📍 Job Overview
Job Title: UI SDET/Automation Engineer III (Remote)
Company: CrowdStrike
Location: USA - Remote (Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, District of Columbia)
Job Type: FULL_TIME
Category: Software Development Engineering in Test (SDET), UI Test Automation, Quality Assurance
Date Posted: 2025-06-10
Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (7-8 years experience)
Remote Status: Remote
🎨 Role Summary
- Specializing in Web UI test automation within a global cybersecurity leader.
- Focus on building robust test automation suites to ensure comprehensive coverage of assigned product areas.
- Collaborating closely with UI Quality Assurance Engineers and UI Engineers to deliver high-quality products.
- Contributing significantly to the quality focus of the company by driving innovation in product testing.
- Balancing automated testing with strategic manual testing and test planning.
🖼️ Primary Responsibilities
- Strategically think about test automation and drive quality initiatives across your organization.
- Determine necessary manual tests, complete comprehensive test planning, and execute both manual and required automation tests.
- Verify component, system integration, and application-level features and functionality to meet reliability, accuracy, and performance standards.
- Automate test processes to enhance speed, reproducibility, scalability, and reporting efficiency.
- Develop elegant, robust, and reliable solutions for complex technical testing problems.
- Review engineering technical design documents and requirements, collaborating with Engineering to build testability into the development process.
- Contribute to and improve existing test frameworks and related solutions.
- Increase and improve automated test coverage for UI components and features.
- Provide and receive feedback constructively and courteously.
- Collaborate with UI Engineering to identify root causes of issues and implement automation quality improvements to prevent recurrence.
- Take ownership and be accountable for deliverables within the testing lifecycle.
🎓 Skills & Qualifications
Education: A computer science background or equivalent practical experience in software development, testing, and automation is required. While a formal degree is beneficial, demonstrated expertise and experience are highly valued.
Experience: At least 7-8 years of experience in software development, with a strong focus on testing and automation, particularly in UI test automation. Experience building and maintaining robust test suites is essential and should be reflected in relevant project descriptions.
Required Skills:
- Demonstrated ability to write high-quality code, with particular proficiency in JavaScript, TypeScript, and Python.
- Demonstrated ability to design and develop efficient test strategies and comprehensive test plans.
- Proven ability to develop automated test cases, increase test coverage, and reduce test execution time.
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines, including tools like Jenkins.
- Experience writing and executing detailed test plans.
- Experience documenting technical requirements and test cases.
- Strong knowledge of testing classes and various testing methodologies (e.g., functional, regression, performance, usability).
- Exceptional attention to detail and strong organizational skills.
- Ability to communicate, collaborate, and work effectively as part of a globally distributed team.
- Courage and conviction to champion the user perspective and advocate for quality.
- Pragmatism to prioritize addressing critical issues over pursuing unattainable perfection.
- Extensive experience testing web UI and front-end interfaces.
- Experience with Playwright for UI test automation.
- Experience with manual testing of front-end UI components.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with Jira for issue tracking and XRay for test management.
- Experience working effectively in remote-first environments and with global teams.
- Experience testing enterprise SaaS products.
- Knowledge of and experience in the cybersecurity domain or productivity applications.
- Familiarity with Windows Performance Analyzer or xperf for performance testing.
🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- While not a traditional design portfolio, candidates should be prepared to showcase examples of their test automation frameworks and solutions. This could include code repositories demonstrating their proficiency in JavaScript, TypeScript, and Python, specifically applied to UI test automation.
- Case studies or detailed descriptions of complex UI testing challenges they have solved, highlighting their approach, methodologies used, and the impact of their work on product quality.
- Examples of test plans, test strategies, and technical documentation they have created, demonstrating their ability to plan and execute comprehensive testing efforts.
- Demonstrations of their ability to integrate test automation into CI/CD pipelines and their experience with tools like Jenkins.
Process Documentation:
- Documentation of the test automation process they have implemented, including how they approach test case design, automation framework development, and test execution.
- Examples of how they have documented bugs and collaborated with development teams to resolve issues, demonstrating their communication and problem-solving skills.
- Descriptions of how they have approached testing in agile or iterative development environments, including their participation in planning and review sessions.
💵 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $110,000 - $180,000 per year + variable/incentive compensation + equity + benefits. This range is provided by the company and is competitive within the cybersecurity industry for a remote SDET III role in the specified US locations (Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, District of Columbia), considering the required experience level and specialized skills in UI test automation.
