At Criterion Systems, we developed a different kind of business—a company whose real value is a reputation for excellence built upon the collective skills, talents, perspectives, and backgrounds of its people. By accepting a position with Criterion Systems, you will join a group of professionals with a collaborative mindset where we share ideas and foster professional development to accomplish our goals. In addition to our great culture, we also offer competitive compensation and benefit packages, company-sponsored team building events, and advancement opportunities. To find out more about how Criterion can help you take your career to the next level please visit our website: www.criterion-sys.com

Criterion Systems, Inc., is seeking a Lead Test Automation Engineer - SME to support a USDA contract based in Ft Collins. Colorado.  The contract supports a variety of customers with DEVOPS, DEVSECOPS, and Architecture support. 

Provide technical knowledge and analysis of highly specialized applications and operational environment, high-level functional systems analysis, design, integration, documentation and implementation advice on moderately complex problems that require an appropriate level of knowledge of the subject matter for effective implementation. Apply principles, methods and knowledge of the functional area of capability to specific task order requirements, advanced mathematical principles and methods to exceptionally difficult and narrowly defined technical problems in engineering and other scientific applications to arrive at automated solutions. Assist other senior consultants with analysis and evaluation and with the preparation of recommendations for system improvements, optimization, development, and/or maintenance efforts in the following specialties: information systems architecture, networking; telecommunications, automation; communications protocols, risk management/electronic analysis, software; lifecycle management, software development methodologies, and modeling and simulation.

The successful candidate will support USDA Applications for Operations and Maintenance work and enhancements and Nextgen application modernization efforts. The ideal candidate should possess the following skills:

• Self-motivated and professional in demeanor with proven success as a development lead in an Agile environment delivering new applications, new releases and emergency code fixes, as required.  Ability to successfully mentor other team members creating a position team environment.
• Proven ability to interface successfully with the customer/client to drive high customer satisfaction and a positive team environment. This includes excellent communication skills (verbal and written) and the ability to navigate challenging situations with nuance and skill.
• Provide technical knowledge and analysis of highly specialized applications and operational environment, high-level functional systems analysis, design, integration, documentation and implementation advice on moderately complex problems that require an appropriate level of knowledge of the subject matter for effective implementation.
• Evaluate, recommend, and implement automated test tools and strategies.
• Design, implement, and conduct test and evaluation procedures to ensure system requirements are met.
• Develop, maintain, and upgrade automated test scripts and architectures for application products.
• Write, implement, and report status for system test cases for testing.
• Analyze test cases and provide regular progress reports.
• Serve as subject matter specialist providing testing know-how for the support of user requirements of complex to highly complex software/hardware applications.
• Direct and/or participate in all phases of risk management assessments and software/hardware development with emphasis on analysis of user requirements, test design and test tools selection.
• Collaborate with the development team including but not limited to Product Owners, Test Automation Engineers, Software Engineers, Database Engineers and Scrum Masters
• Analyze the given business requirements and software designs, identify all possible scenarios, and develop a test plan to ensure quality.
• Create test data, conduct manual test execution, and prepare test automation scripts including adding and updating existing regression tests
• Identify defects, log, track until resolution
• Provide realistic estimations for testing effort required to test functionality.
• Actively participate in all Agile Ceremonies that contribute to the overall quality of the product.
• Perform peer-to-peer Code Reviews on the test automation check-ins by their team.
• Develop common test classes and methods for reusability, and update regression test suites to reduce execution time
• Responsible for quality assurance activities related to Release certification.
• Prepare Release Notes and Release Regression
• Collaborate with the development team including but not limited to Product Owners, Test Automation Engineers, Software Engineers, Database Engineers and Scrum Masters to analyze the given business requirements and software designs, identify all possible scenarios, and develop a test plan to ensure quality.
• Create test data, conduct manual test execution, and prepare test automation scripts including adding and updating existing regression tests using a test framework that also includes identifying defects, logging them in a Defect Management system, and tracking until resolution and provide realistic estimations for testing effort required to test functionality.
• Actively participate in all Agile Ceremonies that contribute to the overall quality of the product, this includes conducting demos and presentations.
• Review the deploy requests and facilitate the deployment of Application / Database changes in the testing environments.
• Mentor and grow junior test automation engineers in areas of test design and test automation and responsible for metrics, QA artifacts, and maintaining audit compliance.
• Lead by example and ensure test team members are available to support Production Cases for their respective team during emergency and critical cases.
• Publish Release Notes and Release Regression Plans after discussions within immediate team, and across dependent testing teams, and have it reviewed by both the development as well as dependent teams.
• Responsible for overall quality of the product and the process involved to plan/groom the in-depth functionalities of the product.

• US Citizenship
• Ability to receive public trust security clearance
• Bachelor’s degree or demonstrated 8-10 years’ recent equivalent experience, Master’s degree with 6-8 years recent equivalent experience, or PHD with 3-6 years recent equivalent experience be used in lieu of degree.
• Eight (8) + years of experience gathering requirements and documenting requirements for software applications.
• Understanding of Testing lifecycle, Test Design methodologies, Test Execution, and Defect Tracking and ability to define a feature based targeted regression
• Excellent communication, problem solving aptitude and demonstrates group presentation skills
• Strategic, analytical, and innovative thinking to address all aspects of custom software testing along with being adaptable to competing demands and be accountable.

Criterion Systems, Inc. and its subsidiaries are committed to equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination at all levels of our organization.  We believe in treating all applicants and employees fairly and make employment decisions without regard to any individual’s protected status:  race, ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, creed, sex/gender, gender identify/gender expression, sexual orientation, physical and mental disability, marital/parental status, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), age, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. For our complete EEO/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit https://careers-criterion-sys.icims.com/.