Lead QA Engineer

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Lead QA Engineer based in Canada.

This role is a senior quality leadership position responsible for defining and executing the QA strategy across web, API, and mobile platforms within a fast-paced, AI-driven engineering environment. You will take ownership of end-to-end quality assurance, ensuring release confidence across frequent deployment cycles while driving automation, test scalability, and continuous improvement. The position combines hands-on technical expertise with strategic leadership, requiring you to shape QA practices across multiple engineering teams. You will play a key role in embedding quality earlier in the development lifecycle and improving overall product reliability. The environment is highly collaborative and engineering-focused, with a strong emphasis on automation, innovation, and measurable outcomes. This is a high-impact opportunity for a QA leader who wants to elevate quality standards at scale.

You will be responsible for leading QA strategy, automation, and execution across digital platforms, ensuring high-quality releases and scalable testing frameworks embedded throughout the development lifecycle.

• Own the end-to-end QA strategy across web, API, and mobile applications
• Define and implement scalable automation frameworks and release validation processes
• Drive shift-left testing practices to improve early defect detection and reduce release risk
• Build, maintain, and expand automated test coverage using modern tools such as Playwright and related frameworks
• Establish CI/CD-integrated testing workflows to support frequent deployment cycles
• Lead performance, regression, functional, and load testing initiatives across platforms
• Collaborate with engineering, product, and DevOps teams to ensure quality is embedded in delivery pipelines
• Define and monitor quality metrics, including defect trends, test coverage, and release stability
• Support targeted automation initiatives, including complex payment and API workflows
• Mentor QA engineers and promote best practices across cross-functional teams

Requirements:

You are an experienced QA leader with deep expertise in automation, test strategy, and modern software delivery practices, capable of driving quality across fast-moving engineering environments.

• 7+ years of experience in QA and software testing, including 2+ years in a lead or senior role
• Strong hands-on experience with Playwright for web and API automation
• Solid expertise in test automation frameworks such as Cypress, Selenium, or equivalent tools
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, or Java for test development
• Experience with functional, regression, and performance/load testing using tools like Postman and JMeter
• Strong understanding of Agile SDLC practices and defect lifecycle management using Jira and TestRail
• Experience building and maintaining scalable CI/CD-integrated test pipelines
• Ability to operate independently in fast-paced release environments with competing priorities
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence without authority
• Experience in e-commerce or high-frequency release environments is an asset
• Familiarity with modern QA tooling and observability platforms is a plus
• Experience with AI-assisted testing tools and validation of generated test code is highly valued

Benefits:

• Competitive salary range aligned with senior QA leadership roles
• Remote-first work environment within Canada
• Comprehensive health, dental, and wellness benefits
• RRSP matching program
• Employee discounts across brand portfolio
• Paid time off and flexible leave policies
• Strong focus on work-life balance and employee wellbeing
• Opportunity to work in an AI-first, automation-driven engineering environment
• Career growth opportunities and increased ownership for high performers
• Exposure to modern QA tooling, AI testing practices, and advanced automation frameworks