Principal QA Engineer Remote EAST CENTRAL

Principal QA Engineer Remote – East or Central Preferred Elevate Quality at David’s Lead Enterprise QA Strategy and Automation! Drive the strategy, automation, and execution of enterprise-level software quality initiatives. This senior, hands-on role is perfect for a leader passionate about modern QA frameworks, automation, and enabling engineering teams to deliver secure, high-performing software at scale. • Must deliver with the mindset of David's dream maker "servant's heart" mentality i.e., you're either serving the guest or serving someone who does • Must deliver work performance in conjunction with David's brand values of endlessly curious, customer-obsessed, passionately enthusiastic • Must be able to maintain performance at a "tech start up within a 75-year-old legacy brand" i.e., to be the largest ai-enabled retail, media, and planning marketplace serving life's moments We Make Dreams Happen! The Principal QA Engineer will lead the strategy, automation, and execution of enterprise-level software quality and testing initiatives. This role will define and enforce modern QA frameworks across platforms including eCommerce (Shopify), backend services, POS, integrations, and business systems. This is a senior, hands-on position responsible for elevating quality standards, introducing automation where appropriate, and enabling engineering teams to deliver reliable, secure, and high-performing software at scale. Key Responsibilities • Define and own the enterprise QA strategy, including processes, tooling, metrics, and automation architecture. • Establish and evolve testing frameworks across functional, end-to-end, regression, performance, integration, and UAT testing. • Build and maintain a scalable test automation strategy, ensuring coverage for Shopify storefronts, APIs, backend systems, and integrated platforms. • Oversee test planning, execution, traceability, and reporting for large cross-system software releases. • Partner closely with product, engineering, architecture, and DevOps teams to define requirements, acceptance criteria, and risk levels. • Establish quality gates and governance frameworks aligned to CI/CD release workflows. • Develop reusable test libraries, automation suites, and QA standards that can scale across teams and product lines. • Mentor QA engineers, provide coaching, conduct code/test reviews, and foster a culture of engineering excellence. • Serve as the senior QA authority for the organization, guiding leadership on quality posture, KPIs, tooling investments, and process maturity. Core Requirements • 7–10+ years of experience in QA, SDET, or automation engineering roles; at least 3+ years in a senior or principal-level position. • Demonstrated hands-on experience with test automation frameworks such as • Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, TestNG, or similar • Strong experience testing Shopify-based eCommerce, including storefront testing, checkout flows, subscriptions, payment gateways, fulfillment logic, and integrations. • Proven experience with API testing using tools like Postman, REST Assured, or similar. • Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, Jenkins, or equivalent. • Experience with quality metrics, defect management, traceability, and testing governance frameworks. • Knowledge of performance/load testing tools (e.g., JMeter, Gatling, k6) is strongly preferred. • Strong understanding of SDLC, Agile methodologies, DevOps, and release management in enterprise environments. Preferred Experience • Retail or omnichannel commerce (POS + online) • Testing Shopify private and public apps, Liquid code, and GraphQL storefront API • Experience with test data management and environment orchestration • Familiarity with accessibility testing frameworks (WCAG compliance) • Exposure to security testing practices (PCI compliance experience is a plus) Preferred Characteristics • A strategic thinker who also executes and leads by example. • Detail-oriented with high standards for usability, performance, and reliability. • Passionate about automation, efficiency, and continuous improvement. • Comfortable influencing leadership decisions and elevating engineering culture. • Able to operate in a fast-paced environment with evolving priorities. Now that we’ve popped the question, please say “I do”. Full Time Opportunity – A comprehensive benefits package is available. • Rewarding Environment and Competitive Pay • Generous Team Member Discount After First Pay Period • Dayforce Wallet – Get Paid Early! • Health/Dental/Vision Insurance • 401K Program • Paid Vacation, Sick Days & Holidays • Pet Benefits Love wins when love is for Everyone! Our mission at David’s Bridal is to embrace the ideas of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It is our goal to build a workforce that is as representative as the customers we serve. We vow to create a culture where all forms of diversity are celebrated and seen as valuable. David’s Bridal encourages applications from all q