Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
What is an automation test engineer and how to become one
An automation test engineer creates and executes automated test scripts to ensure the quality of software applications. They work closely with developers and quality assurance teams and may also be involved in designing test plans and analyzing results. Automation test engineers use specialized software tools to build, run, and maintain automated tests, and must stay up-to-date with the latest testing methodologies and technologies.
What general advice would you give to an automation test engineer?
Brian Glas
Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Union University
Gain different perspectives: Spend time with people in other roles that your job interacts with, and gain a solid understanding of how they view things; this is most valuable for career progression and understanding of how your work fits into the big picture.
Avg. Salary $85,353
Avg. Salary $59,228
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.51%
Asian 11.99%
Black or African American 6.24%
Hispanic or Latino 8.82%
Unknown 4.70%
White 67.73%
Genderfemale 26.21%
male 73.79%
Age - 43American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 43Stress level is manageable
7.1 - high
Complexity level is intermediate
7 - challenging
Work life balance is fair
6.4 - fair
What are the pros and cons of being an automation test engineer?
Pros
Opportunity to work on cutting-edge technology and tools
High pay and potential for career growth due to high demand for automation test engineers
Ability to improve software quality and reduce testing time
Opportunity to learn about the entire software development lifecycle
Potential for remote work
Cons
Long working hours and deadlines
Pressure to deliver high-quality results
May require working on weekends or holidays for critical projects
Can be monotonous if working on the same project for a long time
May require overtime during peak project periods.
Automation test engineer career paths
Key steps to become an automation test engineer
Explore automation test engineer education requirements
Start to develop specific automation test engineer skills
Skills Percentages Java 8.23% Python 6.88% Jenkins 3.91% Jira 3.81% QA 3.78% Complete relevant automation test engineer training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New automation test engineers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an automation test engineer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real automation test engineer resumes.Research automation test engineer duties and responsibilities
- Provide overarching strategic recommendations for productivity improvements and achieve QMS - ISO certification.
- Analyze test results, track the software defects in JIRA and interact with the developers to resolve technical issues.
- Work on paypal checkout and trade center automation using selenium, ruby, sql.
- Implement JUnit framework to write test cases for different modules and resolve the test findings.
Prepare your automation test engineer resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your automation test engineer resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an automation test engineer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose from 10+ customizable automation test engineer resume templates
Build a professional automation test engineer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your automation test engineer resume.
Apply for automation test engineer jobs
Now it's time to start searching for an automation test engineer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first automation test engineer job
Are you an automation test engineer?
Share your story for a free salary report.
Average automation test engineer salary
The average automation test engineer salary in the United States is $85,353 per year or $41 per hour. Automation test engineer salaries range between $64,000 and $112,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do automation test engineers rate their job?
Automation test engineer reviews
I like testing because it can be interesting. Things can change but also stay the same. I like routine but not repetition doing the same thing. Testing isn't the best job but a good job.
Some things you test can be really picky to pass. It's likely they will always fail the first time. Some test seem to always pass and seek insufficient. I always look at productivity but also efficiency. So if not necessary by customer and always passes I can't see why a part of the test he removed especially if another part of the test will fail if it does. Options I am always open to.
Working with technology.
Automated testing is more in demand than manual testing.
New field to work with compassion.
Low pay structure as compared to the efforts put in.
Updated January 8, 2025
