Sr Automation Tester

**Position Summary:** ASI works with the Veterans Administration (VA) to support configuration management, change management (CM), communication management, understanding technical and functional capabilities required by the VA Acquisition Workforce (AWF) and aligning with the VA strategic objectives related to modernization and transformation. The Senior Automation Tester has strong hands\-on experience in Visual Studio, .NET\-based test automation frameworks, and a solid foundation in manual testing practices. The individual will design, develop, and maintain robust test automation suites while also participating in exploratory and functional manual testing when needed. This role requires a technically deep problem\-solver who can independently deliver high\-impact results on complex assignments. The individual will drive engineering quality and direction through sound judgment, clear documentation, and mentorship, while collaborating across Agile teams and stakeholders to provide durable, consistent solutions with minimal supervision. **What you’ll do**: **Automation Testing** * Design, develop, and maintain automation frameworks using Visual Studio, C\#, and .NET technologies. * Build and maintain automated test scripts for UI, API, and integration testing. * Enhance existing automation frameworks to improve stability, reusability, and performance. * Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines using tools such as Azure DevOps, GitHub, Actions, or Jenkins. * Analyze and debug test failures and work closely with developers to resolve defects. **Manual Testing:** * Perform functional, regression, exploratory, and smoke testing to validate system behavior. * Review requirement documentation and develop clear test plans, test cases, and acceptance criteria. * Identify gaps in requirements and test coverage; provide recommendations for improvement. * Validate complex user flows and edge cases that are not ideal for automation. **Collaboration \& Leadership:** * Work within Agile/Scrum teams to ensure high\-quality product releases. * Participate in sprint planning, story refinement, and defect triage meetings. * Mentor junior QA team members on automation best practices and testing methodologies. * Communicate test progress, risks, and quality insights to stakeholders. **Required Qualifications:** * Bachelor’s degree in IT/Computer Science or a related field. * 7\+ years of experience in software testing, with at least 4\+ years in automation. * Strong expertise in Visual Studio, C\#, .NET Core, and automation tools such as: * Selenium WebDriver * BDD frameworks * NUnit * Proficiency in API testing using tools like Postman, RestSharp, or similar libraries. * Working knowledge of version control (Git), CI/CD pipelines, and build automation. * Strong understanding of QA methodologies, SDLC, and Agile principles. * Ability to perform manual testing with attention to detail, solid documentation skills, and strong analytical thinking. * E