Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

Software & Systems Engineering

Level 3338 of 1200 points

Job description

Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

Job purpose

To design and execute software tests, document defects and their causes, and set the standards by which product quality and release readiness are judged, so that faults in software and system modifications are found and resolved before implementation.

Skills

Knowledge of computers and electronics — hardware, operating systems, network environments and applications — applied through test design, quality control analysis and systems evaluation, with enough programming to build automated test scripts and debug, and enough engineering grounding to judge a build against its requirements. A bachelor's degree is the most common qualification, with a substantial minority holding a two-year degree, plus several years of related experience and on-the-job training.
Reports defects to the developers responsible for them and gives feedback on software usability and functionality; participates in design reviews on requirements, designs and schedules; collaborates with field staff and customers to diagnose problems referred by technical support; and coordinates user and third-party testing. Findings are frequently unwelcome, and disagreement over the severity of a defect must be handled without damaging the working relationship.
Identifies, analyses and documents problems with function, output, on-screen display or content, then works back to the cause: reviewing configuration files, logs or fragments of code to locate the source of a breakdown, and running compatibility tests across applications, hardware, operating systems and network environments. The fault is known to exist but its cause is not, so diagnosis is systematic rather than precedented, and anything missed here reaches the customer.
Plans test schedules and strategies against project scope and delivery dates, designs test plans, scenarios, scripts and procedures, and builds routines covering regression, negative, usability and database-impact testing. Keeps automated scripts current and monitors bug resolution to closure. The release timetable is set elsewhere; the testing within it is the postholder's to shape.
Work is carried out seated at a workstation, with continuous keyboard and screen use and repeated hand motions in executing tests. No lifting or manual handling demands.

Responsibilities

No line management. Coordinates others engaged in user or third-party testing, directs developers to the defects they must resolve, and coaches colleagues in testing practice. Judgements on release readiness shape what the organisation can deliver.
Holds no budget. Evaluates and recommends software for testing and defect tracking, and may recommend purchase of equipment to control conditions where a system is installed. The decision to spend rests above the role.
Installs, maintains and uses software testing tooling and configures recreations of production environments for realistic performance testing. Monitors software in operation to confirm it runs without fault. Ordinary care of a workstation otherwise.
Owns the defect record: documents defects in a bug tracking system, maintains databases of known defects, and documents test procedures so results are replicable and standards-compliant. Reviews software documentation for accuracy and completeness, and specifies the standards determining product quality and release readiness. An unrecorded or wrongly described defect passes into production, so exactness governs the work.

Effort required

Long stretches of exacting, repetitive execution in which small divergences must be noticed, combined with the diagnostic reasoning needed to trace a symptom to its cause. Decisions are frequent and taken under time pressure as delivery dates approach, with attention switching between test design, execution and reporting.
The work consists largely of finding fault in colleagues' output, and conflict arises over a defect's severity or whether a release should proceed; holding a position on quality against schedule pressure calls for composure. Accountability for a defect reaching production falls here.
Predominantly seated, with continuous keyboard and screen work and repeated hand motions. No lifting or exertion.

Working conditions

Indoor, environmentally controlled office accommodation with no exposure to hazardous conditions, contaminants, noise or weather, and occasional visits to beta testing sites. Work is close-quarters, in physical proximity to colleagues and in near-constant contact by e-mail, telephone and face-to-face discussion. The only psychosocial exposure recorded is the conflict inherent in reporting defects.
Almost all incumbents work a regular established schedule, but around two-fifths regularly work beyond forty hours and a small minority work irregular or seasonal patterns. Time pressure is pronounced as releases approach. Freedom to make decisions is substantial and priorities largely self-determined within the agreed test plan, though those decisions carry consequences for co-workers and company results.

Skills

40% · 197 points▾

KnowledgeLevel 4 of 8
72 of 144 points
Factual and theoretical knowledge in broad contexts within a field of work. The job requires a range of thinking and practical knowledge to find solutions to specific problems in the job or study area.
Interpersonal and communication skillsLevel 2 of 5
38 of 96 points
Standard communication and interaction with others. The job holder is required to communicate with colleagues or customers in structured settings. Tact, empathy and basic relationship building are required.
Problem-solving skillsLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Variable problems. The job involves dealing with different kinds of problems that require careful thinking, research into different options or adjusting existing ways of doing things. Guidance and resources may be limited.
Planning and organisational skillsLevel 2 of 5
29 of 72 points
Basic organisational skills required. The job involves planning and organising one's own work within set deadlines. Some input into scheduling and prioritisation of tasks.
Physical skillsLevel 0 of 5
0 of 72 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any particular physical skills (although there is likely to be some physical activity).

Responsibility

35% · 67 points▾

PeopleLevel 1 of 5
29 of 144 points
Very limited. Not required to supervise or perform a caregiving role. The job may involve providing basic guidance to or orientation for others, such as helping new colleagues settle in.
Goods and equipmentLevel 0 of 5
0 of 84 points
Not applicable. The job does not involve any responsibility for goods or equipment.
InformationLevel 2 of 5
38 of 96 points
Limited responsibility for information. The job requires the individual to gather, process or share information in a controlled way, following guidelines or predefined procedures.
Financial resourcesLevel 0 of 5
0 of 96 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any responsibility for financial resources.

Effort

15% · 50 points▾

Mental effortLevel 3 of 5
36 of 60 points
High level of mental effort. The job involves frequent concentration on complex tasks that require considerable mental effort, such as interpreting complex data.
Psychosocial and emotional effortLevel 1 of 5
14 of 72 points
Minimal psychosocial and emotional effort. There is little to no need to manage emotional responses. The job involves minimal exposure to emotionally demanding situations.
Physical effortLevel 0 of 5
0 of 48 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any physical effort.

Working Conditions

10% · 24 points▾

Environment (physical, psychological or emotional)Level 1 of 5
17 of 84 points
Minimal exposure to hazards or stress. The job involves little or no exposure to physical hazards (e.g. chemicals, moving equipment, noise) and minimal emotional or psychological risks (e.g. occasional routine tasks with no emotional burden). There is minor exposure to dust, dirt, fumes, noise, waste, poor lighting, etc.
Organisational environmentLevel 1 of 5
7 of 36 points
Minimal organisational demands. The job requires standard working hours with no night shifts or irregular schedules. There is little or no need for travel or digital connectivity beyond typical working hours.