Quality Assurance Automation Developer

This competition is open to all applicants; however, internal applicants will be given priority consideration based on minimum qualifications, or a combination of experience, skills, and abilities before external applicants are considered.

Location - This role is hybrid with a mix of remote and in-person. Work primarily takes place at North Campus, Edmonton.

Information Services & Technology (IST) is the central support group for the University of Alberta's technological landscape. We play a pivotal role in ensuring the evolution and seamless operation of technology for teaching, learning, research, and administration. Beyond our expansive technical expertise, IST fosters a supportive environment rooted in our core values: compassion, connection, collaboration, creativity, and courage. If you are passionate about leveraging technology to empower education, drive institutional excellence, and shape the future of the university through innovative IT solutions, we invite you to join us.

Reporting to the Team Lead of Quality Assurance, the Quality Assurance Automation Developer designs, develops and maintains automated testing solutions, frameworks and processes that support the quality, reliability and ongoing operation of applications, services and integrations across the University of Alberta.

Working collaboratively with Application Developers, Systems Analysts, Business Solutions Analysts, functional teams and University stakeholders, the incumbent contributes throughout the software development lifecycle to ensure solutions meet business requirements, technical specifications and operational expectations.

The position combines software development, quality assurance, technical analysis and problem-solving to plan and execute testing activities, validate application functionality and data integrity, investigate defects and assess technical risks. Through effective test automation and evidence-based quality assessments, the incumbent helps project teams make informed decisions about solution readiness and release quality.

As a seasoned technical resource, the Quality Assurance Automation Developer provides technical guidance, participates in peer reviews, mentors colleagues and contributes to improving team practices. The role requires sound technical judgment, strong collaboration and a commitment to delivering reliable, accessible and maintainable technology solutions in a respectful and supportive working environment.

• Quality Assurance Planning & Analysis: Collaborate with project teams and University stakeholders to review requirements, technical designs and acceptance criteria; assess testability, identify quality risks, estimate effort and establish appropriate testing strategies and coverage.
• Quality Assurance Development & Test Automation: Design, develop and maintain automated testing frameworks, reusable scripts, test harnesses, utilities and supporting services for enterprise applications, APIs, integrations and data validation.
• Manual & Automated Testing: Plan and execute functional, component, integration, system, regression, performance, load, reliability, accessibility and other appropriate testing to verify solutions against established business, technical and operational requirements.
• Continuous Integration & Automation Practices: Integrate automated tests and quality checks into development and deployment pipelines; improve the reliability, maintainability and effectiveness of automated testing tools and processes.
• Defect, Risk & Quality Management: Investigate, document and communicate software defects, testing limitations and quality risks; collaborate with technical and functional teams to support resolution, retesting and regression verification.
• Test Documentation & Release Readiness: Develop and maintain test plans, cases, scripts, requirements traceability and execution evidence; provide objective assessments of testing outcomes, unresolved defects and residual risks to inform release decisions.
• Post-Implementation Validation & Support: Support application releases, upgrades and enhancements through production verification, targeted testing, troubleshooting and identification of opportunities to improve service reliability.
• Technical Leadership & Collaboration: Provide technical guidance, participate in peer reviews, mentor colleagues, support onboarding and share knowledge across technical and functional teams to strengthen software quality practices.
• Continuous Improvement & Culture of Care: Identify opportunities to improve testing methodologies, tools, processes and team practices while fostering a respectful, inclusive and collaborative environment that encourages learning, constructive feedback and early identification of concerns.

