Software Quality Assurance (QA) Test Engineer

COMPANY OVERVIEW XCEL Engineering, Inc. is an award-winning small business that provides trusted information technology, engineering, consulting and project management solutions and services to federal agencies and organizations. Originally founded in 1971 by professional engineers at the University of Tennessee, XCEL was acquired in 2003 by U.S. Army and Navy veterans and in 2023 became a MartinFed company. XCEL Engineering is a part of IT Lab Partners (ITLP) which was created to support a leading research facility in the East Tennessee region in recruiting the best and the brightest technical talent. Consider joining our impressive team today! JOB OVERVIEW Xcel Engineering seeks a Software Quality Assurance (QA) Test Engineer to join our team and help ensure the delivery of reliable, high‑quality software across our applications. In this role, you will contribute to both manual and automated testing efforts, collaborate closely within Agile development teams, and support our mission through strong communication, attention to detail, and technical expertise. The National Security Sciences, Systems Management (SM) Group within the Nuclear Nonproliferation Division (NND) is seeking an experienced Quality Assurance Test Engineer to join our team and help ensure the delivery of reliable, high‑quality software across our applications. In this role, you will contribute to both manual and automated testing efforts, collaborate closely within Agile development teams, and support our mission through strong communication, attention to detail, and technical expertise. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Manual Testing Create and review features and user stories to document and validate requirements and acceptance criteria. Design, document, and maintain test scenarios and test cases in Azure DevOps. Execute manual tests during custom software development. Log and help investigate defects to ensure timely resolution. Automated Testing Develop and maintain automated test frameworks and test cases. Support CI/CD pipelines for automated testing. Champion automation best practices and provide testing metrics. Collaboration & Process Actively contribute within Agile development teams. Partner with project managers, developers, and stakeholders to ensure thorough test coverage. Document and prioritize issues, supporting investigation and resolution Contribute to shared QA documentation and continuous improvement efforts BASIC QUALIFICATIONS US Citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoE security clearance. Bachelor's degree in business, IT, computer science, engineering, or related field. 5–6 years of software testing experience (manual and automated) Strong understanding of custom software development. Experience with Agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban, Lean). Detail‑oriented, curious, and able to influence positive change. Excellent communication, organizational, and problem‑solving skills. Ability to quickly learn products and clearly explain technical issues to diverse audiences. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary technical teams. Experience working with sensitive data and/or safety‑related software. Experience testing Web, WPF desktop, and mobile applications. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS Inside office environment. Working on a computer for long periods of time. May involve long period of sitting at a desk. The work environment is fast-paced and sometimes involves extreme deadline pressures. OTHER DUTIES This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. Xcel Engineering is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, religious creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, transgender, pregnancy, marital status, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, disability, protected Veteran Status, genetics or any other characteristics protected by applicable federal, state or local law. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Xcel Engineering 's current openings as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by calling 855.212.1810. Thank you for your interest in Xcel Engineering . All positions at Xcel Engineering, Inc. are contingent upon passing both a background check and drug screening prior to a start date and are subject to random drug screenings during the employment period. In addition, Xcel Engineering is an E-Verify employer.