Senior Test Automation Engineer | 12-Month Contract | Hybrid – Melbourne
Salary: Competitive
The hiring company is a global leader in scientific instrumentation and laboratory technology, delivering software and hardware solutions relied on by researchers and scientists worldwide. To cover a period of leave within their software engineering team, they're seeking an experienced Senior Test Automation Engineer on an initial 12-month contract, with strong potential for extension.
The Opportunity
You'll take ownership of the automation strategy for a suite of scientific software products, working closely with Software Development, Product Management, and Quality Engineering to keep quality high and releases on track. This is a hands-on, high-trust role for someone who can lead automation initiatives while still balancing day-to-day delivery.
Key Responsibilities
Design, develop, and maintain robust automated test frameworks and test suites for desktop and enterprise applications
Lead the automation strategy for a core scientific software platform and related initiatives
Build scalable, reliable, maintainable automated tests using industry-standard tools and frameworks
Integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines to support continuous quality assurance
Partner with Software Development, Product Management, and Quality Engineering to define and implement test strategy
Analyse product requirements and technical designs to spot automation opportunities and quality risks
Investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve automation failures and test infrastructure issues
Support releases with appropriate automated test coverage and execution
Drive continuous improvement in test processes, coverage, and quality practices
Mentor team members in automation best practice and modern testing methodology
Contribute to test planning, estimation, and technical decision-making
About You
Proven experience in software test automation, ideally in desktop or enterprise environments
Strong hands-on experience with industry-standard automation frameworks and tools
Experience integrating automated testing into CI/CD pipelines
Demonstrated technical leadership and the ability to work independently and drive outcomes
Excellent stakeholder management and collaboration skills
A continuous improvement mindset and strong attention to detail
A background or genuine interest in scientific/chemistry-related industries is highly regarded but not essential; attitude and willingness to learn count for a lot here
Full working rights in Australia, available during Australian business hours
What's on Offer
Initial 12-month contract with genuine potential for extension (and longer-term possibilities for the right person)
Hybrid working, with a minimum of 3 days on-site
A collaborative, growing engineering team
The chance to work on scientific software used globally
Competitive contract rate, based on experience