Benefits:
- Remote-friendly and flexible work culture, supporting a healthy work-life balance for design professionals.
- Market-leading compensation and equity awards, recognizing the value of skilled design implementation and quality assurance.
- Comprehensive physical and mental wellness programs to support overall employee well-being.
- Competitive vacation and holidays for necessary rest and creative recharge.
- Paid parental and adoption leaves, demonstrating support for families.
- Professional development opportunities for all employees, regardless of level or role, fostering continuous learning and skill enhancement relevant to design technology and testing.
- Employee Networks, geographic neighborhood groups, and volunteer opportunities to build connections and community.
- Vibrant office culture with world-class amenities (where applicable, though this is a remote role, these benefits may apply to company events or shared spaces).
- CrowdStrike is a Great Place to Work Certified™ organization globally.
Working Hours: Full-time position with standard working hours, though flexibility is offered within the remote work culture to accommodate creative workflows and collaboration across time zones if necessary.
🎯Team & Company Context
🏢 Company & Design Culture
Industry: Cybersecurity. CrowdStrike is a global leader in protecting organizations from cyber threats, leveraging advanced AI-native platforms. This industry requires a strong focus on security, reliability, and performance, which directly impacts the need for rigorous testing and quality assurance in all aspects of their products, including the UI.
Company Size: Over 10,000 employees globally. Working in a large, established company like CrowdStrike means joining a mature organization with defined processes, significant resources, and opportunities for working on large-scale projects with global impact. For an SDET, this implies working within a structured engineering organization with established testing methodologies and a focus on scalability and reliability.
Founded: 2011. CrowdStrike has a history of innovation in the cybersecurity space, consistently evolving its platform to address emerging threats. This history suggests a culture that values staying ahead of the curve and a commitment to continuous improvement, which extends to their development and testing practices.
Team Structure:
- The UI SDET will work closely with UI Quality Assurance Engineers and UI Engineers, indicating a collaborative team structure focused on delivering high-quality UI experiences.
- The role is within multiple product groups, suggesting opportunities to work on diverse aspects of the CrowdStrike platform.
- Being an "Engineer III" implies a mid-senior level role, likely involving mentoring junior team members and taking ownership of significant testing initiatives.
Methodology:
- Given the fast-paced nature of cybersecurity and the need for rapid response to threats, CrowdStrike likely employs agile or iterative development methodologies.
- Quality is a company focus, suggesting a strong emphasis on integrating testing throughout the development lifecycle, from planning and design to implementation and release.
- The focus on automation indicates a commitment to efficiency and scalability in their testing processes.
Company Website: http://www.crowdstrike.com
📈 Career & Growth Analysis
Design Career Level: This is a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) III role, which is typically considered a mid-senior level position within the engineering career path. It signifies a professional with significant experience and the ability to take on complex challenges and potentially mentor others. Within the context of UI, this role bridges the gap between development, design implementation, and quality assurance.
Reporting Structure: The job description mentions working closely with UI Quality Assurance Engineers and UI Engineers, suggesting a collaborative reporting structure likely within an engineering or quality assurance department focused on UI. The "III" level often implies reporting to an engineering manager or team lead.
Design Impact: While not a design role, this position has a direct impact on the quality of the user interface and user experience. By ensuring the UI is thoroughly tested, reliable, and performs well, the SDET contributes significantly to the overall usability and customer satisfaction with the product. Their work directly validates the implementation of design specifications and ensures a seamless user experience.
Growth Opportunities:
- Advancement to Senior SDET roles (SDET IV, Principal SDET) with increased responsibility for leading complex automation initiatives and shaping testing strategy.
- Opportunities to specialize in specific areas of UI testing, such as performance testing, security testing of the UI, or accessibility testing.
- Potential to move into leadership roles within the quality assurance or engineering organization, managing teams of SDETs or QA engineers.
- Cross-functional growth opportunities, potentially collaborating more closely with development teams or even product management to influence product quality from an earlier stage.
🌐 Work Environment
Studio Type: Remote-first environment. CrowdStrike has embraced a remote-friendly culture, allowing employees to work from various locations. This provides flexibility but requires strong self-discipline, communication skills, and the ability to collaborate effectively using virtual tools.
