Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Mobile QA Engineer

💰 $95,000 - $150,000

Quality AssuranceMobile DevelopmentEngineeringTechnology

🎯 Role Definition

Are you passionate about building flawless mobile experiences that delight users? Do you have a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking things? This role requires a dedicated and experienced Mobile QA Engineer to join our dynamic engineering team. In this pivotal role, you will be the champion of quality for our native iOS and Android applications. You will be responsible for the entire testing lifecycle, from creating comprehensive test plans to developing sophisticated automation frameworks. You'll work hand-in-hand with developers, product managers, and designers to ensure that every feature we ship meets our exceptionally high standards for performance, reliability, and user experience. If you are driven by quality and want to make a tangible impact on a product used by millions, we want to hear from you.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Junior QA Analyst
  • Manual Software Tester
  • Associate Software Developer

Advancement To:

  • Senior Mobile QA Engineer
  • Staff SDET (Software Development Engineer in Test)
  • QA Lead or QA Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Automation Architect
  • Release Manager
  • Product Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Design, develop, and execute comprehensive manual and automated test strategies for our native iOS and Android applications to ensure product quality and a superior user experience.
  • Create and maintain robust, scalable, and reusable test automation frameworks using tools like Appium, XCUITest, and/or Espresso.
  • Identify, isolate, and meticulously document bugs and defects in a bug tracking system like Jira, providing detailed reproduction steps, logs, and screenshots to assist developers in rapid resolution.
  • Develop and execute detailed, comprehensive, and well-structured test plans and test cases based on product requirements and technical specifications.
  • Perform thorough regression testing, smoke testing, and sanity testing to ensure that new features do not negatively impact existing functionality.
  • Collaborate closely with cross-functional agile teams, including developers, product managers, and UI/UX designers, to provide quality feedback throughout the entire software development lifecycle.
  • Integrate automated tests into the CI/CD pipeline (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI, CircleCI) to provide continuous feedback and enable faster, more reliable release cycles.
  • Conduct specialized mobile testing, including performance, battery consumption, network throttling, security vulnerabilities, and usability testing.
  • Test and validate API endpoints consumed by the mobile applications to ensure data integrity and proper handling of various response scenarios, using tools like Postman or Charles Proxy.
    aws
  • Manage testing across a wide range of physical devices and simulators/emulators to ensure compatibility and consistent behavior across different screen sizes, OS versions, and hardware.
  • Analyze test results, generate detailed test reports, and communicate the quality status and risk assessment to stakeholders and the broader team.
  • Proactively identify opportunities for process improvements within the QA methodology and contribute to the implementation of testing best practices.
  • Participate in design and code reviews to provide a quality perspective and identify potential issues early in the development process.
  • Triage and investigate production issues reported by customers or monitoring systems, working to reproduce them and provide critical information to the development team.
  • Stay current with the latest industry trends, tools, and best practices in mobile QA and test automation, and act as a subject matter expert within the organization.
  • Define and track key quality metrics (e.g., bug density, test pass rates, escape defects) to measure the effectiveness of the quality assurance process.
  • Configure and maintain the test environments and test data required for executing various test scenarios effectively.
  • Mentor junior QA engineers, providing guidance on test strategy, automation techniques, and professional growth.
  • Plan and coordinate end-to-end testing efforts for major feature releases, ensuring all system components interact as expected.
  • Utilize mobile debugging tools (like Android Studio Profiler, Xcode Instruments) to diagnose and report on performance bottlenecks and memory leaks.

Secondary Functions

  • Support product and design teams by providing early feedback on new features and wireframes from a quality and user-experience perspective.
  • Contribute to the team's shared knowledge base by creating and maintaining clear documentation on QA processes, test frameworks, and application features.
  • Collaborate with the DevOps team to optimize and troubleshoot the CI/CD pipeline for mobile test execution and deployment.
  • Participate in sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospective ceremonies, representing the quality assurance function within the agile team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Mobile Test Automation: Deep expertise in mobile automation frameworks such as Appium, XCUITest (for iOS), and Espresso (for Android).
  • Programming/Scripting: Proficiency in at least one object-oriented programming language, such as Java, Kotlin, Swift, or Python.
  • API Testing Tools: Strong experience with API testing tools like Postman, Charles Proxy, or REST-assured for validating backend services.
  • CI/CD & DevOps: Hands-on experience integrating automated tests into CI/CD pipelines using tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, CircleCI, or Fastlane.
  • Test Management & Bug Tracking: Advanced proficiency with tools like Jira, Confluence, and test management plugins (e.g., Xray, Zephyr) or platforms (e.g., TestRail).
  • Version Control Systems: Solid understanding of Git, including branching and merging strategies (e.g., GitFlow).
  • Cloud Device Farms: Experience using cloud-based testing platforms like BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, or AWS Device Farm for cross-device testing.
  • Mobile Platforms: In-depth knowledge of the iOS and Android platforms, their ecosystems, and common development patterns.
  • Agile Methodologies: Proven experience working in an Agile/Scrum development environment.
  • Database Knowledge: Familiarity with SQL and/or NoSQL databases to query and validate data.

Soft Skills

  • Meticulous Attention to Detail: A sharp eye for identifying inconsistencies, bugs, and usability issues that others might miss.
  • Strong Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills: The ability to logically break down complex problems, investigate root causes, and think critically.
  • Excellent Communication: The ability to clearly and concisely communicate technical issues, test results, and quality risks to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Collaboration & Teamwork: A proactive and collaborative mindset, with a proven ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams.
  • User Empathy: A strong sense of empathy for the end-user and a passion for delivering a high-quality, intuitive product experience.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a technical field or equivalent practical experience in a quality assurance role.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Software Engineering
  • Information Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 3-7 years of professional experience in software quality assurance.

Preferred: 4+ years of dedicated mobile application testing experience, with at least 2-3 years focused on building and maintaining mobile test automation frameworks. Experience in a fast-paced, product-driven startup environment is a strong plus.

Explore More Careers