• Education & Professional Experience: Bachelor's degree in Computing Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering or a related discipline, or an equivalent technical diploma combined with relevant education and experience. Requires five or more years of software development and software quality assurance automation experience in a comparable enterprise environment.
• Software Quality Assurance & Testing Methodologies: Extensive knowledge of manual and automated testing approaches, including black-box and white-box testing, component, functional, API, integration, system, regression, exploratory, performance and load testing, and verification and validation practices.
• Automation Development & Frameworks: Demonstrated experience developing and maintaining automated testing frameworks, reusable test scripts, test harnesses and supporting utilities for complex applications and integrations.
• Programming, Scripting & Version Control: Strong programming and scripting capabilities using languages such as C#, Java, PHP, JavaScript, Bash, PowerShell or similar technologies, with experience using Git, GitHub, GitLab or comparable version-control and collaborative development tools.
• Enterprise Applications, APIs & Integration: Strong understanding of enterprise application architectures, web services, REST APIs, distributed systems and data flows, including integration behaviour, failure conditions and application reliability.
• Databases & Data Validation: Experience with relational database systems such as PostgreSQL, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle, including SQL queries, data integrity verification, transformation validation and testing of data-driven applications.
• Development Methodologies & DevOps: Experience working within Agile, Scrum, Kanban, iterative and waterfall development environments, including continuous integration and deployment practices, automated quality checks and repeatable test environments.
• Test Planning, Risk Assessment & Quality Reporting: Demonstrated ability to interpret complex requirements and technical specifications, establish effective testing strategies, maintain traceability, evaluate test evidence and communicate defects, quality risks and release-readiness recommendations.
• Technical Leadership & Mentorship: Demonstrated ability to provide technical guidance, participate in code and test reviews, mentor colleagues, coordinate assigned testing activities and contribute to quality assurance standards and practices.
• Communication, Collaboration & Problem Solving: Excellent analytical, organizational, troubleshooting, facilitation and communication skills, with the ability to explain technical issues, testing outcomes and quality risks to diverse audiences. Demonstrated professionalism, accountability, sound judgment and commitment to respectful collaboration and a culture of care.

Application Instructions

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This position is subject to all applicable terms and conditions of the collective agreement between the Governors of the University of Alberta and the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Information Services & Technology (IST) is the central support group for the university's technological landscape. IST plays a pivotal role in ensuring the evolution and smooth operation of technology for teaching, learning, research and working at the University of Alberta. Beyond having expansive technical expertise, IST fosters a supportive environment where our staff values include compassion, connection, collaboration, creativity and courage. If you are passionate about leveraging technology to empower education, research and to drive institutional excellence, join us and be part of shaping the future of the University of Alberta through innovative IT solutions.

The University of Alberta, its buildings, labs and research stations are primarily located on the territory of Néhiyaw (Cree), Niitsitapi (Blackfoot), Métis, Nakoda (Stoney), Dene, Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and Anishinaabe (Ojibway/Saulteaux), lands that are now known as part of Treaties 6, 7 and 8 and homeland of the Métis. The University of Alberta respects the sovereignty, lands, histories, languages, knowledge systems and cultures of all First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.

The University of Alberta is a community of knowledge seekers, change makers and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to over 14,000 faculty and staff, more than 40,000 students and a growing community of 300,000 alumni worldwide.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross-section of people - from our students and community members, to our renowned researchers and innovators, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger and more just. Learn more.

At the University of Alberta, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates. If you require accommodations to participate in the interview process, please let us know at the time of booking your interview and we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.

All University employees have a responsibility to foster a workplace that prioritizes safety in all its forms—physical, cultural, and psychological. This is achieved by promoting a safe environment, adhering to all safety laws, policies and procedures, completing all required safety training, identifying hazards and implementing controls, reporting incidents, and contributing to a culture of belonging and respect, while endeavoring to ensure that all colleagues feel valued and safe to express their thoughts, perspectives and concerns.

The University of Alberta is committed to creating a university community where everyone feels valued, barriers to success are removed, and thriving connections are fostered. We welcome applications from all qualified persons. We encourage women, First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons, members of visible minority groups, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity and expression, and all those who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas and the University to apply.

L’Université de l’Alberta s’engage à créer une communauté universitaire où chaque personne se sent valorisée, où les obstacles à la réussite sont éliminés et où des connexions enrichissantes peuvent se développer. Nous accueillons les demandes de toutes les personnes qualifiées. Nous encourageons les femmes; Premières nations, Métis et Inuits; membres des groupes minoritaires visibles; personnes handicapées; personnes de toute orientation sexuelle ou identité et expression de genre; et toutes les personnes qui peuvent contribuer à la diversification des idées et à l'université à postuler.