DSHS FTAA IT Quality Assurance Senior Specialist

Description

Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Finance, Technology, & Analytics Administration (FTAA) is seeking an experienced and dynamic Test Lead – IT Quality Assurance Senior/Specialist on the Division of Information Technology (DIT) Quality Assurance team. The QA Team is responsible for validation and approval of coding changes for a large complex of eligibility systems that administer cash, food and medical assistance to the residents of Washington State.

The Test Lead is involved in all phases of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), including requirements and design definition, coding, testing, and deployment. You will participate in the entire testing process, including strategic planning, reviewing artifacts, test environment maintenance, test design, test execution, defect management, and reporting of test results.

You will guide testing efforts for the project team, working closely with testers, business analysts, technical teams, and business partners. You will mentor others in testing practices, support quality improvements, and review the work of others to ensure system updates are ready for production. You will also empower new testers to build confidence and skills through training, coaching, and clear expectations.

This project is anticipated to last until June 2027 but may be extended.

• Ensure the quality of coding changes delivered for ACES complex applications critical to the delivery of food, cash, and medical benefits.
• Lead the testing of complex projects and oversee and manage essential environment maintenance and patching for multiple test environments, ensuring a stable foundation for the testing required to support project deliverables.
• Make decisions and complete tasks regarding maintenance and access of test environments.
• Apply strategic expertise to incorporate existing processes and develop new methods, procedures, or approaches to complete projects.
• Conduct research on new technologies and tools, provide recommendations for implementation, and guide integration.
• Train new staff and provide enhanced training for existing staff using advanced knowledge of testing principles, concepts, and practices.
• Maintain relationships with State and Federal Agency partners to coordinate test efforts for shared functionality.
• Partner with project manager, business analysts, and key business partners to ensure accurate bug triaging, prioritization, and swift issue escalation.

Most work can be conducted by teleworking or on site. Normal working hours are Monday– Friday, 08:00 am to 05:00 pm. Some evening and weekend work may be required. Occasional work in excess of 40 hours per week is required to support critical problem resolution, production operations, and off‑hours/on‑call rotation.

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Information Technology Systems, Computer Science, and at least seven (7) years of professional experience as a test analyst using software testing methodologies, experience with hierarchical and relational database management systems, testing web and/or client‑server applications, industry test workflow and requirement definition tools, and using XML, SQL, and file manager tools.
• Associate’s Degree or equivalent in Information Systems, Computer Science and at least nine (9) years of professional experience as a test analyst using software testing methodologies, experience with hierarchical and relational database management systems, testing web and/or client‑server applications, industry test workflow and requirement definition tools, and using XML, SQL, and file manager tools.
• At least eleven (11) years of professional experience as a test analyst using software testing methodologies, experience with hierarchical and relational database management systems, testing web and/or client‑server applications, industry test workflow and requirement definition tools, and using XML, SQL, and file manager tools.
• Two (2) years of professional experience in a leadership role within a QA team.

• Three years of experience solving complex problems through imaginative, innovative,…