IT Quality Assurance - Senior/Specialist

IT Quality Assurance- Senior/Specialist

Our vision is to ensure that "Washington state's children and youth grow up safe and healthy—thriving physically, emotionally and educationally, nurtured by family and community."

Job Title: IT Quality Assurance- Senior/Specialist

Location: Olympia WA, Thurston County (Flexible/Hybrid)

Closes: June 2nd, 2026

Salary: $92,760.00 - $124,752.00 Annually

The Opportunity:

This position leads Quality Assurance (QA) Test activities for assigned projects and plays a critical role in the DCYF IT software development process. It is responsible for designing and executing comprehensive testing strategies, including defining test approaches, developing acceptance criteria, creating and managing test data, and building both manual and automated test scripts. The role independently evaluates software solutions and development processes to ensure they meet business objectives, while identifying defects, risks, and opportunities for improvement. It also involves analyzing performance and security, maintaining test artifacts, and leveraging advanced tools and methods to support high-quality, reliable system delivery.

Some of what you will get to do:

• Manage test activities on assigned project teams.
• Leads, mentors, and coaches lower-level testers by assigning and reviewing their work, providing advanced support in complex problem-solving.
• Represent QA in agile team meetings and design sessions to collaborate with development staff on test approach and to refine acceptance criteria.
• Research system requirements, user stories, topic papers, technical documents, and design documents to design test plans for each release.
• Create system and business relevant test cases, system test scripts & dependency data.
• Conduct usability testing to verify software meets UI standards and complies with ADA requirements.
• Oversee test resources, maintain shared test environments, and coordinate test activities.
• Develop, maintain and execute manual and automated test scripts, run system batches and coordinate testing with interface partners.
• Conduct User Acceptance Testing by setting up complex dependency data and validating potential incidents.
• Develop and conduct performance and stress tests using automated testing tools.
• Track test results, document outcomes using the incident tracking application.

Required Qualifications:

Ten years of testing experience in a software development environment such as: writing manual and automated test scripts, executing test scripts, smoke test, system test, performance test, regression test, user-acceptance test.

OR

A bachelor's degree and 7 years of testing experience in a software development environment such as: writing manual and automated test scripts, executing test scripts, smoke test, system test, performance test, regression test, user-acceptance test.

AND

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Additional Qualifications:

• Five years of experience in leading QA test projects such as; coding automated test scripts, design test automation platform, executing test scripts, generating test data, managing user acceptance test programs, troubleshooting test systems, running bug triage meetings, evaluating conformance to technical requirements. (may be gained concurrently with the experience above).

Preferred/Desirable Competency Statement:

• Demonstrated ability to learn and apply emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, in a public sector environment
• Ability to evaluate automated or AI-generated outputs for accuracy, fairness, and appropriateness
• Understanding of data governance, privacy, and ethical considerations in technology use
• Commitment to continuous learning and adaptation to evolving technologies

How do I apply? Complete your applicant profile on careers.wa.gov and attach the following documents:

• Current resume detailing experience and education.
• Letter of Interest that details how you meet the qualifications for the position.

Supplemental Information:

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington's children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving. We invite all candidates to join us in our mission to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve. If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.