Software Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer
Position Purpose & Summary:
The job purpose of a Software Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer is to ensure that software products meet specified quality standards and requirements before they are released to end-users or customers.
The role is critical in the software development lifecycle and involves various responsibilities to guarantee the reliability, functionality, and performance of the software. Software QA Engineer plays a crucial role in delivering high-quality software products, minimizing defects, and ensuring a positive user experience.
The ultimate goal is to contribute to the success of the software development process and the overall success of the organization.
Primary Duties & Responsibilities:
Test Planning:
Develop comprehensive test plans outlining the testing approach, scope, resources, schedule, and deliverables for a software project.
Requirement Analysis:
Analyse project requirements, user stories, and design specifications to understand the functionality of the software being developed.
Test Case Design:
Create detailed test cases that cover various scenarios to verify that the software meets specified requirements.
Regression Testing:
Perform regression testing to ensure that new changes or features do not introduce defects in existing functionality.
Defect Identification and Reporting:
Identify and document defects or issues discovered during testing. Provide clear and detailed defect reports to developers for resolution.
Security Testing:
Assess the security of the software by conducting security testing to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses.
Documentation:
Maintain comprehensive documentation of test cases, test plans, and test results. Keep track of changes made during the testing process.
Academic Qualification:
- Degree in Computer Science
- Software Engineering
- Information Technology, or equivalant
Professional Qualification and/or Regulatory, Licensing requirements :
- Certified Agile Tester (CAT)
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
- ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) Certification
- CSTE (Certified Software Tester) Certification
- CSQA (Certified Software Quality Analyst) Certification
Technical Skills
- Testing Tools: Proficiency in using both manual and automated testing tools. Familiarity with tools like Selenium, JUnit, TestNG, Appium, Jira/GitLab, and others.
- Programming and Scripting: Strong programming skills in languages commonly used for testing, such as Java, Python, C#, or others. Ability to write and maintain test scripts for automated testing.
- Database Knowledge: Understanding of database systems and the ability to write and execute SQL queries for data validation.
- Version Control Systems: Experience with version control systems like Git to manage and track changes in the source code.
- Web Technologies: Knowledge of web technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) for testing web applications.
- API Testing: Ability to perform testing of application programming interfaces (APIs) using tools like Postman or tools for automated API testing.
- Mobile Testing: Experience with testing mobile applications on different platforms (iOS, Android) using tools like Appium or native testing frameworks.
- Documentation: Skills in maintaining clear and comprehensive documentation of test cases, test plans, and test results.
Soft Skills
- Communication skills – Clear and effective communication is crucial for conveying test plans, reporting defects, and collaborating with developers and other team members.
- Adaptibilty – The software development process can be dynamic, with changes in requirements and priorities. Being adaptable helps QA Engineers adjust to changes and continue delivering effective testing.
- Leadership and Initiative – Taking the initiative to propose improvements, lead testing efforts, or mentor junior team members demonstrates leadership qualities.
- Attention to Detail – A keen eye for detail is essential to identify even minor issues that might impact the quality of the software.
- Teamwork and Collaboration – QA Engineers often work as part of a larger development team. The ability to collaborate, share information, and contribute positively to the team’s goals is essential
Experience:
- Strong understanding of software testing principles, methodologies, and practices
- Proficiency in using various testing tools, both manual and automated, such as Selenium, JUnit, TestNG, Jira/GitLab, Appium, etc
- Excellent communication skills to interact with team members, developers, and other stakeholders
- Ability to work well in a collaborative team environment
- Strong analytical skills to identify and troubleshoot issues, as well as to analyze complex systems
