Staff Software Development Engineer in Test (Staff SDET)

Staff Software Development Engineer in Test – San Mateo, CA. Primary Responsibilities Lead and influence the overall quality engineering strategy across PlayStation console, mobile, portal, hardware, and service ecosystems. Drive architecture‑level automation solutions and scalable quality engineering practices across multiple teams and product areas. Define and evolve enterprise‑level automation standards, CI/CD quality gates, and testing strategies to improve release confidence, scalability, and engineering velocity. Design, build, and scale automation frameworks across UI, API, integration, telemetry, hardware, portal, and end‑to‑end testing layers. Lead cross‑functional initiatives focused on automation stability, flakiness reduction, infrastructure modernization, and long‑term QE scalability. Partner closely with Engineering, Product, Program Management, and QE leadership to drive shift‑left testing practices and shared ownership of quality. Drive R&D initiatives around AI‑assisted testing and modern quality engineering solutions to address automation gaps, improve coverage, accelerate test generation, enhance failure analysis, and reduce manual effort. Evaluate emerging technologies, AI‑driven tooling, and innovative automation approaches to future‑proof the organization’s testing strategy. Lead strategic improvements in hardware/device testing, cloud/device lab orchestration, telemetry validation, observability, and production‑like validation environments. Mentor and guide SDETs and QEs across teams on automation architecture, testing methodologies, debugging, quality strategy, and engineering standards. Define and track quality metrics, automation health, pipeline stability, release risk indicators, and defect trends to drive data‑informed quality decisions. Influence organizational quality culture by establishing scalable operational models, governance mechanisms, and engineering standards. Lead complex root‑cause investigations and drive systemic fixes to recurring quality issues across platforms and teams. Qualifications BS/MS degree in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience. 8+ years of experience in Software Development Engineering in Test (SDET), automation engineering, or quality engineering roles. Proven experience leading large‑scale mobile quality engineering initiatives across multiple teams or product areas. Deep experience designing automation frameworks and implementing automated testing solutions across UI, API, integration, telemetry, portal, hardware, and end‑to‑end layers. Strong programming/scripting experience in Python, JavaScript, or similar languages. Strong expertise with automation frameworks such as Playwright, Pytest, Appium, Selenium. Experience architecting and optimizing CI/CD pipelines, quality gates, and release validation systems using Jenkins or similar platforms. Practical experience with development and deployment tooling such as Git, Jenkins, Docker, Appium, cloud/device lab solutions, browser‑based portal testing, and hardware/device validation workflows. Experience leveraging AI‑assisted testing tools and driving innovation in AI‑based automation, test generation, defect analysis, and productivity improvements. Experience driving test strategy, release quality planning, risk management, and operational quality improvements for large‑scale systems. Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and systems‑thinking abilities with a focus on identifying and solving systemic quality gaps. Proven ability to influence engineering organizations, drive adoption of best practices, and align teams on scalable quality strategies. Experience mentoring engineers and leading cross‑functional technical initiatives. Comfortable operating in fast‑paced Agile environments with evolving requirements and multiple stakeholders. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with strong leadership and cross‑functional collaboration abilities. Compensation and Benefits Base pay range: $208,200—$312,400 USD (variable based on location and hybrid work policy). Eligible for a bonus package and SIE’s top‑tier benefits including medical, dental, vision, matching 401(k), paid time off, wellness program, and employee discounts on Sony products. Background checks will be conducted at the offer stage for all new employees. See Candidate Privacy Notice for details. Equal Opportunity Statement Sony is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, religion, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, maternity or parental status, trade union membership or any other legally protected category. Sony Interactive Entertainment is a Fair Chance employer and qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records will be considered for employment. #J-18808-Ljbffr