Software Quality Engineer II - Lisle

It is inspiring to work in an organization where individuals are deeply committed to the mission and values that drive our success.

We are dedicated to delivering expert pension service to Illinois public educators as they earn their promised retirement security.

Under the direction of the Quality Assurance Manager, the Software Quality Engineers play an important part in our agile SCRUM product development process and are responsible for test estimation, prioritization, planning, and coordination of testing activities. This position will serve as a team member of cross-functional teams on multiple projects, ranging from bug fixes and system enhancements to new system selection and implementation.  This position will serve in development and testing and have the ability to run and troubleshoot manual and automated tests. This position supports the needs of the organization by working on software solutions to support various business requirements. The incumbent must have knowledge of testing methods, testing types, and levels of testing and be able to think both logically and creatively. The incumbent must possess strong written and oral communication skills and be able to communicate effectively with team members, and other stakeholders, such a programmers, managers and end-users. The Software Quality Engineer II must have a working knowledge of Agile principles and Scrum methodology and must be able to work within a team environment.

Essential Functions: 

•  Perform roles within an Agile/Scrum team (Scrum Master/Quality Engineer) 
• Assist and mentor Software Quality Engineer I  
• Leverage metrics-based governance, relevant reporting, and audit mechanisms.  
• Provide key metrics including defect tracking, test execution progress and input into production readiness 
•  Ensure test design is traceable to requirements and achieves a high level of requirement and test execution coverage. Continuously improve test scripts and product coverage 
• Prepare and execute test plans/scenarios which include data setup, querying database tables to identify samples for testing, run batch processes and participate in risk-based testing 

• Assist subject matter experts (SMEs) in defining detailed testing and acceptance criteria to ensure work is completed according to the user expectations 
• Collaborate with SMEs to ensure clear and concise descriptions of software features and enhancements from an end-user perspective using Agile methods 
• Be an advocate for determining feature testability (manual/automated). 
• Support the development of release and deployment plans 
• Document process workflows 
• Serve on cross-functional Agile/Scrum teams as a team member and/or Scrum Master 
• Maintain the standards and procedures for Agile framework at TRS by following Agile Principles 
• Participate in Agile and Scrum practices, including but not limited to the following: 

• Conduct/attend sprint review, retrospective and planning meetings and daily scrum meetings. 
• Ensure sprint item testing is clearly defined in user stories and communicate with development team to resolve any issues or need to discuss sprint item requirements with SMEs 
• Assist in the decision to accept product backlog items during sprint planning meetings 
• Meet agreed upon sprint schedules and communicate when sprint items will not be completed or when impediments will delay or prevent the completion of a sprint item. 
• Update information on user stories according to the Agile team working agreement and agency requirements for documentation. 

• Perform other duties as required or assigned 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

•    Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills                                                                                  
•    Demonstrated problem solving skills                                                                                                       
•    Demonstrated time management and priority setting skills                                                                           
•    Excellent organizational skills                                                                                                      
•    Demonstrates a high commitment to quality                                                                                                       

Minimum Requirements: 

• Requires a minimum of two (2) years of progressively responsible experience in a quality assurance testing role OR  

• Equivalent experience with pension administration that is directly related to the position may be substituted. 

• Working knowledge of Agile principles and Scrum methodology 
• Experience with test automation tools and testing in Agile/SCRUM environments preferred  

• Associate degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or other related field of study is preferred or two (2) years of equivalent job experience that is directly related to the position may be substituted. 

If you thrive in a dynamic environment and enjoy collaborating with driven, enthusiastic professionals, you will find a rewarding career with us.

For Illinois job seekers:

Pay Range

$79,853.45 - $124,571.00

Compensation will be determined based on the qualifications and experience of each candidate.

Benefits
TRS is an agency of the State of Illinois. As such, full and part-time employees are eligible for the State of Illinois comprehensive benefits program which includes medical, dental and vision coverage. All employees participate in the TRS retirement pension plan and have the option to contribute to additional State of Illinois deferred compensation plans. The TRS pension plan is a reciprocal system to other state and local pension plans (SERS, SURS, IMRF, etc.)