QA Lead / Senior Quality Assurance Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: QA Lead / Senior Quality Assurance Engineer

Location: NJ or STL (Hybrid)
Employment Type: Contract
Experience Level: 7+ years

Rate: 45$/Hr on 1099/ C2C

Overview

We are seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Senior QA Engineer to drive quality strategy, test planning, and execution across multiple product teams. This role requires strong technical expertise in both manual and automated testing, leadership capabilities, and the ability to ensure delivery of high-quality, reliable software. The ideal candidate is proactive, collaborative, and passionate about building scalable QA processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead overall QA strategy, planning, and execution across multiple teams or product releases.
• Design, develop, and maintain automated test scripts for regression, integration, and functional testing.
• Perform manual testing to validate new features, user workflows, usability, and edge cases.
• Test vulnerability fixes and ensure the application works as expected, validating that security patches do not introduce regressions or impact existing functionality.
• Collaborate closely with developers, BAs, and Product Owners to define clear acceptance criteria and ensure thorough test coverage.
• Establish and govern QA processes, standards, and best practices across teams.
• Review and analyze requirements, specifications, and technical design documents for clarity, completeness, and testability.
• Maintain and improve automation frameworks, integrating them seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines.
• Identify, document, prioritize, and track software defects, partnering with engineering teams for timely resolution.
• Mentor and guide junior QA engineers in both manual and automation testing techniques.
• Prepare and present testing progress, quality metrics, and release readiness reports to stakeholders.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of experience in software QA, including 2+ years in a lead or senior QA role.
• Strong experience in both manual and automated testing for web or API-based applications.
• Hands-on expertise with automation tools such as Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, or Postman.
• Solid understanding of QA methodologies, SDLC, and Agile/Scrum practices.
• Proficiency with scripting languages such as Python, JavaScript, or Java for automation.
• Experience with CI/CD tools such as Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or Azure DevOps.
• Excellent analytical, debugging, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities.
• Experience with API testing and performance testing tools such as JMeter or LoadRunner.
• Knowledge of version control systems, particularly Git.
• Experience testing in AWS or other cloud environments.
• Familiarity with test management tools such as Jira, Zephyr, or TestRail.

Competencies

• Demonstrated leadership and mentorship within cross-functional teams.
• High attention to detail with a passion for delivering high-quality, reliable software.
• Ability to balance strategic QA oversight with hands-on participation.
• Strong communication skills, able to translate technical issues into clear business outcomes.