Staff/Lead Software Developer in Test (SDET)

Location: Limassol Cyprus Workplace: OnSite Job Title: Staff/Lead SDET Engineer (Test Automation Platform) Product: Total Battle Total Battle is a massive MMO 4X strategy game available on mobile and web, uniting millions of active players. As our product and engineering teams scale, we are shifting our testing paradigm: automated testing must become a daily, self-service engineering tool rather than a bottleneck owned by a dedicated team. We are looking for a Staff/Lead SDET to take technical ownership of our internal test automation tooling and make this vision a reality. Why this role exists Your core mission is to empower product QA teams. You won't write tests; you will build the tools, APIs, and abstractions that allow QA engineers (with basic Python & OOP skills) to independently create checks, manage test states, run tests in CI/CD, and diagnose failures. - The Product Teams own the tests. - You own the tooling layer that makes their work possible. [https://app.ashbyhq.com/api/images/user-content/55591132-5874-4888-add0-f14f70025dca/2aa3a273-986b-4c05-b6a2-27fee33e607f/image.png] 💡 Core Focus Areas: 1. Client Testing Tools: UI scenarios, method/component checks across Android, WebGL, and (soon) iOS. 2. Server Integration: Component testing tools built over existing Python clients, SDKs, and product testability capabilities.(Note: We aren't starting from scratch. We need a visionary who can assess our existing solutions, define a target architecture, and evolve them incrementally). What You’ll Work On - Drive Technical Strategy: Define the roadmap for QA tooling, evolve its architecture, and personally implement key solutions. - Build the Platform: Develop domain APIs, fixtures, and state-preparation tools for integration/component testing over existing SDKs. - Enhance Client Automation: Extend client UI automation and enable sub-UI checks for specific client methods. - Unify Execution: Ensure local and CI execution follow a predictable, unified path across Android and WebGL. - Create Diagnostics: Build clear diagnostic tools to help QA engineers easily distinguish between product, test, tooling, and infrastructure failures. - Cross-Team Collaboration: Translate recurring QA needs into product testability requirements and establish technical contracts with client/backend teams. - Evangelize & Mentor: Drive adoption of your tools through pilots, solid documentation, and feedback loops. (Where needed, help define engineering roles and participate in hiring/onboarding). Who You Are We are looking for a hands-on technical leader who thrives in long-term ownership of internal platforms. - Python Expert: You regularly write, debug, and maintain Python code for libraries, frameworks, SDKs, or internal tools. - Platform Builder: You have designed or substantially evolved a framework/SDK used by multiple teams, bringing it to a point where teams can use it independently. - API Designer: You know how to build stable public APIs over existing SDKs, hiding low-level details from the end-user. - Cross-Functional Driver: You’ve successfully worked with backend, client, or framework teams to deliver testability capabilities, driving changes even when you don't directly manage the teams. - CI/CD & Diagnostics Guru: You have integrated automated checks into CI quality gates with robust reproducibility and diagnostics. - AI Adopter: You leverage LLMs and coding agents to investigate codebases, develop tooling, or create tests efficiently. - Deep Domain Expertise: You have profound hands-on experience in at least one of the following (and can take technical responsibility for the other): - Client/UI automation: Drivers, custom/non-native UI, synchronization, and sub-UI checks. - Backend/integration tooling: Python clients/SDKs, protocols, sessions, fixtures, and test state. Nice to Have (Bonus Points) - Experience in both client/UI and backend/integration tooling. - Background in modernizing legacy automation and conducting incremental user migrations. - Experience with complex test lifecycles (data isolation, flaky checks, state management). - Experience in GameDev or complex live-service products (Unity, Cocos/Axmol, WebGL). - Familiarity with Selenium, Appium, Playwright, XCUITest, Android ADB, or iOS infrastructure. - Experience with asynchronous Python, typed models (Pydantic, mypy), or schema-based code generation. Why to join: 1. ☀️ Live & Work in Sunny Cyprus: We’re an office-first team in Limassol with a modern seaside workspaces. We provide full relocation and visa support for you and your family. 2. 💰 Industry-Leading Rewards: High salaries, a 13th salary, performance bonuses, extra rewards for life milestones (marriage, babies, long service), daily breakfast and lunch. 3. 🛡️ Family Support: Private family health insurance, plus a highly competitive monthly allowance for your children’s pre-school, school, and university education. 4. 🚀 Shape a Global Hit: Work on a Top-10 global mobile 4X strategy game that has grown 25x in revenue and audience over 5 years. 5. 🏰 Rock-Solid Stability: We operate at startup speed but with zero history of lay-offs. We are independent, financially secure, and boast a 99% employee satisfaction rate. 6. 🧠 Culture & Growth: A flat structure where the best ideas win and transparency rules. Your growth is funded from specialized training, certifications, language courses and books to internal and external conferences coverage.