Senior Principal Software Test Engineer (Remote)

About Ellucian

Ellucian is a global market leader in education technology. We power innovation for higher education, partnering with more than 2,900 customers across 50 countries and serving over 20 million students. Ellucian's AI-powered platform, trained on the richest dataset available in higher education, drives efficiency, personalized experiences, and strengthened engagement for all students, faculty and staff. Fueled by decades of experience with a singular focus on the unique needs of learning institutions, the Ellucian platform features best-in-class SaaS capabilities and delivers insights needed now and into the future. These solutions and services span the entire student lifecycle, from student recruitment, enrollment, and retention to workforce analytics, fundraising, and alumni engagement. Ellucian's innovative solutions, vast ecosystem of partners, and user community of more than 45,000 provide best practices leading to greater institutional success and achieving better student outcomes.

Values Rooted in Purpose

We embrace the power to lead, the courage to innovate, and the determination to grow. At our core, we believe in humanizing our approach, recognizing that our people are our greatest strength. With a shared vision of transformation, we endeavor to shape a brighter future for higher education.

About the Opportunity

As a Senior Principal Software Test Engineer in Ellucian’s Professional Services Group, you will design and automate high-value tests, embed them into CI/CD pipelines, and guide project teams in modern quality engineering practices. You will operate as a hands-on technical subject matter expert, owning frameworks, championing best practices, and collaborating closely with clients and cross-functional delivery teams. This role does not include formal people-management responsibilities typically associated with a Test Lead.

Where you will make an impact

• Technical Ownership
• Architect, build, and maintain UI (Playwright/Selenium) and API (Postman/REST Assured) automation suites that are reusable across multiple higher‑ed deployments.
• Develop performance and security test scripts (JMeter/K6 and OWASP ZAP) and integrate them into Git‑based CI/CD pipelines.
• Create standardized test data management approaches that support repeatable runs and compliance requirements.
• Process & Enablement
• Collaborate with project managers, DevOps engineers, and customer SMEs to embed continuous testing throughout delivery.
• Conduct code reviews of test automation, identify gaps, and drive refactoring for reliability and speed.
• Produce clear dashboards and executive‑friendly reports through tools such as SpiraTest or Azure DevOps.
• Client Engagement
• Partner directly with higher‑education institutions to gather testing requirements, demonstrate automation outcomes, and ensure solutions align with regulatory needs.
• Serve as a trusted advisor on modern quality‑engineering techniques, advocating for risk‑based, shift‑left testing strategies.

What You Will Bring

• 5 to 7 years of experience in software or QA engineering, with at least 5 years focused on test automation and DevOps practices.
• Proven hands‑on expertise with two or more of the following: Playwright, Selenium, Postman, REST Assured, JMeter, K6, Gatling, OWASP ZAP.
• Strong scripting in TypeScript/JavaScript or Python and solid grasp of Git, CI/CD, and infrastructure‑as‑code concepts.
• Experience running tests inside Docker containers and at least one cloud provider (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Background in enterprise or SaaS environments; higher‑ed or consulting exposure is a big plus.
• Clear, concise communicator who can translate technical findings for developers, project leaders, and client stakeholders.
• Growth mindset - eager to experiment, learn, and raise the bar for quality in every engagement.

What makes #Ellucianlife

• Comprehensive health coverage: medical, dental, and vision 
• Flexible time off 
• Thrive Flex Lifestyle Account (LSA) that allows you to contribute towards your health, financial or learning interests
• 401k w/ match & BrightPlan - to help you save for the future
• Parental Leave
• 5 charitable days to support the community that supports us
• Telemedicine
• Wellness
• Headspace Care (mental health)
• Wellbeats (virtual fitness classes)
• RethinkCare & Wellthy– caregiver support
• Diversity and inclusion programs which provide access to internal employee resource groups 
• Employee referral bonuses to encourage the addition of great new people to the team
• We Foster a learning culture with:
• Education Assistance Program 
• Professional development opportunities

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