Shailaja M

QA Automation Engineer with 9 years of experience testing web, mobile, API, database, and integrated applications across airline, streaming media, retail/e-commerce, banking/financial services, and insurance domains. Strong background in functional, regression, integration, end-to-end, API, SQL, UAT, system, exploratory, cross-browser, mobile, smoke, usability, and accessibility (Section 508) testing. Hands-on experience with Selenium WebDriver, Java, TestNG, Page Object Model (POM), Playwright, TypeScript, Appium, and SeeTest for automated regression, smoke, web, and mobile testing.

Experienced in REST API testing using Postman, REST Assured, and SoapUI, along with backend validation, database testing, SQL, ETL validation, UI-to-database validation, and transaction validation. Experienced with Maven, Jenkins, GitHub, automated regression execution, supporting reliable and repeatable test cycles. Strong experience with Agile/Scrum, test case development, defect triage, UAT, deployment validation, break-fix releases, post-production validation, and release testing.

Experienced in mobile and cross-platform testing across Android, iOS, Fire TV Stick, Fire Tablet, and Roku, including selected mobile automation using Appium and SeeTest. Proven experience improving automation coverage, reducing regression execution effort, supporting application releases, and identifying defects through functional, integration, API, backend, and end-to-end testing. Experienced working closely with developers, product owners, business teams, and stakeholders to analyze requirements, identify risks, troubleshoot and resolve defects, communicate test results, and support release-readiness decisions.

Experienced using Jira, Zephyr, TestRail, and HP ALM / Quality Center for test management, defect tracking, requirements traceability, test execution, and defect triage. Familiar with AI-assisted QA practices, including using AI tools to brainstorm additional test scenarios and improve defect documentation, with manual review and validation before use.

QA Automation Engineer at United Airlines (2023-02 – Present)

• Analyze user stories, acceptance criteria, and functional requirements to design test scenarios, test cases, and Selenium-based automation for airline web applications and mobile automation scenarios.
• Test customer and employee workflows including booking, flight changes, seat selection, check-in, mileage, payments, and reservation processes across integrated systems.
• Execute functional, regression, exploratory, integration, system, UAT, and end-to-end testing across web, Android, and iOS applications.
• Perform REST API testing using Postman and validate backend data using SQL when troubleshooting integrated customer, reservation, payment, and transaction workflows.
• Analyze Selenium automation failures across UI, API, backend data, test data, and integrated systems to distinguish application defects from automation, data, and environment-related issues.
• Maintain and enhance Selenium WebDriver automation for web applications and existing SeeTest automation scripts, while supporting selected mobile automation scenarios using Appium across Android and iOS.
• Identify regression test scenarios and automation opportunities based on application changes, business risk, defect history, and repeatable test scenarios.
• Perform end-to-end validation across application UI, REST APIs, backend data, and integrated reservation workflows to verify functionality and data consistency.
• Support regression and release validation across 20+ releases, contributing to functional coverage and release readiness across integrated systems.
• Manage test execution and coverage in Zephyr and document defects in Jira with reproducible steps, supporting evidence, severity, priority, expected results, and actual results.
• During a 6-month regression measurement period, contributed to approximately 15% fewer escaped defects compared with the previous comparable cycle by strengthening regression and integration coverage and increasing API/backend validation.
• Support PNR-based UAT, defect triage, deployment validation, break-fix releases, and post-production checks.
• Collaborate with developers, product owners, and business teams to identify risks, investigate defects, communicate test coverage, and support release-readiness decisions.
• Use AI-assisted tools selectively to brainstorm additional test scenarios and improve defect documentation, with manual review and validation before use.

QA Tech II - Automation at Amazon (2022-04 – 2023-01)

• Created and executed manual and functional test scenarios for Freevee streaming features and retail integrations based on product requirements and real user workflows.
• Validated playback, advertisements, navigation, usability, localization, and device compatibility across Fire TV Stick, Fire Tablet, Roku, iOS, and Android.
• Performed cross-platform and mobile testing to validate functionality and compatibility across supported devices and operating systems.
• Identified repeatable functional, regression, and cross-platform scenarios suitable for test automation based on feature changes, defect history, and frequently executed workflows.
• Supported automation test execution and regression validation for streaming, advertising, retail, and device workflows, analyzing failures and collaborating with engineering teams to determine application versus environment or test-data issues.
• Performed backend and database validation using SQL to investigate discrepancies identified during functional, regression, and automated test execution.
• Contributed to improving regression coverage by combining repeatable automated test scenarios with targeted manual exploratory and cross-platform testing.
• Tested retail flows covering product navigation, pricing, discounts, taxes, cart, checkout, and order confirmation.
• Used SQL for backend validation of customer, order, transaction, playback, and advertisement data.
• Executed approximately 100+ test scenarios per release cycle across streaming and retail functionality.
• Investigated data discrepancies using SQL and collaborated with product and engineering teams to troubleshoot issues across streaming, advertising, retail, and transaction workflows.
• Worked with product and engineering teams to triage, reproduce, retest, and close defects through resolution.

QA Automation Engineer at Hypergiant (2021-10 – 2022-04)

• Prepared test coverage for sprint stories and executed functional, regression, integration, API, and deployment validation.
• Worked within an existing Selenium WebDriver automation framework using Java, TestNG, Maven, and Page Object Model for selected regression scenarios.
• Maintained and enhanced approximately 150+ Selenium automated test cases, contributing to approximately 60% regression automation coverage for assigned scenarios.
• Identified repeatable, high-value manual scenarios for automation based on application changes, business risk, regression frequency, and defect history.
• Executed automated regression tests through Jenkins and analyzed test failures to distinguish application defects, automation issues, and environment-related failures.
• Supported migration of suitable Selenium regression scenarios to Playwright and TypeScript to improve test maintainability and automation coverage.
• Validated REST APIs using Postman, performed SQL and ETL checks, and investigated application and backend data issues.
• Supported Jenkins test execution, investigated manual and automated failures, and collaborated with developers during defect analysis and resolution.
• Over a 3-month regression measurement period, helped reduce repetitive manual regression effort by approximately 30% compared with the previous manual baseline by automating repeatable scenarios and executing them through Jenkins.
• Participated in peer reviews, defect discussions, Agile sprint activities, and release validation.

Test Engineer - Automation at Pacific Service Credit Union (2019-05 – 2021-09)

• Analyzed business and technical requirements and developed test coverage for retail banking and financial-servi