Occupation
Test automation engineer
Test automation engineers write code whose job is to test other code. They build and maintain automated test suites and the pipelines that run them, so that a broken change is caught by a machine rather than by a user.
Also known as: Automation test engineer · SDET · Software development engineer in test
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Occupation content
Part of Information technology, data and cybersecurity
A visual day in the work
What the work involves
Write automated tests for interfaces, APIs, and back-end services
Maintain test frameworks and shared helpers other engineers rely on
Wire test suites into the continuous integration pipeline
Investigate flaky or intermittently failing tests and stabilise them
Report on coverage gaps and push for tests where risk is highest
Entry-route stepper
How people commonly enter
A degree in computer science, software engineering, or information systems
A college diploma or certificate in software development or testing
Progression from a manual software testing role after building coding skills
A software testing certification combined with on-the-job programming experience
Typical training: Varies by employer or jurisdiction
Licensing: Certification common, not usually required
Work-context map
Typical work context
- Team based
- Desk based
- Quiet focus
- Remote capable
- Hybrid office
Team based · Desk based · Quiet focus · Remote capable · Hybrid office
Related interests
- Investigative (analytical)
- Conventional (organizing)
- Realistic (hands-on)
Investigative (analytical) · Conventional (organizing) · Realistic (hands-on)
Related aptitude preparation
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Skills to practise
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Related learning
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Labour-market context (not part of exploration match)
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Information technology, data and cybersecurity: licensing
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