Office Location(s): While the role is remote, the listed locations (Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, District of Columbia) suggest potential hubs or areas where other team members might be located, which could influence collaboration times or occasional in-person meetings if applicable (though the role is designated as fully remote). The company headquarters is listed as Remote, US on LinkedIn, reinforcing the remote-first approach.
Design Workspace Context:
- Working remotely means candidates will need a dedicated and ergonomic workspace conducive to focused work and virtual collaboration.
- Collaboration will heavily rely on digital tools for communication, code sharing, test execution, and documentation.
- Interaction with team members, including UI Engineers and QA Engineers, will occur through video calls, instant messaging, and collaborative platforms.
Work Schedule: Full-time, with the flexibility inherent in a remote work culture. Candidates should be prepared to align their schedule to collaborate effectively with team members across potentially different time zones within the US.
📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process
Design Interview Process: While this is not a traditional design role, the interview process will likely focus on assessing technical skills, problem-solving abilities, experience with UI test automation, and cultural fit. Expect a multi-stage process that may include:
- Initial recruiter screen to assess basic qualifications and interest.
- Technical screening, potentially involving a coding exercise or discussion of past technical projects related to test automation.
- Interviews with engineering team members and hiring managers, focusing on experience with UI testing, test automation frameworks (especially Playwright), testing methodologies, and problem-solving approaches. Be prepared to discuss specific examples from your past work.
- System design or architecture discussion related to building scalable and maintainable test automation solutions.
- Behavioral interviews to assess collaboration skills, communication style, and alignment with CrowdStrike's values and culture.
- For a UI SDET role, there may be questions specifically focused on how you approach testing user interfaces, your understanding of front-end technologies from a testing perspective, and how you ensure the quality of the user experience.
Portfolio Review Tips: As this is not a design role, the "portfolio" will be your resume, cover letter, and potentially code samples or detailed project descriptions. Highlight your experience with UI test automation frameworks (specifically mentioning Playwright if you have experience), your proficiency in relevant programming languages (JavaScript, TypeScript, Python), and your ability to design and implement effective test strategies. Quantify your impact where possible (e.g., "Increased automated test coverage by X%", "Reduced test execution time by Y%").
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to specifically highlight your UI test automation experience and relevant technical skills.
- Prepare to discuss in detail the test automation frameworks you have built or contributed to, explaining your design choices and the challenges you overcame.
- Be ready to walk through specific examples of complex UI testing problems you have solved and the technical solutions you developed.
- If you have public code repositories showcasing your test automation work, be prepared to share and discuss them.
Challenge Preparation: Be prepared for potential technical challenges during the interview process. These could involve:
- Coding exercises focused on test automation or problem-solving using JavaScript, TypeScript, or Python.
- Designing a test automation framework for a given scenario.
- Troubleshooting a failing UI test case.
- Discussing how you would approach testing a specific UI feature or component.
ATS Keywords: UI Test Automation, SDET, Software Development Engineer in Test, Quality Assurance, QA Automation, JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Playwright, Selenium (if applicable), Cypress (if applicable), Web UI Testing, Front-end Testing, Test Frameworks, Test Strategy, Test Planning, Test Case Design, Automated Testing, Manual Testing, CI/CD, Jenkins, Agile, Software Testing, Software Development, Problem Solving, Collaboration, Attention to Detail, Root Cause Analysis, Test Coverage, Regression Testing, Functional Testing, Performance Testing, Usability Testing, Cybersecurity (if applicable), SaaS, Enterprise Software, Remote Work, Distributed Teams.
🛠 Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Design Tools: While not a design role, this position requires experience with tools used to test the UI, which is the output of the design and front-end development process. The key "tools" here are test automation frameworks and programming languages.
- Playwright: Explicitly required. Experience with Playwright for end-to-end UI test automation is essential, including its features for reliable test execution, auto-waits, and cross-browser testing.
- JavaScript/TypeScript: Required programming languages for developing and maintaining test automation code. Proficiency in these languages is crucial for interacting with the UI and building robust test suites.
- Python: Required programming language, likely used for backend testing, test data generation, or scripting within the testing framework.
- CI/CD Pipelines (e.g., Jenkins): Experience integrating test automation into continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines to enable automated testing as part of the development workflow.
Collaboration & Handoff:
- Jira: Preferred experience for issue tracking, bug reporting, and test case management.
- XRay: Preferred experience for test management within Jira, including linking test cases to requirements and tracking test execution results.
