HackerRank

Software Development Engineer in Test II

Santa Clara, CA, US Full-time

HackerRank helps companies like NVIDIA, Amazon, and Microsoft hire and upskill the next generation of developers based on skills, not pedigree. Our platform is trusted by over 2,500 of the world’s most innovative companies to build strong engineering teams ready for what’s next.

About the role

As a SDET, you will play a critical role in shaping and executing our automation-first quality strategy across web, API, and AI-driven systems.

You’ll work closely with Engineering and Product teams to ensure that quality is designed into every feature, enforced through strong automation, and protected by strict release gates. This is a hands-on, technically deep role with real ownership and impact.****

What you’ll do

  • Lead and standardize test automation practices across teams and services
  • Design, build, and maintain scalable automation frameworks using Playwright and SerenityJS
  • Develop automated test suites in JavaScript/TypeScript for web, API, and workflow validation
  • Design and maintain REST API automation using Postman or equivalent tools
  • Integrate automation deeply into CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins and/or GitHub Actions
  • Enforce mandatory quality gates, blocking releases on automation or sanity failures
  • Monitor automation executions, analyze failures, and drive root-cause resolution
  • Conduct automation code reviews to ensure consistency, reusability, and maintainability
  • Collaborate during design and story elaboration to define acceptance criteria and risk coverage
  • Mentor QA and engineering teams on automation frameworks, tooling, and best practices
  • Contribute to automation metrics, reporting, and continuous improvement initiatives

Who you are

  • 3+ years of experience in QA Automation / SDET roles
  • Strong hands-on experience with Playwright and SerenityJS (JavaScript/TypeScript)
  • Proficient in JavaScript/TypeScript for building reliable, maintainable automation
  • Solid experience in REST API testing using Postman or similar tools
  • Hands-on experience with CI/CD automation using Jenkins and/or GitHub Actions
  • Having experience working with the Cucumber BDD framework.
  • Strong working knowledge of Git (GitHub) and modern version control workflows
  • Experience working with Docker and Kubernetes-based environments
  • Exposure to Accessibility (A11y) testing, with an understanding of WCAG principles
  • Experience with Desktop Automation testing
  • Strong understanding of regression, integration, system, and end-to-end testing
  • Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to debug complex automation failures
  • Strong communication skills and the ability to influence quality across teams

Even better if you have

  • Use AI agents or tools to perform day-to-day activities or to test AI-powered features.
  • Familiarity with visual regression testing, cross-browser testing, and performance validation
  • Experience designing or contributing to automation metrics and quality dashboards
  • Exposure to cloud-native, large-scale SaaS platforms
  • Experience mentoring teams and driving the adoption of quality standards across multiple squads

You will thrive in this role if

  • Believe quality is a shared responsibility across Engineering, QA, and Product
  • Prefer preventing defects through strong automation and release gates
  • Enjoy building systems that scale, rather than relying on manual effort
  • Comfortable enforcing 100% pass-rate mandates for critical workflows
  • Like working on complex systems involving CI/CD, containers, and AI-driven logic
  • Care deeply about reliability, trust, accessibility, and real-world user experience

🚀 Y Combinator Company Info

Y Combinator Batch: S11
Team Size: 300 employees
Industry: B2B Software and Services -> Recruiting and Talent
Company Description: Change the world to value skills over pedigree

💰 Compensation

Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000

📋 Job Details

Job Type: Full-time
Experience Level: 3+ years
Engineering Type: QA engineer