Lead Application Test Engineer

Job Title- Lead Application Test Engineer

Department- Systems & Technology

Reports to- VP, Software Engineering

Location- Plano

Who we are-

Founded in 1995, Elevate Aviation Group is the parent organization uniting Elevate Jet, Private Jet Services (PJS), and Elevate MRO under one standard of aviation excellence. We operate in the space between small operators and faceless corporations – large enough to deliver global capability, yet agile enough to provide true personal service. As we enter our fourth decade, we’re revolutionizing how we approach the market, combining decades of operational expertise with modern technology to deliver certainty, safety, and seamless experiences across every stage of private aviation – from charter to acquisition, management, and maintenance.

Summary of position

Elevate Aviation Group is seeking a Lead Application Test Engineer to join our technology team in a role that blends strategic quality leadership with hands-on testing execution. This position is ideal for an experienced QA professional who wants to shape testing strategy while actively building automation frameworks in a fast-paced aviation technology environment. You'll work directly with our engineering teams to establish robust testing standards for our software and mobile applications, while simultaneously mentoring team members and driving continuous improvement in our quality practices. As both a testing strategist and active contributor, you'll have the opportunity to see the immediate impact of your automation work on application reliability and user experience. This role offers a rare combination of technical leadership and execution, perfect for someone who wants to be more than a checkbox tester—you'll be a quality architect, technical mentor, and critical partner in delivering software that keeps our software running smoothly.

Essential duties & responsibilities

Lead Testing Strategy & Execution

• Design and implement comprehensive test strategies for web and mobile applications across iOS and Android platforms
• Develop and maintain automated test frameworks to improve efficiency and coverage
• Execute functional, regression, integration, and user acceptance testing
• Identify, document, and track defects through resolution, ensuring clear communication with development teams
• Establish quality metrics and KPIs to measure application health and testing effectiveness

Drive Quality Standards

• Create and maintain test plans, test cases, and testing documentation
• Define and enforce testing best practices, standards, and processes across the organization
• Conduct thorough release testing and sign-off procedures for production deployments
• Perform exploratory testing to uncover edge cases and usability issues
• Collaborate with Product and Engineering teams to integrate quality early in the development lifecycle

Technical Leadership

• Evaluate and implement testing tools and technologies (Selenium, Appium, JUnit, TestNG, etc.)
• Lead API testing efforts using tools like Postman, REST Assured, or similar
• Oversee performance and load testing to ensure application scalability
• Champion continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) practices

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Product Managers to understand requirements and acceptance criteria
• Work closely with developers to reproduce issues and validate fixes
• Communicate testing progress, risks, and quality concerns to stakeholders
• Participate in sprint planning, standups, and retrospectives in an Agile environment

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities-

Required Qualifications

• Proven expertise testing both web applications and native/hybrid mobile apps (iOS and Android)
• Strong knowledge of test automation frameworks and tools
• Experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies and sprint-based development cycles
• Solid understanding of software development lifecycle (SDLC) and testing methodologies
• Proficiency with bug tracking tools (Jira, Azure DevOps, or similar)
• Experience with API testing and understanding of RESTful services
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, CircleCI)
• Coding/scripting skills in languages such as Java, Python, JavaScript, or similar
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
• Experience with performance testing tools (JMeter, LoadRunner)
• Knowledge of accessibility testing standards (WCAG)
• ISTQB certification or similar quality assurance certifications
• Experience in aviation, transportation, or regulated industries

Education & Experience-

• A bachelor’s degree in computer science, data analytics, software engineering, information technology, or related field or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of experience in software testing with at least 3 years in a lead or senior capacity

Schedule & Travel-

• Standard business hours are expected in this role.
• Ability to travel as required up to 10% 

Miscellaneous-

• FLSA Status- Exempt
• Lifting requirements- Up to 20 lbs
• U.S. work authorization is a precondition of employment. Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S., both now and at all future times. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.