Qa Automation Manager

Meet Fetch Engineering:
At Fetch, our engineering philosophy emphasizes innovation, adaptability, and informed decision-making. Our engineers thrive in complex environments, making decisions based on critical thinking and data, even in uncertain situations. We value proactive problem-solving and focus on driving impactful results while maintaining high technical standards. You will work alongside talented engineers who are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of technology and encouraging each other to excel. We understand that Fetch may not be the right fit for everyone, but if you're passionate about solving challenging problems and navigating intricate systems, Fetch could be a great place for you.
About the role:
We are looking for a QA Automation Manager who will play a pivotal role in driving the quality of our software products through innovative test automation solutions and strategic leadership. Approximately 40% of your responsibilities will focus on management tasks, while the remaining time will be dedicated to contributing directly to test automation initiatives. This role will eventually involve managing up to 10 direct reports and collaborating closely with leaders at Fetch to identify impactful opportunities for test automation, especially in tackling complex problems that haven't been solved before. 
As a leader, you'll define role expectations for our automation engineers, establish skill development paths, and set a forward-looking vision for test automation at Fetch. Leveraging your expertise in test automation, software development, and quality assurance, you'll design, implement, and optimize testing strategies that uphold the highest quality standards across our products. 
At Fetch, our QA team is more than just a checkpoint—it's a critical driver in our engineering efforts, with 36 professionals eager to grow and innovate. We tackle diverse test automation needs, including mobile end-to-end testing on Appium with Ruby, backend testing in Python using Pytest, performance testing with Locust and K6, mobile analytics with a custom framework in Go, and web UI testing using Playwright. 
We're seeking someone who not only focuses on today's needs but also envisions the future of test automation, anticipating challenges, and pushing boundaries to elevate confidence in every release. As we scale, we need proactive thinkers who can anticipate the unknown, look around the corner, and create a vision for how our testing will support future product growth. This means exploring unconventional approaches and implementing innovative checks throughout our systems to elevate confidence in every release. 
A core part of this role will be helping to grow the technical skills of the team. You'll regularly mentor and guide early-career engineers and analysts, sharing insights, driving best practices, and ensuring the team continuously levels up. By fostering a collaborative, growth-oriented environment, you'll set a high bar for QA at Fetch and play a crucial role in building a skilled, resilient team prepared to meet tomorrow's challenges.
If you're ready to shape the future of quality assurance at Fetch, we'd love to have you on board!
What you'll do at Fetch (Role Responsibilities):

Test Automation: Design, develop, and maintain robust test automation frameworks, tools, and scripts for various software applications, focusing on improving efficiency, scalability, and reliability.
Strategic Testing Vision: Collaborate closely with engineering, product, and QA teams to establish and drive a cohesive test strategy that integrates early and continuous testing practices into the development lifecycle.
Cross-functional collaboration: Partner with product managers, developers, and other stakeholders to ensure an in-depth understanding of product functionalities and domains, facilitating the development of comprehensive test strategies.
Mentorship & Leadership: Mentor and guide QA and software engineers, and other team members, promoting knowledge sharing, best practices, and technical excellence across teams.
Code & Test Review: Actively participate in code and test reviews to uphold high standards for code quality, test coverage, and overall product reliability.
Continuous Improvement: Research and implement new testing approaches, automation techniques, and process improvements to enhance test coverage and the flexibility of the test framework.
Performance & Reliability Testing: Develop performance testing strategies and tools to identify system bottlenecks and ensure optimal user experience across the platform.
Data-Driven Quality Decisions: Use data and metrics to drive decisions, continuously improving testing processes and product quality based on empirical evidence.
People Management: Manage and support a team of up to 10 direct reports, defining role expectations, creating skill development paths, and setting high standards while supporting career advancement. Participate in quarterly performance reviews for your reports, ensure they are aligned with company values and business goals.

In your Toolbox (Minimum Requirements):

Experience in mobile, backend, load/stress test automation, and software development with proven success in designing and implementing large-scale automated test frameworks and tools.
Proficiency in programming languages like Python, Ruby, Go, or similar, with experience building and maintaining automation solutions for microservices and distributed systems.
Expertise in cloud infrastructure (AWS or similar) and familiarity with distributed systems architecture, data ingestion, and processing workflows.
Experience with CI/CD pipelines, including integrating automated tests into the pipeline to ensure continuous quality at every stage of the development and deployment process.
Deep understanding of various software architectures and domains, enabling the development of creative and effective testing strategies. Ability to apply this knowledge to design comprehensive test approaches that address complex workflows, integration points, and performance bottlenecks across different system layers.
Experience in people management, understanding of how to build resilient teams aligned with company goals.
Strong analytical skills to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve complex issues in automated testing and software quality.
Thorough understanding of Agile methodologies and a proactive approach to integrating testing into the software development lifecycle.
Experience mentoring and leading technical teams, particularly in test automation and software quality assurance.
Demonstrated ability to set a clear testing vision and long-term strategy, aligning quality initiatives with business goals. Skilled in thinking beyond immediate testing needs to anticipate future challenges, driving innovation and continuous improvement in test processes and automation frameworks.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across teams and influence quality-focused decision-making throughout the organization.

At Fetch, we'll give you the tools to feel healthy, happy and secure through:
Equity: We also offer employees equity in Fetch, so that everyone can benefit from Fetch's growth.
401k Match:Dollar-for-dollar match up to 4%.
Benefits for humans and pets: We offer comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans for everyone including your pets.
Continuing Education: Fetch provides ten thousand per year in education reimbursement.
Employee Resource Groups: Take part in employee-led groups that are centered around fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace through events, dialogue and advocacy. The ERGs participate in our Inclusion Council with members of executive leadership.x
Paid Time Off:On top of our flexible PTO, Fetch observes 9 paid holidays, including Juneteenth and Indigenous People's Day, as well as our year-end week-long break. 
Robust Leave Policies:20 weeks of paid parental leave for primary caregivers, 14 weeks for secondary caregivers, and a flexible return to work schedule. 
Calvin Care Cash: Employees who are welcoming new family members will also receive a one time $2,000 incentive to assist employees with covering the cost of childcare, clothing, diapers and much more!
Flexible Work Environment: Collaborate with your team in one of our stunning offices in Madison, Birmingham, or Chicago. Or you can work fully remotely from anywhere in the US.