Principal Automation Engineer

About This Role

Lead the automation strategy and hands-on development of automation frameworks for desktop applications, serving as the senior technical expert to drive innovation and excellence.

Responsibilities

• Architect and design robust automation frameworks specifically for desktop applications
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to the automation team
• Develop and enhance automation strategies covering desktop, API, and database layers, integrating them into CI/CD processes
• Partner with application SMEs, domain architects, infrastructure teams, and project managers to align automation initiatives
• Analyze existing manual testing processes for desktop software and identify automation opportunities
• Maintain, evolve, and optimize the in-house automation framework
• Participate in root cause analysis and troubleshooting efforts
• Provide detailed estimates, solution designs, and test automation strategies for upcoming desktop-based projects

Requirements

• Experience with Tosca
• Strong Python skills
• Experience with another programming/scripting language (.NET, C#, Java, Bash, etc.)
• Recent experience in web-based automation with solid desktop automation experience within the last 5-7 years
• Experience developing automation strategies and test automation plans
• Experience leading teams and managing direct reports
• Expertise in framework architecture and design patterns for test automation
• Strong understanding of desktop UI automation tools and libraries (e.g., WinAppDriver, White, Pywinauto, FlaUI, TestStack, or equivalent)
• Experience developing automation for APIs, packaged, and custom desktop applications
• 7+ years of experience collaborating with cross-functional teams and stakeholders
• Strong SQL skills, including writing and maintaining queries, interacting with relational databases, and designing simple schema updates
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines for desktop test automation
• Comfortable working in both Windows and Linux environments for cross-platform automation support
• Excellent communication skills

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field (Nice to Have)
• 10+ years of hands-on experience designing, building, and maintaining test automation frameworks, with a strong focus on desktop application testing

Nice to Have

• Prior experience in the utility or energy industry, or in other large-scale operational environments

Skills

* Required skills