Ensuring Quality at Scale with Ege Acar

Meet Our People - Ege Acar

Behind every successful shipment in healthcare logistics lies a complex web of systems, integrations, and workflows that must work flawlessly—every single time. At Mercury, ensuring platform reliability isn't just about catching bugs; it's about preventing critical issues before they impact clinical trials, pharmaceutical deliveries, or time-sensitive medical device shipments. Ege Acar, Software Development Engineer in Test at Mercury, shares how test automation and quality assurance protect the shipping platform that healthcare and life sciences companies depend on. From designing end-to-end automated tests to collaborating with cross-functional teams, Ege shares insights into the technical discipline that keeps Mercury's logistics operations running smoothly and reliably.

Can you describe your role as a Software Development Engineer in Test at Mercury and how it supports the shipping platform?

My main responsibility is making sure that what we build actually works as expected in real-life scenarios. It's not only about testing new features, but also continuously verifying that existing functionality keeps working as the platform evolves. I focus on end-to-end quality for our shipping platform, working closely with the development team. I design and maintain automated tests for APIs, integrations, and critical shipping workflows to ensure that changes don't break already working parts of the system.

What drew you to specialize in test automation and quality assurance within logistics software?

I chose test automation and quality assurance in logistics because even minor software issues can have real-world consequences—especially in healthcare shipping, where we handle time-sensitive and temperature-controlled shipments that can't tolerate delays or errors. Our users operate in highly specialized fields like clinical trials and pharmaceutical research, where each shipment contains irreplaceable materials of immeasurable value. These aren't just packages; they're potentially life-saving treatments, breakthrough research specimens, or critical diagnostic materials. The complexity of these operations and the stakes involved make reliability absolutely critical. I'm drawn to ensuring that our platform works flawlessly for every single shipment, knowing that the work we do directly supports medical innovation and patient outcomes.

What does a typical day look like for you when working on Mercury’s platform reliability?

A typical day usually starts with reviewing the results of our overnight automation runs. I look over the reports in detail to understand any failures and determine whether they are real problems or related to the tests. I then take action as needed, either by fixing the tests or reporting issues to the team if there is a platform problem. After that, I return to my regular work, which mainly involves designing and writing automation tests to improve coverage and support the overall reliability of Mercury’s platform. During the day, I also run automation tests based on the changes that get deployed to the environment. Depending on what was released, I trigger the relevant test suites to quickly check the impact. Automation is a strong tool for us. It provides fast feedback, quick testing, and ultimately faster and safer deployments.

How do you prioritize what to automate versus what to test manually?

Manual testing is an essential part of our testing process. Automation does not replace manual testing; instead, it closely follows and supports it. Along with the Product Manager and QA team, we decide what to automate based on risk, business impact, and stability. We keep manual testing central for understanding new and complex scenarios.

What’s the most challenging aspect of building test frameworks for complex shipping workflows?

The main challenge comes from the complexity of the workflows and the many business rules involved. Even a slight change in parameters can affect multiple downstream systems and change the final shipment outcome. From an end-to-end testing perspective, reliability means more than just checking the main flow. It involves taking responsibility for everything that happens around it. This includes ensuring notifications and emails are sent correctly, operational teams get accurate handovers, and data remains consistent across all connected internal and external systems.

Can you share a time when your testing work prevented a critical issue from reaching production?

This is a situation we manage clearly and in an organized way. When a critical issue, such as a shipment not being created, is detected by our automation tests, we respond immediately as a team. Since migrating our automation framework to Playwright, our detection and feedback cycle has become much faster. We get quicker and more reliable test results, which helps us identify issues earlier in the process. Once an issue is found, we analyze it, identify the root cause, and apply a fix. After that, we run additional tests and perform side-effect analysis to make sure no other workflows are impacted. Only after everything is verified do we move forward and prepare the change for production.

How do you collaborate with developers, product managers, and operations teams to ensure quality?

We work closely with our whole team, and there is a strong level of trust in the automation results; they are a key decision point for us. Because of this, collaboration starts early. For new features, I get involved at the planning stage. I work with product managers, developers, and operations to understand the requirements and potential risks. Based on those requirements, I plan and prepare the automation test strategy in advance. I typically start with API automation to validate the core logic, then fill in the gaps with UI tests. When there’s a bug fix or a necessary change in the code or workflow, I stay connected with the development team while the change is happening. This helps us run the right tests as early as possible. We can move forward quickly and safely, without compromising platform reliability.

What part of your job do you find most rewarding, and why?

The most rewarding part of my job is constantly improving how we test and validate the platform. I enjoy researching better methods, adapting them to our current setup, and using them to find issues earlier in the process. Knowing that these improvements help the team spot problems sooner, lower risk, and deliver more reliable releases, especially in the important field of healthcare logistics, is what makes the work truly satisfying for me.

What advice would you give someone interested in a career in software testing or quality engineering?

I recommend following best practices in the industry and building a solid theoretical foundation. However, it’s essential to remain flexible when using that knowledge in actual projects. Theory is important, but real systems seldom match textbook examples perfectly.

It’s also crucial to keep up with new technologies. Test automation engineering evolves quickly, so staying curious, experimenting with new tools and approaches, and continuously learning makes a big difference in the long run.

Outside of work, what activities or hobbies help you stay balanced and refreshed?

Outside of work, I try to stay active and maintain a good balance. I do CrossFit regularly, go running, and swim when I can. Staying active helps me clear my mind. I also enjoy coffee and traveling. I like discovering new coffee shops and exploring different cities. It allows me to slow down, reset, and return to work feeling refreshed.

Join the Team That Keeps Healthcare Moving Forward

Ege's work exemplifies the dedication and excellence that define Mercury's team across every department. Whether your expertise lies in technical systems, operations, compliance, strategy, or client relationships, Mercury offers opportunities to make a real impact in healthcare logistics. We're committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous learning, and professional growth where every team member contributes to our mission of supporting life-saving medical innovation through reliable logistics solutions. If you're ready to join a dynamic team that values diverse skill sets and meaningful work, we invite you to explore career opportunities at Mercury. Visit our careers page today to discover how you can be part of the team that's redefining healthcare logistics. Check out available positions on our Careers page!