QA Analyst

Location: Cary, NC  (onsite presence needed)

The QA Analyst will lead quality assurance efforts within the software development group and work hand-in-hand with development teams and stakeholders performing QA activities within agile development iterations including, but not limited to:

• Collaborating with the development team and stakeholders to ensure testable user stories are created and estimated.
• Identifying test conditions of satisfaction for user stories and testing tasks.
• Executing a QA process that fits within our overall agile life cycle.
• Developing, executing, and maintaining test scenario documentation to ensure code quality in a continuous integration environment.
• Provide test scenario documentation to programming team for automation regression.
• Capturing and reporting quality metrics to varied audiences.
• Representing quality principles and processes within assigned product teams.
• Recommending continuous process improvement ideas to Manager and within assigned product team.

Job Accountability/Responsibilities:

Essential Functions:

• Participate in all Agile planning activities, such as user story creation, point estimation, and related defects while paying particular attention to testability.
• Collaborate and provide feedback on user story details related to clarifying requirements, testability, acceptance criteria.
• Collaborate with business/customer representative/SME in determining acceptance criteria for user stories.
• Recommend test approach, test environment requirements, and data strategies.
• Provide regular status to project team on QA progress.
• Disseminate QA summary reports as needed (e.g. Pre-imp).
• Work closely with product team to identify and resolve issues.
• Works independently and with automation engineer(s) to identify product feature automation candidates.
• Analyze, design, and maintain test artifacts such as test objectives for manual and automated tests.
• Create and/or set up test environments and test data.
• Work with development team as needed on unit test coverage.
• Ensure application meets documented requirements using defined quality processes and best practices.
• Perform applicable testing and verification using appropriate QA practices
• Log defects following appropriate QA practices.
• Support User Acceptance Testing.
• Perform data validation using SQL queries.
• Execute automated tests from the automation team for regression.
• Demonstrate interest in learning new quality assurance technologies and skills.
• Build and share product knowledge within project teams and QA team.
• Consistently represent quality activities and processes.

Key Measures:

•  Measurable objective metrics.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities/Minimum Requirements/Competencies:

• Work efficiently within assigned project schedules.
• Work effectively with all co-workers; team player.
• Communicate effectively and in a professional manner.
• Exhibit ability to learn new information and apply to daily tasks.
• Exhibit ability to learn complex business functions.

Education, Experience, Certification/Training:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or equivalent field desired.
• 3+ years in a QA role with manual test case definition and execution experience.
• 2+ years’ experience with automated test tools.
• Remain abreast of current technologies and take initiative to acquire additional knowledge to prepare for additional responsibilities.
• Understanding of SDLC and QA processes and best practices in accordance with Agile/SCRUM practices.
• Demonstrated understanding of SQL.
• Experience in using business driven development framework like cucumber will be a plus.

Values:

• Results: We deliver on our promises to create value for the freight rail industry through talented people, good ideas, business leadership and great technology.
• Collaboration: We collaborate with our teams and our customers to get the job done, respecting individual ideas and contributions, and moving forward in pursuit of shared goals.
• Service: We serve the changing needs of our customers and our industry to enhance the value they bring to our community, the environment, and our economy.

Physical Requirements:

• Sedentary work: Assignment involves sitting at workstation (desk) most of the time (up to 8 hours) with only occasional walking and/or standing.
• Keyboarding: Primarily using fingers for typing.
• Talking: Expressing or communicating verbally through use of spoken words (accurately conveying detailed or important spoken instructions to others).
• Hearing: Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make discriminations in sound.
• Visual: Through close visual acuity, required to perform activities such as: preparing and analyzing data and figures; transcribing; viewing computer terminal; extensive reading (with or without correction).
• Environment: Because the requirements of this position require frequent, often informal collaboration with other Railinc colleagues and external stakeholders, and to maximize the development of the skills and responsibilities essential for this position, Railinc expects that the work required of this role be performed predominantly in the office consistent with Railinc’s in-the-office work policies, as communicated by Human Resources and/or Senior Management. Any individual variations on in-the-office work policies will be reviewed by Human Resources on a case-by-case basis. As work is performed predominantly within an office setting, there is no substantial exposure to adverse environmental conditions (i.e., extreme heat, cold, noise, etc.).

Disclaimer:

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work to be performed. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. The company reserves the right to change, modify and/or delete aspects of this position as needed at any time.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, gender, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.