QA Engineer

A Day in the life of a Quality Assurance Engineer

Quality assurance departments exist in large companies that produce software or are in Web development. The quality assurance (QA) engineer makes sure that all of the programs work properly and that everything in a Web site functions according to plan. Software testing is diverse and involves examining the Web server, which the user never sees. The goal of the QA engineer is to try and make things not work so the programmer can catch errors before they occur. “If it works, we’re not interested in it. It’s our job to anticipate a problem and think of any bone-headed thing that a user can do to a program or Web page. We play devil’s advocate, troubleshooting any combination of errors that a user could potentially make,” says one engineer. QA professionals come from a variety of backgrounds, and they are generally free thinkers who don’t have a preconceived notion of how things are supposed to work. They are problem-solvers who like a good puzzle. They are often thorough, detail-oriented, and enjoy tinkering. “Persistence is also key,” says one tennis pro turned computer pro. “If you can’t make something not work, keep on trying.”

Paying Your Dues

QA engineers are the bridge between end-users and programmers, so they must understand the problems that users can encounter. Early on, an entry-level QA position involves simple testing. For example, a user may need to input a password into a Web site, which must be between five and ten characters. The QA engineer must then test how this will work if the user types a space, a dot, a dash, or a comma.

Associated Careers

Depending on their technical skills, QA engineers could move into programming or production, which deals with creating Web pages that are displayed on screen. Every company that produces a product has a need for QA engineers, from chemical engineering to auto manufacturing. While major specialization is obviously required within various industries, there are some overarching paradigms, including understanding user behavior and being familiar with pattern recognition. With further training, a QA professional could also move into another field.



Responsibilities:

• Perform all types of testing including: White Box testing, Black Box testing, Integration testing, Performance testing, UI testing.
• Knowledge of automated software testing techniques and tools is a plus (HP Quick Test Professional, HP Quality Center)
• Prepare and execute manual and automation scripts.
Tracks and manages defects to resolution.
Generates status reports and updates project plans.
Support management on special projects and proposals.

Requirements:

• Bachelor Degree or equivalent standard in Computer Science.
• 3+ years in test engineering or Software Quality Assurance
• Certification in software testing would be an advantage (ISTQB)
• Strong understanding of software architecture.
• Ability to review project technical documents and provide input as required.
• Ability to be flexible in project work and multi-task responsibilities.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.