List of Software Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer Skills

List of Software Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer Skills



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Software Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer Skills for Resumes and Cover Letters


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BY ALISON DOYLE


 

Updated January 25, 2018

A software quality assurance engineer monitors every phase of the software development process and ensures that the design and software adhere to company standards.  

Software delays are costly for a company, so it is vital for software releases to meet target dates and stay within budget. A software quality assurance engineer helps meet release deadlines by breaking up the development process into attainable testing goals and relaying any issues back to the development and product teams or leaders.

Jobs for Software Quality Engineers

Software quality engineers work in a variety of fields. You may find them:

Assessing whether an airplane's control system meets required performance standards.


Designing a plan to test potential human errors in an automated system for drug delivery.


Using tools to track software bugs.


Making sure a video game won't crash just when you're about to take out the bad guy.


How to Become a Software Quality Assurance Engineer

While there is no license or certification required, getting a job in the field usually requires at least a bachelor’s degree in software design or engineering computer science, as well as prior practical experience. It sounds like a catch-22; you need experience to get a job. The way out of the impasse is to work a series of internships while in school. It is also important to remain up-to-date in the current trends and latest advancements in the field. The state of the art in computer programming can change rapidly.

Top Software Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer Skills

A software quality assurance engineer must have strong skills in a variety of categories: engineering and technology, math and science, verbal and written communication, problems solving, reasoning and logic,  and practical skills like exceptional documentation and time management. Companies require software quality assurance engineers to have:

A bachelor’s or master's degree in software design, engineering computer science


An understanding of software QA methodologies, tools, and processes


Knowledge of SQL and scripting


Working experience in software development and software quality assurance


Knowledge of the current trends and latest advancements.  


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Technical Skills
Of course, to be a software quality assurance engineer, you have to thoroughly understand the software you are working with, as well as any number of related tools. Which programming languages, tools, and techniques you have to know may change rapidly; an online list is likely to get out of date quickly. If you are ready to work in the field, you’ll know how to find out what’s current, and have top-notch technical skills.

Analytical Skills
It is not enough to know how the software works. To figure out what’s wrong when it does not work, you must be a creative, insightful, and rational thinker. Some people are naturally better at these types of thinking than others, but fortunately, it is possible to improve your analytical skills with practice.

Communication Skills
Clear and accurate written and verbal communication is a must, but a quality software assurance engineer must also have more than a little tact. Consider that your job will be to tell other professionals that they have done something wrong, that the program or app they’ve put time, money, and emotion into doesn’t work right. That’s something nobody wants to hear.

Ability to Work on a Team
You may or may not be the only software quality assurance engineer at your company, but you will be working with other programmers and members of other departments. You will have to understand their goals and objectives and, in some cases, explain problems and necessary solutions and adjusted timelines to people who don’t have any specialized knowledge of software.

Time Management Skills
Part of working on a team means working with other people’s timelines and finishing your work in a reasonable amount of time. Since you don’t know when a problem might arise, keeping on schedule takes strong time management skills.

List of Skills

Here's a comprehensive list of software quality assurance engineer skills for resumes, cover letters, job applications and interviews.  Required skills will vary based on the job for which you're applying, so also review our list of skills listed by job and type of skill.

Personal Attributes

Analytical Thinking


Attention to Detail


Excellent Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills 


Flexible


Initiative


Proactive


Persistence


Self-Motivated


Strong Written and Verbal Communication


Think Outside The Box


Willingness to Learn New Technologies


Work Efficiently in a Fast Paced Environment


Technical Skills

Ability to Code Automated Tests


Ability to Work Independently and In Team-Based Environment


Analyze Test Results


Break Project Into Attainable Progress Goals


Capable of Using Source Code Repositories


Communicate With Technical and Non-Technical Resources


Create Test Plans


Develop Standards and Procedures to Determine Product Quality and Release Readiness


Discover Bugs Within Software


Document Test Cases


Drive Innovation and Streamline Overall Testing Process


Experience With Agile Development Process 


Experience With Web-Based Testing Applications


Identify Areas of Improvement


Identify, Isolate and Track Bugs Throughout Testing


Identify Potential Problems Users May Encounter


Interpret Technical and Business Objectives and Challenges


Perform and Document Risk Analysis


Perform Manual and Automated Testing 


Record Test Progress and Results


Research and Analyze Product Features Being Tested


Research New tools, Technologies, and Testing Processes 


Review User Interfaces For Consistency and Functionality 


Solid Understanding of QA Testing Environments


Thorough Understanding of Software Development Life Cycles


Work Closely With Development and Product Teams


 https://www.thebalancecareers.com/list-of-software-quality-assurance-qa-engineer-skills-2062484