Software Development Engineer in Test Lead

Hi, it’s nice to meet you! We are Avis Budget Group: 

We are a leading global provider of transportation solutions, operating three of the most recognized brands in the industry: Avis, Budget, and Zipcar - the world’s leading car-sharing network. Our employees are driven by a shared ambition to be at their best every day, so that together, we can become the best vehicle rental company in the world. We’ve been doing this for over 75 years, but we are humble enough to know that we can do things even better.  

The impact you’d drive: 

We are fueling up with top tech talent, to build upon our core strengths and to challenge the way we work, think, and behave – so that together, we can provide a better rental experience for our customers. No matter how big or small the idea, we are united by our innovative spirit. We believe that there is strength in togetherness. Strength in us having a common goal: to get our customers on their way quickly, safely, and sustainably. To expand our engineering culture, we’re boosting our business with great people like you. Choose a career with us, and you’ll be joining a team of driven people; performing with purpose. At Avis Budget Group, we’re driven to be the best vehicle rental company in the world. Together. 

Job Summary: 

We are seeking a results-driven SDET (Software Development Engineer in Test) Lead to own the quality lifecycle for major software initiatives—from requirements to production release. This role is ideal for a highly organized, technically strong individual who can translate requirements into actionable test strategies, build and execute robust test plans, and ensure that testing activities are aligned with business outcomes. The Testing Lead will be accountable for test coverage, execution, and reporting, and will drive both manual and automated efforts across a dedicated project team.

What you’ll do:

• Project Ownership & Accountability
  • Serve as the single point of accountability for all testing activities within a defined project.
  • Own the test strategy, planning, execution, and delivery from early requirements through post-launch.
  • Define and enforce a test plan covering what to test, when to test, how to generate test data, and how test results will be captured and communicated.
  • Proactively identify and mitigate quality risks during planning and execution phases.
  • Drive testing to completion with a clear definition of done and track all open quality issues through resolution.
• Test Strategy, Planning & Execution
  • Translate business and technical requirements into clear, actionable test strategies and acceptance criteria.
  • Create detailed test plans and test cases, integrating both manual and automated approaches where appropriate.
  • Ensure thorough coverage across functional, regression, integration, and edge-case testing.
  • Lead test data strategy and test environment readiness, including creation and maintenance of necessary data sets.
• Test Automation & Tooling
  • Design and develop automation test scripts using tools such as Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, Postman, and Pytest.
  • Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines and maintain robust test coverage throughout the lifecycle.
  • Continually evaluate and evolve testing tools, frameworks, and practices for efficiency and effectiveness.
• Team Leadership & Collaboration
  • Work closely with engineering, product, UX, and other stakeholders to embed quality into each phase of development.
  • Provide technical guidance and oversight to test engineers on the project, ensuring alignment to the plan and consistency in execution.
  • Ensure testers follow defined processes and contribute effectively to automation efforts.
• Reporting & Communication
  • Define and track quality KPIs and test coverage metrics, and regularly report progress to project stakeholders.
  • Communicate status clearly and proactively escalate issues that impact delivery timelines or quality.
  • Facilitate test result walkthroughs and sign-offs with cross-functional teams

You should apply if you bring:

• Required Qualifications
  • 5+ years of experience in software testing, with a strong focus on test planning, execution, and automation.
  • Proven track record of leading test efforts on large-scale, cross-functional software projects.
  • Proficiency in at least one or more programming/scripting languages (e.g., Java, TypeScript, Python).
  • Hands-on experience with modern testing frameworks and tools such as Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, Postman, and Pytest.
  • Deep understanding of UI, API, database, and integration testing.