Software Development Engineer In Test

Job Title: Software Development Engineer in Test (Python)

Job Description

This role focuses on Python-based test automation for over-the-air (OTA) software updates within a complex, dependency-rich component. You will join a roughly 15-person software testing team that performs level-two testing and works in close alignment with the development organization. Approximately 6070% of your work will involve Python development to build, enhance, and maintain automated test suites. You will validate pre-mainline code submissions, convert manual test cases into automated scripts, and help ensure high-quality software reaches production by influencing code quality early in the development lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Develop, enhance, and maintain Python-based automated tests for an OTA software updates component, with a focus on object-oriented programming.
• Convert existing manual test cases into robust Python automation scripts and ensure they remain maintainable and scalable over time.
• Execute automated and manual tests as needed, validate results, and ensure comprehensive coverage of functional and integration requirements.
• Investigate automation failures, perform root-cause analysis, and triage issues to determine whether defects reside in the test code, test harnesses, or the underlying software.
• Fix defects in test automation code and harnesses, and contribute improvements that increase stability, reliability, and execution speed of test suites.
• Interpret complex, dependency-heavy requirements and decompose them into clear, implementable testing activities and test cases.
• Collaborate closely with developers to validate pre-mainline code submissions, provide feedback on testability, and influence code quality before changes are merged.
• Work within CI/CD pipelines to integrate automated tests, monitor pipeline results, and ensure that test stages provide reliable feedback to the development organization.
• Use test traceability practices and tools to link tests to requirements and ensure coverage and compliance across the component.
• Provide hands-on laboratory support by recovering and stabilizing test hardware when automated execution leaves it in an undesired state.
• Communicate test results, defects, and risks clearly and effectively to developers, testers, and adjacent teams, and participate in discussions to resolve issues.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of testing processes, tools, and frameworks, including the adoption and use of AI-assisted development practices.
• Support onboarding and collaboration activities by working closely with team members across multiple locations and sharing knowledge of automation best practices.

Essential Skills

• 3+ years of total professional experience in software development and/or software testing in a junior-to-intermediate capacity.
• 23+ years of hands-on Python development experience with a strong emphasis on object-oriented programming.
• Proven experience in software testing, including manual testing combined with strong test automation experience or dedicated test automation development.
• Demonstrated ability to design, develop, and maintain automated test cases, including converting manual tests into Python-based automation and correcting automation defects.
• Experience working with CI/CD pipelines, including integrating tests into pipelines and interpreting pipeline test results.
• Experience with test traceability practices to align test cases with requirements and ensure adequate coverage.
• Strong defect investigation skills, including the ability to triage automated test failures and contribute fixes to test code and test harnesses.
• Ability to interpret complex, dependency-heavy requirements and break them down into clear, implementable testing activities.
• Comfort working with Windows host machines in a testing environment.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with developers, testers, and adjacent teams.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience with automotive software systems, particularly in the context of OTA updates, is a significant asset.
• Familiarity with CAN (Controller Area Network) and automotive communications.
• Ability to read or comprehend C++ or automotive-focused C/C++ code to support testing activities.
• Experience using Windows-based environments for test execution and tooling.
• Exposure to AI-assisted software development tools, such as GitHub Copilot, and familiarity with VS Code.
• Experience or interest in embedded systems.
• Experience working in complex, dependency-heavy software environments where multiple components and systems interact.
• Interest in modern testing practices, including continuous integration, continuous delivery, and automation-first approaches.

Work Environment

This position is fully on-site in either Ottawa or Waterloo, operating five days per week during normal business hours. Working on-site supports close, face-to-face collaboration with developers and adjacent test teams, accelerates onboarding, and enables hands-on access to laboratory hardware. The organization maintains a substantial hardware lab presence in Ottawa, where you may need to interact directly with test equipment and recover hardware when automated runs leave it in an undesired state. You will be part of a broader testing organization of approximately 15 testers with development-oriented backgrounds, distributed across Ottawa, Waterloo, and Oakville. The team leverages modern CI/CD pipelines and AI-assisted development practices, and you will work primarily on Windows host machines within this environment.

This is a Contract position based out of Ottawa, ON.

The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $65.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

This is a Contract position based out of Ottawa, ON.

This is a fully onsite position in Ottawa,ON.

À propos d'Actalent

Actalent est un leader mondial dans les services dingénierie et de sciences ainsi que dans les solutions de talents. Nous aidons des entreprises visionnaires à faire progresser leurs initiatives dingénierie et de science grâce à laccès à des experts spécialisés qui favorisent léchelle, linnovation et la rapidité de mise sur le marché. Avec un réseau de près de 20 000 consultants et 5 000 clients à travers les États-Unis, le Canada, lAsie et lEurope, Actalent dessert de nombreuses entreprises du Fortune 500. Nous sommes fiers dêtre lune des 500 meilleures firmes de conception de lEngineering News-Record (ENR) pour nos services de conception en ingénierie et un lauréat du prix ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® tant pour le service client que pour les talents.

Actalent est un employeur souscrivant au principe de légalité des chances et accepte toutes les candidatures sans tenir compte de la race, du sexe, de lâge, de la couleur, de la religion, des origines nationales, du statut dancien combattant, dun handicap, de lorientation sexuelle, de lidentité sexuelle, des renseignements génétiques ou de toute autre caractéristique protégée par la loi.

Si vous souhaitez faire une demande daccommodement raisonnable, tel que la modification ou lajustement du processus de demande demploi ou dentrevue à cause dun handicap, veuillez envoyer un courriel à [email protected] pour connaître dautres options daccommodement.

Ordonnance sur légalité des chances de San Francisco: Conformément à lOrdonnance sur légalité des chances de San Francisco, pour tous les postes situés dans la ville et le comté de San Francisco, nous examinerons les candidatures des personnes qualifiées ayant un casier judiciaire ou des antécédents criminels.

Utilisation de lintelligence artificielle (IA): Nous pouvons utiliser lintelligence artificielle (IA) pour soutenir certaines étapes de notre processus dembauche, notamment la recherche, la présélection et lévaluation des candidatures. LIA aide à analyser les candidatures et les qualifications, mais les décisions finales sont prises par notre équipe de recrutement. En soumettant votre candidature, vous reconnaissez et acceptez que celle-ci puisse être examinée à laide doutils dIA.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.