A brief overview of the QA Engineer role

A QA engineer troubleshoots your product, identifying bugs and errors before your customers encounter them. They are the key person in your team who prevents major crises by spotting critical issues ahead of time, before they go into production. QA engineers collaborate with developers and engineers to ensure high-quality product delivery. AS part of this, they might review quality specifications and documents to provide feedback to the engineering team before work begins. They also test the product and document the process through test plans and cases.

QA Engineer job brief

Do you have what it takes to find bugs before they snowball into crises? We’re looking for a detail-oriented, talented, and dedicated QA engineer to join our ranks and rid our code of bugs and errors. You will be responsible for ensuring the quality of our products by creating test plans, identifying bugs, and collaborating with the engineering team to resolve issues.

QA Engineer responsibilities

  • Create test plans and activities
  • Review and stay up-to-date with technical design documents
  • Plan testing activities from start to finish and prioritize the most important work
  • Find bugs, document, and report them to the engineering team
  • Develop new testing processes for existing and upcoming product features and launches
  • Track and monitor key QA metrics such as escaped bugs, test coverage, defects per requirement, and test effort
  • Design and execute performance tests to ensure the app can handle expected loads
  • Perform security assessments and penetration tests
  • Ensure compliance with security standards and best practices

QA Engineer required skills

  • Previous work experience in software development or engineering
  • Previous experience in a QA Engineer role
  • Experience with manual and automation testing
  • Familiarity with test management tools such as Jira, TestRail, and Bugzilla
  • Working knowledge of key QA methodologies and systems
  • Some knowledge of programming languages such as SQL
  • Experience with technologies such as Scrum or Agile
  • Desirable but not necessary: a university degree in engineering, development, or computer science

FAQ about hiring for a QA Engineer role

Do you need a specific educational background to become a QA engineer?

You can have a degree in computer science or engineering, but it is not necessary. Employers often accept certifications and relevant work experience to meet their requirements. If you're an employer hiring for a QA engineer role (or any other role!), we actually suggest assessing skills versus looking solely at a candidate's CV. Technical skills assessments are a much better predictor of job performance than CVs.

Are QA engineers developers?

While QA engineers need some developer experience, most are not developers. They focus on testing and quality assurance rather than writing code.

Is being a QA engineer a difficult job?

Some consider it a challenging job due to the technical requirements, such as familiarity with various programming languages and testing methodologies. However, it is also a rewarding role for those who enjoy problem-solving and ensuring product quality.

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