What Is a Quality Engineer? Job Description & Skills to Become One

Quality Engineer work to ensure efficient and effective production processes while ensuring safety, reliability, and customer satisfaction in the final products.

They design and implement testing procedures, document and track quality standards, and establish requirements for test results. They also play a key role in identifying and resolving any quality issues that arise in the production process.

Quality Engineer Job Description and Responsibilities

Quality engineers work closely with various stakeholders throughout the manufacturing process to identify and address potential issues with product robustness and weak points.

They also collaborate with suppliers to ensure that raw materials and parts meet the company’s quality standards. They also work with manufacturing teams to ensure that tools and procedures comply with established quality standards.

They are responsible for developing quality practices, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and relevant documentation for specific products or plants.

They establish testing protocols and acceptable findings to ensure proper quality testing during production. They analyze consumer feedback and complaints, monitor incidents, and make necessary adjustments to production.

They also document any errors and work with other engineers to identify solutions. The quality engineer also coordinates with all departments to ensure that the product meets current standards.

Software QA Engineers have different and comprehensive duties and responsibilities. Where the profession generally does some of these things:

  1. Documenting test cases
  2. Perform and document risk analysis
  3. Records test progress and results.
  4. Auto code test
  5. Create a trial plan
  6. Develop standards and procedures to determine product quality and release readiness
  7. Find bugs in software.
  8. Drive innovation and overall testing process efficiency
  9. Identify, isolate, and track bugs during the test process.
  10. Identify problems that may potentially be encountered by the user.
  11. Perform manual and automated testing
  12. Research and analyze the features of the product being tested
  13. Research new testing tools, technologies, and processes
  14. Review the user interface for functionality and consistency

QA Engineer Qualification

Most quality assurance engineer position vacancies require a bachelor’s degree. Regarding educational background, graduates majoring in software design, engineering, or computer science will usually be given priority.

But you don’t need to worry. The opportunity to become a QA engineer will always be there for those who need this educational background.

Most importantly, you already have essential competencies such as coding skills and knowledge of software, testing, and several other technical tools.

If you want to increase the credibility of your competence, take a certification exam from an institution that has been recognized in the industry.

One example of an institution that issues certification for QA engineers is the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB).

QA Engineer Essential Skills

Now, let’s discuss the essential skills for this profession, shall we! Quoting CirrusLabs, among them are:

1. Coding

The QA engineer is responsible for program tests. Therefore, many think they don’t need coding.

This is not a correct assumption. In fact, this profession still has to understand programming.

With programming skills, the quality assurance engineer is able to evaluate a series of codes. If there is an inappropriate practice, they can provide input. Finally, the quality of the software can be increased.

2. Understanding of the product

In companies, this profession plays a role in maintaining software quality. This is one of the main tasks of the quality assurance engineer.

What are the enterprise application quality standards like? What deficiencies can still be tolerated, but what can’t?

You must understand all of this. That way, the application can meet the standards that have been set.

3. Communication

When working, the QA engineer is not alone. They have to collaborate with developers, designers, even stakeholders.

Therefore, they must have communication skills. This is important so that their messages can always be conveyed properly.

4. Time management

Quality assurance engineers must work with very tight deadlines. In addition, they must also be able to set a schedule for later team members to follow.

How do they make the right schedule so they can achieve team goals?

Of course by maximizing their time management skills.

5. Technical ability

Apart from coding, some of the technical skills that are generally required for a quality assurance engineer position include the following:

  1. Understand various types of testing, from API testing, end-to-end testing, smoke testing, to functional testing.
  2. Mastering several quality assurance testing tools.
  3. Mastering several quality assurance management tools.
  4. Mastering several project management tools to develop optimal workflows for the team.

6. Ability to analyze and solve problems

During the software development process, a QA engineer must be able to analyze test results and identify potential bugs or problems.

After that, they are also required to be able to recommend alternative solutions to overcome these problems.

This task is very heavy and certainly requires good analytical and problem solving skills.

7. Writing a testing plan

A testing plan is a document detailing the goals and testing process that will be applied to the software product being worked on by the team. The quality assurance engineer will then work with developers and other stakeholders to develop this testing strategy.

In order for the testing process to run smoothly, of course, a plan is needed that is clear and easily understood by all parties involved.

8. Accuracy

Their performance is highly dependent on precise and accurate analysis capabilities.

That is why every quality assurance engineer must have the ability to pay attention to details in order to be able to identify as many deficiencies in the product as possible.

Although bugs and imperfections will always be found, it is their responsibility to comb through the process properly.

QA Engineer Job Specification

QA Engineer job specifications are divided into three major sections: the QA Engineer Manual, Automation QA Engineer, and QA Lead. These three are discussed further through the following description,

1. QA Engineer’s Manual

The primary function of the QA Engineer Manual is to evaluate products manually based on careful observation. Hence, there are no problems during release.

Some of the tasks performed by the QA Engineer Manual include analyzing and estimating trials, documenting test cases, and writing daily reports and failure reports.

To complete these tasks, they must have data analysis skills and expertise in operating SQL Clients, Jira, MS. Excel, Test management tools, and Defect tracking tools. They should also have basic knowledge of software testing from a user perspective.

2. Automation QA Engineer

The Automation QA Engineer section performs the function of designing and processing software automation. They will prepare documentation for the automation process and implement and monitor it.

The skills required are the ability to analyze, code, and use several tools such as IDEs, Automation frameworks, Automation tools, and CI/CD tools.

3. QA Lead

As the name implies, QA Lead performs the primary task of compiling, organizing, and managing the workflow of a team of QA Engineers.

Furthermore, the QA Lead will establish quality metrics, plan and control the trial process, and supervise and attend work meetings across divisions. QA Lead must have expertise in planning and coordinating work teams

In addition, they must also understand the business and recruitment process and testing approaches and have manual and automated testing expertise.

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