Happiest Minds Technologies - Principal Test Architect - AI & Playwright Automation

Job Summary :We are looking for a highly experienced Principal Test Architect with strong expertise in AI-driven Quality Engineering and Playwright Automation to lead the testing strategy, automation architecture, and quality transformation initiatives across enterprise applications and digital platforms.The ideal candidate will be responsible for designing scalable test architectures, driving automation excellence, implementing AI-powered testing solutions, and enabling continuous quality practices across the software development lifecycle.This role requires close collaboration with Engineering, Product, DevOps, Security, and Business teams to ensure high-quality and reliable software delivery.Key Responsibilities :- Define and drive the organization's overall Quality Engineering, Test Automation, and Continuous Testing strategy.- Design and implement scalable, reusable, and maintainable automation frameworks using Playwright and other modern automation technologies.- Lead AI-led testing initiatives, including intelligent test generation, self-healing automation, predictive defect analysis, and quality insights.- Establish testing standards, governance models, and best practices across multiple projects and technology platforms.- Collaborate with Engineering, Product Management, DevOps, and Architecture teams to ensure quality is embedded throughout the SDLC.- Architect automation solutions for Web, API, Microservices, Cloud, and Distributed Systems environments.- Drive continuous testing practices within CI/CD pipelines using modern DevOps tools and methodologies.- Evaluate and adopt emerging testing tools, frameworks, and AI technologies to improve productivity and quality outcomes.- Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to QA Architects, Test Leads, and Engineering teams.- Review automation metrics, quality KPIs, and test effectiveness to drive continuous improvement.- Partner with stakeholders and customers to define quality roadmaps and align testing strategies with business objectives.Mandatory Skills :- Strong expertise in Playwright Automation (Mandatory) with hands-on experience designing enterprise-grade automation frameworks.- 15+ years of experience in Software Testing, Quality Engineering, and Test Automation Architecture.- Experience in AI-driven testing solutions, intelligent automation, and GenAI-enabled quality engineering practices.- Strong expertise in automation frameworks such as Playwright, Selenium, Cypress, Appium, or equivalent.- Extensive experience in API testing using REST Assured, Postman, SoapUI, or similar tools.- Strong programming experience in Java, Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, or C#.- Expertise in automation framework design, test architecture patterns, and engineering best practices.- Strong understanding of Microservices, Event-Driven Architecture, REST APIs, Distributed Systems, and Cloud-Native Applications.- Experience integrating automated testing into CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, or equivalent.- Strong experience with source control tools such as Git and modern code management practices.- Hands-on experience with SQL, database validation, and data testing.- Strong stakeholder management, technical consulting, and solution design skills.Preferred Skills :- Experience with AI/GenAI tools for Quality Engineering and Test Automation.- Experience in Cloud platforms such as Azure, AWS, or GCP.- Knowledge of Performance, Security, Accessibility, and Reliability Testing.- Experience in Agile, Scrum, SAFe, and DevOps delivery models.- Exposure to Test Data Management and Service Virtualization.- Strong customer-facing and consulting experience.- Relevant certifications in Testing, Automation, Agile, or Cloud technologies.Qualifications :- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field.- ISTQB, Certified Agile, or relevant Quality Engineering certifications will be an added advantage. (ref:hirist.tech)