I get a lot of pings for jobs that want a test automation engineer. My resume tagline is Software Test Automation Professional / Zealot, which is the reason I get the pings.

Many of these job descriptions ask for what amounts to a "full-stack" test engineer.

"Requirements" can include:

• Building automation infrastructure
• Writing automated tests
• Doing exploratory testing
• Doing other manual testing
• Developing test plans and test cases
• Doing performance testing
• Working directly with customers
• Creating and maintaining defect reports
• Determining defect "root cause"
• Working with developers to devise bug-fix strategies
• Integrating automated testing into CI
• Creating and maintaining VM farms
• Knowing specific tools
• Knowing specific CI platforms
• Leading a QA team
• Leading an off-shore QA team

(Not sure this list is complete, but you get the idea.)

No test engineer does all of these well; trying to do many of these may mean not doing any of them well.

I've found that building (excellent) test automation is a discipline unto itself, requiring both deep experience and close, undivided attention.

Therefore my ideal consulting gig will be to:

• Go to a new client.
• Install the core automation technology I'm developing in my RubyTest GitHub project.
• Build out the domain-specific technology needed for the client's applications.
• Develop tests that exemplify the use of that technology.
• Train the client's testers to use and extend the technology.
• Get paid.
• Go home.
• Repeat.

Meanwhile, I'll continue joyfully working on my project.