Quality Assurance Analyst

Job Title:  QA Tester
Location: Hartford, CT 06105 - 1 day per week in office
Pay Rate: $45.77 - 46.42 / Hour
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST 
Duration: 6 month contract

Job Overview:
The Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) is seeking experienced QA Test Analysts with expertise in both manual and automation testing to support mission-critical enterprise applications that deliver essential services to Connecticut residents. This role involves manual testing, automation testing, API validation, backend data verification, and end-to-end business process testing across enterprise platforms including Salesforce, Java-based applications, Mobile/PWA applications, and integrated services.
The position collaborates closely with business stakeholders, developers, business analysts, solution architects, project managers, and technical teams to ensure applications meet business requirements, technical specifications, State policies, and federal regulations.
Job Specifications:

• Perform hands-on manual and automated testing across multiple enterprise applications (Salesforce, Java, Mobile/PWA, integrated services).
• Develop comprehensive test scenarios, test cases, and automated test scripts based on business and technical requirements.
• Review business requirements, user stories, functional specifications, technical documentation, and design documents to identify testing needs.
• Participate in requirements walkthroughs, sprint planning, backlog refinement, release planning, and design review sessions.
• Estimate testing effort and provide input into overall project planning and release schedules.
• Execute functional, regression, integration, system (SIT), API, cross-browser, mobile, Salesforce, defect verification, and end-to-end testing activities.
• Develop, maintain, and execute automated test scripts using approved automation frameworks.
• Validate interfaces and integrations between enterprise applications and external systems.
• Perform backend database validation using SQL queries.
• Execute API and web service testing using industry-standard tools (Postman, REST API, SOAP).
• Document test execution results and communicate testing progress to project leadership.
• Identify, document, prioritize, and manage software defects through resolution, participating in defect triage meetings.
• Ensure complete traceability between business requirements, test cases, and executed tests using the Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM).
• Collaborate with developers, business analysts, architects, project managers, vendors, and State business stakeholders.
• Support production implementations by performing release validation and post-production verification.
• Assist in improving QA standards, automation frameworks, testing processes, and quality best practices.

Qualifications and Experience:

• 5+ years of Quality Assurance experience testing large enterprise applications.
• Strong hands-on experience with both manual and automation testing throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
• Technical experience with Selenium, TestNG, Java, Salesforce application testing, REST API, SOAP Web Services, Postman, SQL, Mobile/PWA testing, JSON/XML validation, Git, and CI/CD concepts.
• Experience in Agile/Scrum development environments using Jira for defect tracking and project management.
• Strong understanding of API/Web Service testing, test automation frameworks, defect lifecycle management, RTM, test planning, strategy, and estimation.
• Preferred Industry Experience: Experience supporting State Government/Public Sector modernization initiatives, Department of Social Services (DSS), Human Services (HHS), Medicaid, Medicare, Medicaid Eligibility, Integrated Eligibility Systems (IES), SNAP, TANF, Child Care Programs, Healthcare Exchange, Money Follows the Person (MFP), Medicaid Waiver Programs, or Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS).

Education Requirements:

• Minimum education requirement was not explicitly defined by the client; relevant professional experience and technical certifications in QA testing and software engineering are preferred.

Benefits: (employee contribution)
Health insurance
Health savings account
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Flexible spending accounts
Life insurance
Retirement plan

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.