QA Testers Needed 2 in Chantilly VA with Security Clearance

actively seeking a detail-oriented Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer / Tester to drive software quality. In this role, you will collaborate closely with software developers, product owners, and cross-functional team members to define testing requirements. You will be instrumental in executing both manual and automated tests, identifying defects, and ensuring all deliverables meet rigorous technical, functional, and mission-critical standards.

Note: This position requires an active DoD Secret clearance.

Key Responsibilities
Test Strategy & Execution: Develop, document, and execute comprehensive test plans, test cases, test scenarios, and testing criteria for browser-based applications.

Lifecycle Testing: Perform thorough functional, regression, integration, system, and user-interface testing throughout the software development lifecycle.

Defect Management: Identify, document, track, and validate software defects through to final resolution.

Test Automation: Execute manual testing while actively supporting and developing automated browser-based tests utilizing industry-standard tools like Playwright and Selenium.

API Testing: Conduct API testing and validation utilizing tools such as Postman or Insomnia.

Agile Collaboration: Actively participate in all Agile/Scrum ceremonies, including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, backlog refinement, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.

CI/CD & Deployment Support: Leverage GitLab for managing tickets, source-control workflows, and deployment pipelines, while conducting post-deployment validation and smoke testing.

Front-End Troubleshooting: Validate front-end functionality and meticulously troubleshoot issues involving HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Stakeholder Communication: Clearly communicate testing results, defects, risks, and quality concerns to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Required Qualifications & Experience
Clearance: Must possess an active DoD Secret security clearance.

Testing Experience: A minimum of 2+ years of dedicated experience testing browser-based/web applications.

Agile Environment: At least 2+ years of experience operating within a Scrum/Agile software development environment and successfully collaborating with cross-functional development teams.

Criteria Definition: 2+ years of experience supporting the creation and definition of testing criteria, test cases, or acceptance criteria.

Infrastructure Skills: Demonstrated experience with GitLab, including ticket/issue management and familiarity with CI/CD pipeline deployments.

Technical Familiarity: Working familiarity with modern software development languages and tools, specifically HTML, CSS, JavaScript, browser developer tools, and Git/GitLab workflows.

Preferred Qualifications
Hands-on experience creating, integrating, or maintaining automated regression test suites within CI/CD pipelines.
Strong understanding of REST APIs, HTTP methods, status codes, JSON, and request/response structures.
Familiarity with cross-browser and responsive application testing.
Deep familiarity with Agile requirements management, formulating user stories, and enforcing the Definition of Done.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and defect-isolation skills coupled with exceptional written and verbal communication.