Test Architect: Reston VA (Need Only Locals)

  Hello All,    Hope you are doing great  Please go through the job description and let me know your interest.    Job Title: Test Architect  Work Location: Reston VA (Hybrid from day 1) (Need Only Locals)  Duration: Long Term Contract    Job Description  We are seeking a highly skilled Test Architect to lead test strategy, automation, and execution across complex programs, with a focus on XM and Entertainment core execution.”    Automation  • Strong understanding of APIs (REST, SOAP, GraphQL) and API test automation (Postman, ReadyAPI, Karate).  • Knowledge of message brokers (Kafka, MQ, JMS)  • SQL/Database validation skills for cross-system data consistency checks.    Domain Expertise -Preferred skills  • Familiarity with Experience Management (XM) platforms (e.g., Qualtrics, Medallia) and customer journey validation    Overview We are seeking a highly skilled Test Architect to lead test strategy, automation, and execution across complex programs, with a focus on XM and Entertainment core execution. The Test Architect will collaborate with business, development, and QA stakeholders to ensure end-to-end test planning, environment readiness, execution efficiency, and production validation. This role will also drive innovation in automation, AI-driven use case generation, and test accelerators to improve quality and speed of delivery. ,,,,,,,,,,     Key Responsibilities Strategic Test Planning & Execution   • Collaborate with project stakeholders to understand product and technical requirements, identifying gaps early in the cycle.  • Define and finalize test plans, data needs, and environment strategy by the end of the development phase.  • Own and manage XM regression testing across domains, ensuring high-quality coverage.   • Partner with Release Management (RM) to plan and mitigate environment downtime and risks.   • Define test environments, ensuring integration coverage across platforms and domains. Automation & Tools   • Own the automation framework and tool strategy, ensuring scalability and reusability.   • Drive automation-first approaches to accelerate test execution (POR automation: L-size completion in 3 days, XL-size in 5 days).  • Innovate with AI-driven solutions for test case generation, self-service test tools, and faster automation development.   • Strengthen and evolve the defect triage and reporting tools to improve defect lifecycle management. Execution & Delivery Support   • Lead test execution cycles, ensuring on-time delivery of regression, integration, and UAT support.  • Provide primary support for defect triage, driving quick root-cause analysis and resolutions.   • Conduct demos and test walkthroughs for Business, Development, and UAT teams.   • Ensure change management requests are reviewed, validated, and tested effectively.   • Perform production validation support during and after deployments, reviewing final packages and ensuring smooth releases. Stakeholder Management & Governance   • Act as the primary liaison between QA, Development, Business, and Release teams for testing-related activities.   • Provide metrics, dashboards, and reports on testing progress, coverage, automation adoption, and defect quality.  • Contribute to process improvements, standardization, and test governance frameworks. ,,,,,,,,,,     Required Skills & Qualifications   • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.  • 10+ years of experience in software testing, with at least 3+ years as a Test Architect / QA Lead.   • Strong expertise in test automation frameworks, tools, and scripting (e.g., Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, TestNG, JUnit, etc.).   • Proven experience in designing end-to-end test strategies for large-scale enterprise systems.  • Solid knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and cloud-based environments.   • Hands-on experience with defect management tools (e.g., JIRA, Rally, ALM) and test management platforms.   • Strong understanding of system integration testing, regression testing, and performance testing.  • Experience with AI/ML-based automation accelerators and self-service QA tooling is a plus.  • Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills. ,,,,,,,,,,     Preferred Skills   • Experience in media, entertainment, or telecommunications domain.  • Familiarity with API automation and microservices validation.   • Exposure to data-driven testing, service virtualization, and test environment orchestration.  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on continuous improvement.