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Senior Software Development Engineer In Test information

See Santa Clara, CA salary details

$26.4K

$147.5K

$192K

How much do senior software development engineer in test jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 27, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior software development engineer in test in Santa Clara, CA is $147,463.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $129,800.00 and $168,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a senior software development engineer in test do?

A Senior Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) is responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining automated test frameworks and tools to ensure the quality and reliability of software products. They work closely with development and QA teams to identify test requirements, create robust test cases, and integrate automated tests into the CI/CD pipeline. In addition to coding and scripting, Senior SDETs mentor junior team members, analyze test results, and help troubleshoot complex issues to continuously improve software quality. Their expertise bridges the gap between development and testing, ensuring both speed and quality in software releases.

How does a senior software development engineer in test typically collaborate with development and product teams to ensure software quality?

As a Senior Software Development Engineer In Test (SDET), you will work closely with both development and product teams throughout the software development lifecycle. This includes participating in design and requirements discussions to identify potential test cases early, contributing to test automation strategies, and providing feedback on testability and quality risks. SDETs often pair with developers to review code, co-create test plans, and triage bugs together, ensuring that testing is fully integrated into the CI/CD pipeline. Effective communication and cross-team collaboration are essential for proactively identifying issues and maintaining high software quality standards.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior software development engineer in test, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Software Development Engineer In Test, you need advanced programming skills, deep knowledge of software testing methodologies, and a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field. Expertise with automation frameworks (such as Selenium, Cypress, or Appium), CI/CD tools, and scripting languages is typically required, along with relevant certifications like ISTQB. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for collaborating with cross-functional teams and driving quality initiatives. These capabilities ensure rigorous test coverage, faster release cycles, and high-quality software products.

What is the difference between Senior Software Development Engineer In Test vs Software Development Engineer In Test?

AspectSenior Software Development Engineer In TestSoftware Development Engineer In Test
ExperienceTypically 5+ years in testing and developmentEntry to mid-level, 1-3 years experience
ResponsibilitiesDesigns complex test frameworks, mentors juniors, leads testing initiativesDevelops test cases, automates tests, executes testing tasks
Skills & CertificationsAdvanced coding, automation, testing tools, leadership skillsProgramming, automation, testing tools
Work EnvironmentCollaborates with cross-functional teams, often in Agile settingsWorks closely with developers, focuses on automation and manual testing

In summary, a Senior Software Development Engineer In Test has more experience, leadership responsibilities, and strategic testing roles compared to a Software Development Engineer In Test, who primarily focuses on developing and executing tests.

What are the most commonly searched types of Software Development Engineer In Test jobs in Santa Clara, CA?

The most popular types of Software Development Engineer In Test jobs in Santa Clara, CA are:

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For Senior Software Development Engineer In Test jobs in Santa Clara, CA, the most frequently searched job titles are:

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Cities near Santa Clara, CA with the most Senior Software Development Engineer In Test job openings:

Senior Software Development Engineer In Test jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Software Development Engineer In Test job openings in Santa Clara, CA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 79% Full Time, 18% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,463 per year, or $70.9 per hour.

Senior Software Development Engineer in Test

Portage Ventures GP Inc.

San Mateo, CA • On-site

$100 - $140/hr

Other

Posted 21 days ago

Job description

Your Role

As a Senior Software Development Engineer in Test on the Platform Team, you will be responsible for improving the automated and manual testing infrastructure at Alpaca - helping our developers quickly and reliably deliver new features.

We are looking for experienced engineers who not only understand testing best practices and CI pipelines, but also have in-depth knowledge of Kubernetes and can dig deep into application code when necessary.

Things You Get To Do
  • Develop a comprehensive testing strategy for our API surface
  • Improve developer experience by standardizing tooling and infrastructure
  • Coordinate with other teams to improve test coverage, reliability and speed
  • Mentor and guide product engineers, fostering a culture of quality and continuous improvement within the team.
  • Design and execute load, stress, and scalability tests to ensure our platform can handle growing user demands.
Who You Are (must-haves)
  • You have 5+ years of experience as a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) or Senior Quality Assurance Engineer.
  • You have written code in strongly typed languages before and have at least 1 year of experience with Go.
  • You have built and maintained CI pipelines before - we use a mix of GitHub Actions and Google Cloud Build pipelines.
  • You have worked with microservices before and understand the challenges they pose for building reliable integrations and end-to-end tests. You have experience designing and building automated test frameworks.
  • You are familiar with Kubernetes beyond the basics - you can write a Helm chart for a new service with relative ease, you understand best practices around security, and you have prior job experience or certifications to prove this.
  • You have worked at a startup before - you understand that things don’t always go according to plan, that there is significant technical debt, that some tasks just need to be done, and that sometimes there are no processes or documentation to guide your hand.
  • You are not afraid of taking a task from start to finish - gathering requirements, figuring out and implementing the best technical solution, then deploying and monitoring the results.
Who You Might Be (nice-to-haves)
  • You have written code in Python or TypeScript. You have experience writing efficient Dockerfiles and building secure container images.
  • You have implemented load tests with k6 (REST) and ghz (gRPC) and have experience analyzing pprof/trace output.
  • You have done IaC deployments with Argo CD or Terraform, or have used Google Cloud Platform and Google Kubernetes Engine before. You are familiar with Tilt and have written a Kubernetes Operator before.
  • You are familiar with testing event-driven systems using Kafka (or even better, Redpanda).
How We Take Care of You
  • Competitive Salary & Stock Options
  • Health Benefits
  • New Hire Home-Office Setup: One-time USD $500
  • Monthly Stipend: USD $150 per month via a Brex Card

Alpaca is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace dedicated to pursuing and hiring a diverse workforce.

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