Software Development Engineer

This Senior Software Development Engineer in Test role focuses on building sophisticated automated test frameworks, tools, and simulated environments that ensure the reliability and quality of complex, mission-critical enterprise software systems. You will design and implement Python-based test harnesses, emulate third-party systems and network conditions, and create robust automation infrastructure that integrates seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines. The position offers strong technical ownership, visibility, and the opportunity to influence test strategy, automation direction, and overall product quality across APIs, distributed services, and modern web applications. You will work closely with engineering and product teams to improve system performance, scalability, and release confidence while contributing to an engineering-driven culture of continuous improvement and technical innovation., * Design, develop, and maintain automated test frameworks and tools using Python to provide scalable and reliable testing across services, APIs, and UI workflows.

• Build Python or Go based simulators, mocks, and emulators that replicate third-party environments, network behavior, and complex integration scenarios for comprehensive in-house testing.
• Develop, maintain, and execute automated API test suites using Python Requests, custom test harnesses, and Postman/Newman where appropriate.
• Build and maintain automated UI test suites using modern UI automation tools, with a strong focus on reusable components, selectors, and page-object patterns for long-term maintainability.
• Monitor nightly automated test runs, analyze failures, and deliver actionable insights through integrations with Jira/X-Ray, Slack, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Troubleshoot and diagnose issues across APIs, backend services, and UI workflows, collaborating closely with developers to isolate root causes and verify fixes.
• Perform targeted manual testing for new features, complex regression scenarios, and defect reproduction when automation is not yet feasible or practical.
• Validate functional behavior, edge cases, and end-to-end system workflows across distributed application components and microservices.
• Document test frameworks, automation patterns, test cases, expected outcomes, and detailed reproduction steps for defects to ensure clarity and repeatability.
• Support and enhance internal Python-based test applications, tools, and services used in daily verification workflows.
• Ensure adequate automated and manual test coverage for new features, releases, and high-risk areas, and help define coverage goals.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of automation tooling, coding standards, and overall test strategy in collaboration with engineering leadership.
• Assist in evaluating build readiness for deployment and release, providing data-driven quality assessments and recommendations.
• Work within hybrid lab and office environments to coordinate shared test equipment usage and cross-team testing activities.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned to support the broader software quality and release objectives.

• Minimum of six (6) years of experience as a Software Test Engineer, Automation Engineer, or Software Development Engineer in Test, with significant hands-on software development responsibilities.
• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field of study, or an additional four years of equivalent professional experience in lieu of a degree.
• Strong proficiency in Python, including building reusable modules, automation frameworks, and custom test harnesses or tools (software development experience beyond simple scripting).
• Proven experience building automation frameworks from scratch and integrating them into CI/CD pipelines and nightly execution workflows.
• Experience developing automated API tests using Python Requests or equivalent frameworks, with familiarity using Postman/Newman for API validation.
• Experience designing and maintaining automated UI tests, with Playwright strongly preferred, emphasizing clean code structure and long-term maintainability.
• Experience building Python-based utilities, mocks, simulators, or environment emulators to support complex test and integration scenarios.
• Working knowledge of CI-based automated test pipelines, test orchestration, and high-frequency execution environments.
• Familiarity with reporting test results and integrating automation with tools such as Jira/X-Ray, Slack, or similar collaboration and tracking platforms.
• Solid understanding of distributed systems, microservices, API-driven architectures, and service interactions.
• Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills across application layers, including APIs, backend services, and UI components.
• Ability to analyze automated test results, identify root causes across services and layers, and validate fixes in close collaboration with developers.
• Ability to document test plans, automation approaches, test cases, and defect reports with clarity, precision, and reproducibility.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with RabbitMQ or similar messaging technologies in event-driven or message-based architectures.
• Experience coding in Go, particularly for building simulators, tools, or backend components.
• Experience working with secure, on-premises, or air-gapped deployment environments and the associated testing constraints.
• Experience with performance and load testing, including designing and executing tests that evaluate system scalability and reliability.
• Background in defense, aerospace, or government programs and familiarity with mission-critical software systems.
• Experience with geospatial or remote sensing systems and related data processing or visualization workflows.
• Experience writing integration documentation, runbooks, or system validation procedures for complex applications.
• Master’s degree in a relevant field of study.
• Experience with X-Ray or similar test management and reporting tools.
• Strong root cause analysis skills and a structured approach to debugging and RCA in distributed environments.
• Interest in engineering-focused test work that emphasizes building frameworks and tools rather than only executing test cases.
• Desire for greater ownership, technical influence, and exposure to large-scale distributed systems and modern automation stacks (Playwright, API automation, CI/CD).

partnership between software engineers and product teams. Full-time employees in the United States have access to comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance options, flexible spending accounts, retirement savings plans with employer match, employee stock purchase programs, assistance programs, paid time off, holidays, floating holidays, paid volunteer time, parental leave, professional development support, and modern hardware choices. The environment is collaborative, high-impact, and mission-oriented, with a focus on building high-reliability software that supports critical customer missions.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Tukwila, WA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $64.90 - $74.52/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: * Medical, dental & vision * Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital * 401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available * Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) * Short and long-term disability * Health Spending Account (HSA) * Transportation benefits * Employee Assistance Program * Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.