> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/2321424-lead-test-automation-engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/2321424-lead-test-automation-engineer). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Lead Test Automation Engineer - **Company:** Müller Holding GmbH & Co. KG - **Location:** Ulm, Germany - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), Architectural Patterns, Automation of Tests, Code Review, DevOps, Distributed Systems, Ranorex, Message Oriented Middleware, Selenium, Strategies of Testing, Web Testing, Spring-boot, Cypress (Programming Language), Gitlab, Integration Tests, Playwright, React Native, Api Management, Microservices - **Published:** August 6, 2026 - **Apply:** https://de.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=8cb9f71d925ce188 ## About the Role * Several years of hands-on experience in test automation or quality engineering, ideally with first leadership or architectural responsibility - whether as a seasoned lead or a strong senior engineer ready to take this step. * Solid experience with modern web test automation - for example with Playwright, Cypress, or Selenium - and the openness to establish the right framework for our stack. * Good understanding of testing beyond the UI: API testing, integration testing, and ideally first exposure to contract testing or container-based test approaches. * Interest in testing modern architectures - microservices, APIs, asynchronous messaging - and the curiosity to grow into topics like event-driven integration and API management. * Experience with or interest in mobile test automation is a plus - our future stack includes React Native apps. * A pragmatic sense for the test pyramid: knowing where automation adds the most value and keeping test suites lean, fast, and trusted. * Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and the ambition to make automated quality checks a natural part of the delivery process. * Appreciation for the realities of transformation: legacy applications and their test suites deserve care while the new world is being built - experience with codeless tools such as Ranorex is a plus, not a must. * Enjoyment in building and mentoring a team, and in helping experienced testers grow into modern automation practices. * Clear, approachable communication across engineering, QA, and business stakeholders. * fluent English required; German or Romanian is a plus. ## Description We are modernizing Müller's complete application landscape - from classic fat clients toward containerized web, mobile, and event-driven integration workloads running on our new GCP-based DevOps Platform with a central managed GitLab at its core. As Lead Test Automation Engineer, you build our new test automation team in Bucharest and Ulm from the ground up: you shape the test strategy for this multi-year transformation, set the technical direction, and make quality a built-in property of how Müller ships software., * Build and lead our new test automation team in Bucharest and Ulm from the first hire - define its mission, operating model, and hiring profile in close collaboration with engineering leadership in Ulm and Bucharest. * Shape the test architecture for the modernized stack - web, mobile, and the API and integration landscape around our Spring Boot services and integration layer - and choose the tools that fit. * Establish quality practices at the seams of our distributed architecture: API testing, contract testing, and sensible end-to-end coverage where it truly matters. * Anchor automated quality gates in our central GitLab as part of the secure software development lifecycle, and make quality visible through meaningful engineering metrics. * Define the testing responsibility model together with development teams - who tests what, from developer-owned unit and integration tests to team-owned cross-system flows. * Steward the legacy portfolio through the transformation: keep existing test suites healthy and shape the verification approach as applications move to the new platform. * Mentor and upskill our existing testers, bridging their deep domain knowledge into the new automation stack and building one quality engineering culture across legacy and future. * Contribute to technical standards, code review culture, and architecture decisions across the hybrid engineering organization in Bucharest and Ulm. ## Related Videos - [WeAreDevelopers LIVE - Modern DevOps for IoT Devices and More](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1805-wearedevelopers-live-modern-devops-for-iot-devices-and-more) - [Continuous testing - run automated tests for every change!](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/190-continuous-testing-run-automated-tests-for-every-change) - [From DevOps to Scaled DevOps: How We’re Rebuilding Continuous Delivery as a Platform](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100018-from-devops-to-scaled-devops-how-we-re-rebuilding-continuous-delivery-as-a-platform) - [SMART Test Automation - the experience of legacy transformation](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/100215-smart-test-automation-the-experience-of-legacy-transformation) - [DevOps Maturity Check – a way to balance autonomy and alignment](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/58-devops-maturity-check-a-way-to-balance-autonomy-and-alignment) - [Enabling automated 1-click customer deployments with built-in quality and security](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/83-enabling-automated-1-click-customer-deployments-with-built-in-quality-and-security) ## Related Articles - [The 8 Best Code Testing Tools](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/402-the-8-best-code-testing-tools) - [The Biggest German Tech Companies](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/424-the-biggest-german-tech-companies) - [Finding Jobs in Germany](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/375-finding-jobs-in-germany) - [Where To Find Software Engineering Jobs](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/396-where-to-find-software-engineering-jobs) - [System change: restart as developer?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/39-system-change-restart-as-developer) - [Finding IT & Technology English-speaking Jobs in Germany ](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/446-finding-it-technology-english-speaking-jobs-in-germany)