooling, and processes while exercising sound judgement around risk, escalation, and quality is essential. Performance is evaluated through Quarterly Manager Reviews and ongoing Peer Reviews.
Ad Astra is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and fairness—regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, political affiliation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Please note that Ad Astra is unable to provide work visa sponsorship for this position.
This is an in-office, full-time position in Overland Park, KS. Ad Astra does not provide relocation expenses.