QA Lead Software Engineer (Founding Role)

As the QA Lead Software Engineer at Chestnut, your primary responsibilities will include defining and implementing the QA strategy, building an automated testing framework using Playwright and TypeScript, and working closely with engineering and product teams to integrate QA into the software development lifecycle. You'll also own quality metrics, develop test plans, manage defect tracking, and establish a foundation for future QA team expansion.

To qualify for the QA Lead Software Engineer position at Chestnut, candidates should have at least 5 years of experience in quality assurance, including 2 years in a lead or founding role. Proficiency with modern testing frameworks like Playwright, Cypress, or Selenium is crucial, along with experience in scripting with TypeScript or Python and familiarity with CI/CD pipelines.

At Chestnut, the QA Lead Software Engineer will primarily use Playwright and TypeScript for building the automated testing framework. Familiarity with additional modern test frameworks, continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) tools, and scripting languages such as Python will also be valuable in this role.

Chestnut has a remote-first work culture that promotes flexibility and work-life balance. You'll be part of an ambitious and fast-moving team, and there’s a strong emphasis on collaboration and innovation, supported by competitive salaries and benefits such as unlimited PTO and quarterly team bonding offsites.

The QA Lead Software Engineer plays a critical role in ensuring that Chestnut's product meets high standards of quality and reliability. By developing a robust QA strategy and automating testing processes, this position directly supports our mission to transform the insurance industry with cutting-edge technology, helping our customers break free from legacy constraints.

QA is essential in the software development lifecycle as it ensures that products meet the specified requirements and function correctly before deployment. As a QA Lead, you should emphasize the importance of integrating QA early in the process to catch defects sooner, define clear quality metrics, and maintain a continuous feedback loop between development and testing.

In your response, detail specific frameworks you've worked with, such as Playwright or Selenium. Discuss how you’ve utilized these tools to build test automation frameworks, the challenges faced during the implementation, and how you achieved efficiency in testing processes through automation.

When determining what to automate, consider factors such as test stability, repetitiveness, and complexity. High-impact, repetitive, and critical tests should be automated to save time and resources. Share examples from your experience where you made these decisions, explaining the criteria that helped shape your strategy.

Discuss how you establish clear metrics and KPIs to ascertain the quality of your testing processes. Talk about your experience in creating test plans, defect tracking systems, and conducting regular reviews to identify improvement areas. Emphasize the importance of collaboration with cross-functional teams to achieve consistent quality.

Provide a detailed scenario where a significant defect was discovered during testing. Explain how you identified the issue, the steps taken to reproduce it, and how you communicated this to the relevant teams. Highlight the corrective actions taken to resolve the defect and prevent similar issues in the future.

Communication is vital in QA leadership as it fosters collaboration, understanding, and transparency among teams. Discuss how you ensure that feedback and quality expectations are communicated clearly, both in written documentation and during discussions. Highlight the importance of being an advocate for quality across departments.

Explain how you leverage various resources to stay informed about the latest QA trends, such as attending conferences, participating in webinars, engaging in communities, or following key industry leaders. Emphasize your commitment to continuous learning and adapting your QA practices accordingly.

Discuss your approach to recruiting, training, and mentoring QA professionals. Emphasize the importance of fostering a positive work culture, setting clear expectations, providing growth opportunities, and promoting a sense of ownership and accountability within the team.

Discuss your vision for scaling QA processes, including how you would document and standardize practices, enhance test automation, and onboard new team members. Highlight the importance of adaptability and how you'll adjust strategies as the company evolves.

One often-overlooked aspect of QA is the need for proactive test planning and early integration of QA in the development cycle. Explain how early involvement can significantly reduce defects and improve overall product quality, providing insights from your own experiences.