Test Automation Engineer

Research Innovations

Alexandria, Virginia, USFull-timeMidPosted Jul 8, 2026

SeleniumCypressTestNGPostmanREST AssuredJMeterDockerKubernetesJavaJavaScriptSQLJIRA

Best fit for

This role is best for mid-level QA engineers with hands-on experience in Selenium, Cypress, BDD (Cucumber / SpecFlow), REST API testing open to working from Alexandria, Virginia, US.

Skills you need for this role

Detected from the job title, description, and tags.

Automation skills

Selenium — Still the most-asked browser automation framework in QA interviews and legacy suites.
Cypress — Popular for front-end teams that own their own end-to-end suite.
BDD (Cucumber / SpecFlow) — Used when product + QA collaborate on executable specs.

API / backend testing

REST API testing — Almost every QA role now expects you to validate JSON contracts and status codes.
Postman / Newman — Standard tool for API exploration and shareable collections.
RestAssured — Common Java-first API automation library, often paired with TestNG.

CI/CD and DevOps

GitLab CI — Common in enterprise stacks that self-host GitLab.
Docker — Needed to containerise test environments and spin up dependencies.
Kubernetes — Test infra + preview environments increasingly run on K8s.

Programming languages

Java — Dominant language for enterprise QA + Selenium/RestAssured stacks.
JavaScript / TypeScript — Required for Playwright, Cypress, and modern front-end test tooling.
SQL — Data validation and back-office QA rely on solid SQL.

Domain & process

Performance testing (JMeter / k6 / LoadRunner) — Different discipline from functional QA — expect scenario and metrics questions.
Security testing (OWASP) — Growing overlap between QA and application security.
Agile / Scrum — You'll be expected to describe how you fit QA into short iterations.
Test management (Jira / Zephyr / TestRail) — Process fluency — writing test cases, tracing coverage, and reporting defects.
AI in testing — Employers increasingly ask how you use AI copilots to speed up QA work.

Job description

Position Title: Test Automation Engineer(Web) Location: Hybrid to Aberdeen, MD, Picatinny NJ or Alexandria, VA Clearance Requirement: Secret Employment type: Full Time Research Innovations, Inc. (RII) is breaking through the big, slow status quo with transformative technology that fundamentally improves the world. We build advanced software solutions for government and military missions, applying agile development and user-centered design to solve complex, mission-critical problems. We are seeking a Test Automation Engineer to join our Software Engineering team. In this role, you will build scalable automated testing solutions that ensure the reliability and performance of mission-critical systems supporting Defense and Homeland Security operations. You will work across the full development lifecycle to validate systems that process large volumes of real-time data. Get s#it done. WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING

Design, develop, and maintain automated test frameworks for large-scale, distributed software systems
Build and execute automated test suites for web applications and APIs to ensure comprehensive coverage
Develop integration and end-to-end test scripts supporting complex system interactions
Evaluate, select, and integrate automation tools (e.g., Selenium, Cypress, TestNG) into CI/CD pipelines
Implement automated performance and load testing to analyze system scalability and reliability
Conduct functional, regression, performance, and security testing to identify defects and ensure system quality
Collaborate with developers, system engineers, and product teams to define test strategies and identify automation opportunities
Participate in agile ceremonies (sprint planning, stand-ups, retrospectives) to align testing with development efforts
Track, triage, and resolve defects using tools such as GitLab or JIRA
Optimize automation frameworks and test execution for speed, reliability, and maintainability
Document test plans, methodologies, and results; ensure alignment with system requirements and architecture WHAT YOU HAVE DONE
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent practical experience
3+ years of experience in test automation or software testing
Developed automated test suites for web applications using tools such as Cypress, Selenium, or similar
Experience testing both front-end and back-end systems, including APIs
Hands-on experience with functional and non-functional testing (performance, regression, etc.)
Worked in an Agile software development environment
Authored test cases, procedures, and documented results
Experience with containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes)
Tested complex systems composed of microservices or modular architectures
Strong troubleshooting skills and collaboration with development teams to resolve defects
Programming/scripting experience in Java, JavaScript, or similar, including BDD tools (Cucumber, Gherkin)
Experience with CI/CD pipelines (GitLab CI or similar) and version control systems (Git) EVEN BETTER
Experience with API testing tools such as Postman, REST Assured, or SoapUI
Familiarity with build tools including Maven, Gradle, or NPM
Experience with performance testing tools such as JMeter
Working knowledge of databases and SQL
Experience testing systems in secure or regulated environments (e.g., DoD, RMF, NIST)
Exposure to DevSecOps practices and secure software testing #LI-TC1 At RII, we believe that diversity in our workforce is critical to our success. We strive to hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes us stronger. We work to help your intellectual passions and creativity thrive. It’s one of our core values: Let your geek flag fly. We also offer all employees comprehensive benefits including: flexible work schedules, health insurance coverage, paid time off, 401k with a company match, paid parental leave, access to wellness programs and much more. You get this all from day one, and all paid for by RII. It’s all part of another of our core values: Stay human. It’s why our comfortable and colorful offices such as our headquarters, include a community game room, pantry, massage chair, and an escape room, among other amenities. It’s why we have community ambassadors and regular community events. Research Innovations Incorporated is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Job highlights

•Role: Test Automation Engineer
•Company: Research Innovations
•Location: Alexandria, Virginia, US
•Type: Full-time
•Experience: Mid
•Seniority: Mid
•Posted: Jul 8, 2026

Key skills: Selenium · Cypress · TestNG · Postman · REST Assured · JMeter · Docker · Kubernetes · Java · JavaScript

How to prepare for this interview

A 5-step prep plan tailored to this job's stack.

1Revise Selenium deeply — locator strategy, waits, parallelisation, and how you'd structure the framework from scratch. Selenium interview Q&A →
2Practice API-testing scenarios — auth flows, contract validation, and running collections in CI. API testing Q&A →
3Warm up on SQL joins, group-bys, and window functions — most QA rounds include a data-validation query. SQL Q&A →
4Do at least one AI mock interview end-to-end so you're comfortable narrating your answers under time. AI Mock Interview →
5Run your CV through the ATS review so it clears keyword filters for this role before you apply. Resume ATS Review →

Likely interview questions for this role

Tuned to the stack we detected on this job.

Q1.Explain the Page Object Model and how you'd structure it in Selenium.
Q2.How do you handle dynamic waits without using Thread.sleep in Selenium?
Q3.How do you handle cross-origin flows in Cypress?
Q4.When would you pick Cypress over Playwright, and when not?
Q5.What's the trade-off between BDD and plain unit-style automation frameworks?

Rehearse with AI Mock Interview Full interview prep guide

Salary context

Compensation not disclosed.

Research Innovations hasn't disclosed a salary range for this mid-level role. Check our QA/SDET salary benchmarks to anchor your ask for Alexandria, Virginia, US.

See QA/SDET salary benchmarks →