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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Functional Tester

💰 $65,000 - $95,000

Quality AssuranceSoftware TestingInformation Technology

🎯 Role Definition

As a Functional Tester, you are the guardian of our product's quality and the advocate for our users. You will be deeply embedded within our development process, responsible for meticulously examining software to ensure it functions as intended according to business requirements and design specifications. This role involves designing and executing detailed test cases, identifying and documenting defects with precision, and collaborating closely with developers and product managers to drive the delivery of flawless, high-value software solutions. Your analytical mindset and keen eye for detail will be critical in preventing bugs from reaching production and ensuring a seamless user experience.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior QA Analyst
  • Technical Support Specialist
  • Recent Computer Science or IT Graduate

Advancement To:

  • Senior Functional Tester
  • QA Lead / Test Lead
  • Quality Assurance Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Automation Tester / SDET
  • Business Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Design, develop, and meticulously execute comprehensive test plans, test cases, and test scripts to validate software functionality against business requirements and technical specifications.
  • Perform various forms of manual testing, including functional, integration, system, smoke, and extensive regression testing to ensure product quality and stability across releases.
  • Identify, meticulously document, and track software defects, anomalies, and bugs using defect tracking systems like Jira or Azure DevOps, providing detailed and reproducible steps for developers.
  • Collaborate closely with cross-functional Agile teams, including Product Managers, Business Analysts, and Software Developers, to understand user stories and acceptance criteria and ensure a shared understanding of quality expectations.
  • Validate that application functionality and user workflows meet design specifications and provide an intuitive user experience across multiple platforms (web, mobile, desktop).
  • Create, manage, and maintain a repository of reusable test data and configure test environments required for executing effective testing cycles.
  • Actively participate in all Agile/Scrum ceremonies, such as sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and sprint retrospectives, to provide a QA perspective and report on testing progress.
  • Analyze requirements and user stories to derive detailed test scenarios, ensuring complete test coverage for new features and enhancements.
  • Provide clear, concise, and comprehensive test execution reports, quality status reports, and defect metrics to stakeholders and the project team.
  • Conduct thorough verification of resolved defects to confirm fixes and perform targeted regression testing to ensure no new issues have been introduced.
  • Execute complex end-to-end testing scenarios that simulate real-world user workflows across integrated systems and application modules.
  • Ensure full traceability by linking requirements and user stories to test cases and subsequent defects, maintaining a clear audit trail of the testing process.
  • Review technical and functional design documents, user requirement specifications, and use case documents, providing constructive feedback from a quality assurance standpoint.
  • Support User Acceptance Testing (UAT) phases by assisting business users, triaging reported issues, and acting as a liaison between the business and development teams.
  • Perform backend database testing by writing and executing basic to intermediate SQL queries to validate data integrity, transformations, and accuracy.
  • Conduct API testing using tools like Postman or SoapUI to verify data exchange, error handling, and performance of backend services.

Secondary Functions

  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of the team's QA processes, methodologies, and best practices to enhance overall efficiency and quality.
  • Participate in production deployment validation, performing smoke tests and sanity checks in the live environment to ensure a smooth release.
  • Assist in the evaluation and implementation of new testing tools, technologies, and frameworks that can improve the testing lifecycle.
  • Mentor and provide guidance to junior QA team members on testing principles, tools, and processes.
  • Proactively communicate any risks, dependencies, or potential quality issues to the Test Lead or Project Manager with a recommended mitigation plan.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Proficiency with Test Management tools (e.g., Jira with Xray/Zephyr, Azure Test Plans, TestRail).
  • Expertise in using Defect Tracking systems (e.g., Jira, Azure DevOps, Bugzilla).
  • Strong knowledge of SQL for backend data validation and querying relational databases.
  • Hands-on experience with API testing tools (e.g., Postman, Swagger UI, SoapUI).
  • In-depth understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC).
  • Proven experience working within Agile, Scrum, or Kanban development methodologies.
  • Experience with cross-browser and cross-platform testing techniques and tools.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional analytical and critical-thinking skills with a knack for solving complex problems.
  • Meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to delivering high-quality work.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills for clearly documenting defects and collaborating with technical and non-technical team members.
  • Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills to work effectively in a team-oriented environment.
  • Superior time management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet tight deadlines.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Associate's Degree or equivalent professional experience in a related field.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's Degree in a technical discipline.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology
  • Software Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2-5 years of direct experience in a software quality assurance, functional testing, or manual testing role.

Preferred:

Experience testing enterprise-level web applications, SaaS products, or mobile applications. Professional certifications such as ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) are a significant plus.

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