Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET II) - DevOps/Chaos Engineering

Company: TaxAct
Location: Garland
Posted on: January 13, 2022

Job Description:

Blucora has a bold aspiration: we are committed to giving all people the tools needed to lead healthy financial lives - tools often reserved for the wealthy.

We now turn to the next leg, developing the technological tools that make our vision of financial health for all a reality. Atypical for the financial services industry, we take a contemporary approach to strategy and product development that is founded in user insights, rapid testing, and a singular focus on driving end-user value.

Since charting new territory on a daily basis is part of everyone's job at Blucora, we've attracted team members who thrive on the challenge, encourage each other, and are passionately committed to the goal. If you agree that problem-solving is a team sport, and feel energized by a good debate, deep-dive research, or a fun night out with colleagues, we might be the right firm for you!

Position Summary

TaxAct, a subsidiary of Blucora and sister company to Avantax Wealth Management and Avantax Planning Partners is seeking a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET II) who will be a detail-oriented, quality automation engineer who participates in the evaluation and testing of TaxAct's software application programs to verify that applications function according to specifications and standards. They will work very closely with the members of cross-functional delivery teams and will be focused on creating and maintaining our automation test framework and automated tests. The successful candidate will be a team player that works closely with engineering, product management, and quality assurance peers to deliver high-quality solutions. This position requires a passion for quality and demonstrated ability in one or more of the following areas: Team leadership , software development , test engineering , DevOps , and contribution to automation frameworks.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Major responsibilities of the position are listed below. To perform the job successfully, the individual must be able to execute each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Contributes to the test automation framework to create or enhance existing functionalities.
Assists in automated test script creation from the backlog.
Assists Dev-Ops engineers in set-up, maintenance, and ongoing development of continuous build/integration infrastructure.
Tests "infrastructure as code" areas in DevOps, such as an Orchestration System, Monitoring, Logging, Base Images/Configuration Management, Autoscaling Groups and Functions, Containers [e.g., Docker], DNS, CloudFront, etc., in a cloud environment.
Participates in the development, QA, and deployment of cloud infrastructure in support of delivering functionality using CI/CD pipelines in an automated fashion.
Develops code for quality automation and ensuring extensive unit test coverage of the code.
Participates in the design of service automation in the cloud towards Infrastructure-as-code and engineering of new cloud/on-prem technologies.
Maintains adherence to architectural standards/principles, global product-specific guidelines, usability design standards, etc.
Executes process engineering and operational improvement initiatives for automation tooling focused on the cloud.
Designs test plans in a manner that supports automation testing for web-based tax applications.
Supports resiliency and scalability testing (i.e. Chaos Testing) using AWS and other cloud platforms.
Experience with planning, coordinating, and executing GameDay scenarios.
Experience with utilizing Chaos testing tools.
Communicates test results, status, and potential risks.
Provides recommendations for improvements to current procedures and processes to improve quality.
Devises improvements to current procedures and develops possible future configurations.
Performs workflow analysis and recommends quality improvements.
May assign work or provide guidance to others in the department.
Other related duties as assigned.

Education & Experience

Bachelor's degree in the computer-related field required.
4 - 6 years of QA/software testing experience required.
Experience with AWS, Windows Systems, SQL, C++, C #, HTML.
2 - 3 years experience with test automation tools and techniques required; Microsoft and related tools strongly preferred (C#, Selenium with C#).
2 -3 years' experience automating API services using Selenium or Rest -assured.
Significant experience with the Agile development process is a must, Scrum is highly preferred with 2-week sprints.
2 - 3 years experience with testing in the DevOps area [infrastructure as code], as described above.
Experience with Microsoft development stack and tooling is strongly preferred (Visual Studio, TFS/Azure DevOps, and related technologies).
A strong skill set and experience establishing CI/CD pipelines using TFS and Azure DevOps.
Background on automated packaging and deployment of infrastructure and applications via TFS/Azure DevOps pipelines.
Knowledge and/or experience in designing, developing, deploying, and CI/CD in a DevOps environment.
Experience with Docker containers and Kubernetes and other types of Microservices and Container technologies is highly preferred.
Experience with application load balancing solutions for scaling is a plus.
Familiarity with Chaos Testing.
Familiarity with tax preparation or personal finance is a plus.
Hands-on experience with various Microsoft and open-source based platforms is a plus (such as IIS, MsSQL, Apache, Tomcat, MySQL, Postgres, Mongo, Redis, Cassandra, etc.).

Physical Demand & Work Effort

Keying/typing, standing, walking.
Sitting for an extended period.
Constant mental and/or visual attention; the work is either repetitive or diversified requiring constant alertness in an office environment.
The job is typically performed under comfortable working conditions; any disagreeable elements are generally absent during the normal performance of the job.
Compliance with company attendance standards.

Comprehensive Benefits

We offer a competitive salary, outstanding benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, life insurance, paid vacation and sick days, paid holidays, tuition reimbursement, and 401(k) with company match.

#TaxAct

At Blucora, we believe our work benefits from the diverse perspectives of our employees. As such, Blucora welcomes and celebrates diversity and inclusion and is committed to equal opportunity employment. At Blucora, you can expect a supportive, open, and inclusive atmosphere and a team that values your contributions.

Blucora, Inc. and its subsidiaries, Avantax Wealth Management, Avantax Planning Partners (formerly HK Financial Services), and TaxAct are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, and any other status protected under federal or state law. Blucora considers information gathered in the hiring process, including information on this application, confidential, and only shares it on a need-to-know basis or as required by law.

--- If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at HR@Blucora.com or by calling 972-870-6000 to speak with a member of the HR Talent Acquisition team.

Keywords: TaxAct, Garland , Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET II) - DevOps/Chaos Engineering, IT / Software / Systems , Garland, Texas