César Lopes

Senior Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) with 15+ years of software engineering experience and 6+ years specializing in test automation, QA engineering, and CI/CD in distributed, cloud-based systems. Experienced in designing scalable test automation frameworks for web, mobile, API, and microservices architectures using Playwright, Selenium, and Maestro with TypeScript and JavaScript. Strong background in building CI/CD quality gates, integrating automated testing into delivery pipelines, and improving software reliability in Agile/Scrum environments.

Experienced working with cloud platforms (AWS, GCP), containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes), and modern DevOps toolchains. Proven ability to collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to improve testability, reduce production defects, and accelerate release cycles through automation-first quality strategies. Actively uses AI-assisted engineering tools to improve productivity and automation efficiency.

Strong focus on quality engineering architecture, CI/CD integration, and enabling engineering teams to deliver reliable software at speed.

Senior Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) at Ready (2023-01 – Present)

• Define and own the test automation architecture and strategy for web and mobile applications using Playwright and Maestro
• Architect CI/CD quality engineering pipelines enabling automated testing, quality gates, and fast feedback cycles
• Design and maintain Node.js services supporting test automation workflows, test data, and environment management
• Drive application testability improvements by collaborating with developers on automation-friendly design patterns, selectors, and test data strategies
• Leverage AI-assisted engineering tools (e.g. Claude Code) to accelerate automation development and improve testability feedback loops

Senior Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) at Applied Blockchain (2021-01 – 2023-12)

• Defined and owned test automation strategy and execution for a trading platform within a Scrum Agile team
• Designed and implemented automated test suites for UI, API, and integration testing
• Integrated automated testing into CI/CD pipelines for feature branches and production releases
• Implemented continuous quality validation and regression prevention strategies across a distributed microservices architecture
• Worked with CircleCI, Azure DevOps, Docker, Kubernetes, MS SQL, Playwright, Jest, JavaScript, and TypeScript

Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) at Mindera @ Dunelm (2019-05 – 2021-01)

Embedded in an Agile cross-functional e-commerce team contributing to CI/CD-driven software delivery and quality engineering practices

• Developed and maintained automation frameworks for integration, contract, E2E, performance, and smoke testing
• Tools: Playwright, Selenium, Cucumber, Pact, Gatling, K6
• Drove collaboration with developers and product owners to improve software quality, testability, and release confidence
• Worked within AWS-based infrastructure and Jenkins CI pipelines

PL/SQL Developer & Tester at Outsoft @ Altice Labs (2008-09 – 2019-05)

Worked across software development, testing, production support, and system integration for telecom platforms

• Delivered unit, integration, E2E, and performance testing across enterprise systems
• Developed PL/SQL procedures, optimized SQL queries, and maintained Oracle databases
• Managed Jenkins pipelines and deployment automation using Ansible
• Supported production incident resolution and large-scale data migration projects
• Worked with Linux systems, billing platforms, and enterprise service applications

Analyst & Developer at MestreClique (2006-01 – 2008-08)

• Developed web applications using ASP.NET for education and certification management systems
• Managed Windows/Linux servers and maintained MySQL and SQL Server databases
• Delivered full-stack web solutions for training and financial management platforms

Degree in Computer Engineering in Computer Engineering – Instituto Politécnico da Guarda (2000 – 2006)