Quality Engineering Consultant - Automation Testing

Job Purpose :

We are seeking a proactive and technically adept QE (Quality Engineering) Consultant to join our engineering team.

This role is crucial for ensuring the high quality, reliability, and performance of our software products and solutions.

As a QE Consultant, you will move beyond traditional testing, actively participating in the entire software development lifecycle to embed quality from inception.

You will be responsible for designing, developing, and executing comprehensive test strategies, with a strong emphasis on test automation, performance testing, and integrating quality processes into continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines.

Key Responsibilities :

Quality Strategy & Planning :

- Collaborate with product owners, developers, and business analysts to understand requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria.

- Develop comprehensive test strategies, test plans, and test cases for functional, non-functional (performance, security, usability), and regression testing.

- Identify test data requirements and prepare necessary test environments.

Test Automation Development :

- Design, develop, and maintain robust and scalable automated test scripts and frameworks using industry-standard tools and programming languages.

- Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines to enable continuous testing and rapid feedback loops.

- Analyze automation results, identify failures, and work with development teams for timely resolution.

Functional & Non-Functional Testing :

- Execute manual and automated test cases to validate software functionality, usability, and adherence to specifications.

- Perform API testing using tools like Postman, SoapUI, or equivalent.

- Conduct basic performance and load testing to identify bottlenecks and ensure system responsiveness.

- Participate in security testing efforts, identifying common vulnerabilities (e.g., OWASP Top 10).

Defect Management & Reporting :

- Accurately identify, log, track, and retest software defects using defect management tools, providing clear and concise documentation.

- Communicate test progress, results, and defect status to project stakeholders regularly.

- Contribute to root cause analysis of defects and provide insights for process improvements.

Collaboration & Process Improvement :

- Work closely within Agile/Scrum teams, actively participating in sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives.

- Champion quality best practices throughout the development lifecycle, advocating for shift-left testing principles.

- Contribute to the continuous improvement of testing processes, tools, and methodologies.

Required Skills & Qualifications :

- Experience : 3 - 4 years of hands-on experience in Quality Assurance, Software Testing, or Quality Engineering roles.

- Programming & Scripting : Strong proficiency in at least one programming language commonly used for test automation (e.g., Java, Python, C#, JavaScript).

- Test Automation Frameworks : Demonstrated experience in designing and developing automated test scripts using industry-standard tools and frameworks such as Selenium WebDriver, Playwright, Cypress, Rest Assured, JUnit, TestNG, Pytest, etc.

- API Testing : Hands-on experience with API testing tools (e.g., Postman, SoapUI, JMeter).

- Database Knowledge : Solid understanding of database concepts and ability to write SQL queries for data validation.

- Testing Methodologies : Strong understanding of Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC), various testing methodologies (Agile, Waterfall), and defect management processes.

- Test Management Tools : Experience with test management and defect tracking tools (e.g., JIRA, Azure DevOps, Zephyr, ALM Quality Center).

- CI/CD Integration : Basic understanding of CI/CD pipelines and experience integrating automated tests into build processes (e.g., using Jenkins, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps Pipelines).

- Analytical Skills : Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with a keen eye for detail.

- Education : Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related technical field.

Nice to Have :

- Experience with performance testing tools (e.g., JMeter, LoadRunner, Gatling).

- Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and testing applications deployed in the cloud.

- Knowledge of security testing principles and tools.

- Experience with mobile application testing (Android/iOS).

- Relevant certifications (e.g., ISTQB, ASTQB, Certified Software Tester).

Soft Skills :

- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical issues clearly.

- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in a collaborative, cross-functional team environment.

- Proactive, self-motivated, and a strong desire for continuous learning and improvement.

- High level of attention to detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality software.

- Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment