Quality Assurance Engineer

Title: QA Engineer

Location: Washington DC or Seattle WA

The Company

Throne is a fast growing Series B startup transforming public infrastructure by delivering clean, safe, smart restrooms to cities, transit agencies, and public spaces. With flagship customers like LA Metro, Caltrain, Berkeley, Ann Arbor, Beverly Hills and Washington DC, they're rapidly scaling and preparing for multi-city expansion in 2026-2027.

Why This Role is Exciting

• Own quality across a complex product ecosystem: You'll play a critical role in ensuring reliability across Throne's software, firmware, and connected hardware systems.
• Work on real-world technology: Throne's products combine software, IoT, sensors, HVAC, smart plumbing, connectivity, and power systems-giving you exposure to highly interdisciplinary engineering challenges.
• Build scalable QA processes: You'll help establish and improve QA/QC practices, testing infrastructure, and automation processes during a key growth phase for the company.
• Highly collaborative environment: Partner closely with Product, Software, Firmware, and R&D teams to improve product quality and deliver a seamless user experience.

Responsibilities

As the QA Engineer, you will help ensure the quality, reliability, and performance of Throne's software and connected hardware products across both internal and customer-facing systems.

• Test Planning & Execution: Collaborate with Product and Engineering teams to understand requirements and contribute to test planning, estimation, and coverage. Design and execute test cases, checklists, and testing scenarios across multiple products and systems.
• Software & Firmware Testing: Conduct manual testing across mobile, web, backend, and firmware applications to validate functionality, stability, and overall user experience. Perform integration testing across hardware, firmware, and software systems to ensure seamless interoperability.
• Issue Investigation & Quality Analysis: Investigate logs, troubleshoot issues across QA and production environments, and communicate findings clearly to cross-functional teams. Contribute to defect tracking, root cause analysis, and quality improvement efforts.
• QA Infrastructure & Process Improvement: Maintain QA environments and contribute to scalable QA/QC processes. Leverage AI-assisted tools and automation practices to improve testing efficiency, coverage, and time-to-market.
• Documentation & Collaboration: Contribute to technical documentation, testing documentation, and process improvements while collaborating effectively with both on-site and remote teams.

Is This You?

• 4+ years of experience in Software Quality Assurance or related QA engineering roles
• Experience testing web, mobile, backend, APIs, and databases
• Strong understanding of cloud-based systems and hands-on experience with AWS services
• Familiarity with microservices and serverless architectures
• Experience with observability and monitoring tools such as Datadog, Grafana, Sentry, or similar platforms
• Hands-on experience with test automation using JavaScript or TypeScript
• Comfortable using AI-assisted tools for testing, debugging, automation, or workflow optimization
• Strong troubleshooting skills with the ability to investigate logs and isolate issues across environments
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate across technical and non-technical teams
• Thrives in fast-paced startup environments with changing priorities and evolving product requirements
• Proactive mindset with a focus on improving systems, processes, and product quality

Ideal Candidate

• Experience testing IoT, connected hardware, or embedded systems
• Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG) and security testing fundamentals
• Experience with performance testing tools and methodologies
• Comfortable working in an active R&D environment with rapid iteration cycles

Education

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering preferred

Benefits

• Competitive salary ($100,000-$130,000) plus equity
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (including plans with 100% employer-paid premiums)
• 401(k) plan
• Paid time off (PTO) and paid sick leave
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and additional benefits
• Short and long-term disability insurance
• Life and AD&D insurance

Throne is a proud Equal Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to pursuing and hiring a diverse workforce. We believe that every person has a right to equal employment opportunities without discrimination, and that diversity contributes to the overall health of the organization. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, religion, sex, sexual stereotyping, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, mental or physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, pregnancy (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), or any other protected characteristic. Employment may be contingent upon Throne's receipt of an acceptable and job-related drug test, motor vehicle report, and/or background check, as applicable and permissible by law.