Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET)- Secret Clearance required

Security Clearance: Active Secret clearance required (Interim ok)

Travel Requirement: Up to 10%

Citizenship: US Citizenship required

Sherpa 6 builds mission-critical software systems for the Department of Defense and select commercial customers — the kind of software where quality isn't optional. We're looking for an experienced SDET to join a collaborative engineering team and help us scale, modernize, and mature our automated testing capabilities across a portfolio of high-impact applications. 

This is a role for someone who thinks like a developer, tests like an adversary, and cares deeply about quality at every layer of the stack. 

Responsibilities: 

• Analyze software design documents, user stories, and acceptance criteria to develop comprehensive test strategies for new and existing features 
• Design, build, and maintain scalable automated test frameworks — converting manual test cases into reliable, maintainable automation 
• Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines to enable continuous regression testing and fast feedback loops 
• Partner closely with software developers, architects, and product stakeholders to identify testability gaps and shift quality left in the SDLC 
• Investigate, triage, and resolve issues within the test automation framework — improving reliability, coverage, and execution speed over time 
• Contribute to a culture of quality across the engineering organization — advocating for best practices in test design, code review, and defect management 
• Participate in Agile ceremonies and cross-team collaboration to ensure testing is never a bottleneck 

• 3+ years of experience in software development or test automation engineering
• Proficiency in Java with strong Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) fundamentals 
• Hands-on experience with Selenium and/or Appium for UI and mobile test automation 
• Experience with API testing tools and frameworks (REST Assured, Postman, or similar) 
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and automation integration (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, etc.) 
• Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments with ticketing tools such as Jira or Rally 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills — able to clearly document test plans, defects, and automation strategies 

What Sets Exceptional Candidates Apart: 

• Experience with containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes) for portable test execution 
• Exposure to AI-assisted testing tools or an interest in applying AI/ML to test generation and analysis 
• Background in front-end, back-end, or mobile application development 
• Familiarity with performance/load testing tools (JMeter, Gatling, Locust, etc.) 
• Experience with BDD frameworks (Cucumber, JBehave) or behavior-driven test design 
• Active or eligible DoD security clearance 
• Extreme, uncompromising attention to detail 

About Sherpa 6

At Sherpa 6 we love to solve problems and provide the best solutions for our customers. Our approach to a problem is to find a user-focused and design-driven solution that is simple yet functional and effective. We are a group of enthusiastic forward-thinkers who are excited to build amazing solutions with bleeding-edge technology. We hire people who are forward thinkers, passionate about what they do, love to collaborate and want to constantly learn. We enjoy what we do and we're not afraid to put the extra effort in to accomplish the mission; call us Sherpas. As a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business, we know what it means to serve. We have made it our mission to be the leaders in solutions that protect and give our Warfighters the edge they need when put into harm's way.

Background/Drug Screening

Successful completion of a pre-employment background & drug screening will be required as a condition of hire.

ADA

Sherpa 6 will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act 1990.

EEO/AA

Sherpa 6 does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, religion age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status in employment or the provision of services and is an equal access/opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Benefits

We offer a competitive benefits package, covering the cost of medical for you and your family; we also offer dental, vision, health and wellness benefits and a generous retirement savings plan. We believe that our employees can manage their workload and their personal life, therefore we extend a generous PTO policy. This allows our employees to balance their lives as they see fit.

Salary Range

The proposed salary range is reflective across all Sherpa 6 locations, years of experience, and skill levels. Salary negotiations will be based on a host of factors including but not limited to your geographic location, prior experience, relevant skills, education, and certifications.