- Collaboration tools like Slack, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams for daily communication and team meetings in a remote environment.
Research & Testing:
- Tools for manual testing of UI elements and user flows.
- Potentially performance analysis tools like Windows Performance Analyzer or xperf for identifying UI performance bottlenecks.
- Familiarity with browser developer tools for inspecting UI elements and debugging test failures.
👥 Team Culture & Values
Design Values: While this is not a design role, the team culture likely values quality, attention to detail, and a focus on the user experience from a functional and performance perspective. The emphasis on "championing the user perspective" in the job description indicates an appreciation for ensuring the UI is not only functional but also provides a positive experience for the end-user.
- Quality Focus: A strong commitment to delivering high-quality software and ensuring the reliability and accuracy of the UI.
- Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to identifying and reporting defects in the UI.
- User Empathy: Understanding the user's perspective and advocating for a seamless and reliable user experience through thorough testing.
- Collaboration: Working effectively with UI Engineers, QA Engineers, and other stakeholders to achieve shared quality goals.
Collaboration Style:
- Close collaboration with UI Quality Assurance Engineers and UI Engineers, suggesting a highly integrated team where development and testing work closely together.
- Emphasis on communication and working effectively in a globally distributed team, highlighting the need for strong remote collaboration skills.
- A culture that values feedback, both giving and receiving, to improve processes and product quality.
⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Design Challenges: While not design challenges in the traditional sense, the role presents technical challenges related to testing complex UIs in a cybersecurity product. These include:
- Developing and maintaining scalable and robust UI test automation frameworks that can handle the complexity and dynamic nature of modern web applications.
- Ensuring comprehensive test coverage across different browsers, devices, and user scenarios for the UI.
- Integrating UI test automation seamlessly into CI/CD pipelines to enable fast and reliable feedback loops.
- Troubleshooting and debugging complex UI test failures, often involving intricate interactions between front-end and backend systems.
- Staying updated with the latest UI technologies and test automation trends to continuously improve testing strategies and tools.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Opportunities to deepen expertise in UI test automation frameworks like Playwright and explore other relevant tools and technologies.
- Learning and applying advanced testing methodologies, such as performance testing and accessibility testing for UIs.
- Developing skills in test architecture and design to build more efficient and maintainable test automation solutions.
- Gaining deeper knowledge of the cybersecurity domain and how it impacts UI design and testing.
- Mentorship opportunities, both as a mentee and potentially as a mentor to junior team members.
💡 Interview Preparation
Design Process Questions: While you won't be asked about the design process itself, be prepared to discuss your approach to testing the output of the design and development process. Questions might include:
- Describe your process for designing and implementing automated test cases for a new UI feature.
- How do you approach testing the responsiveness and cross-browser compatibility of a web UI?
- Explain your strategy for maintaining a large suite of UI automated tests and reducing flakiness.
- How do you collaborate with UI Engineers and QA Engineers to ensure the quality of the UI?
Company Culture Questions: Research CrowdStrike's values and culture, particularly their emphasis on quality and customer experience. Be prepared to discuss:
- Why are you interested in working at CrowdStrike and specifically in this UI SDET role?
- How do you champion the user perspective in your testing efforts?
- Describe a time you had to advocate for quality when facing pressure to release quickly.
- How do you effectively collaborate with remote team members?
Portfolio Presentation Strategy: Focus on presenting your technical expertise and experience in UI test automation. Prepare to walk through examples of your work, highlighting:
- The test automation frameworks you have built or contributed to, explaining your approach and the technical challenges you addressed.
- Specific examples of complex UI testing problems you solved and the technical solutions you implemented.
- How you integrated test automation into CI/CD pipelines and the impact it had on the development process.
- Your approach to test planning, test case design, and reporting test results.
📌 Application Steps
To apply for this design position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Customize your resume to highlight your experience with UI test automation, relevant programming languages (JavaScript, TypeScript, Python), and test automation frameworks, particularly Playwright. Use relevant ATS keywords throughout your resume.
- Prepare to discuss specific examples of your experience building and maintaining UI test automation frameworks and solving complex UI testing challenges during the interview process.
- Research CrowdStrike's products, their focus on cybersecurity, and their stated values to demonstrate your interest and understanding of the company and the role's context.
- If you have public code repositories showcasing your test automation work, consider including a link in your resume or cover letter.