Senior Test Specialist

Position: Sr. Test Specialist

Classification: R0A                                                            

Shift: Full time/ Regular 

Department: IT-Shared Svcs-QA/Test                                             

Closing Date: 10/06/2021

Location: Lansing                                                                   

Status: Bargaining

Reports to:  Todd Brown

SUMMARY:

This position is primarily responsible for performing duties as a Senior Test Specialist including performing as the test lead on large scale projects and complex testing initiatives; determining test environment set-up requirements; developing and executing systems testing; providing system expertise on advanced and large-scale system changes; reviewing the output of other testers assigned to the project to ensure quality of results; sharing test results with members of the project team; and logging and tracking defects found in testing.

Participates in product design reviews to provide input on functional requirements, product designs, schedules, or potential problems.   Works collaboratively with BA’s, Developers, and Internal Business Customers to investigate and explore alternatives to system issues and enhancements.

Consult with business unit staff to stay current with workflow processes, understand system processes, and discuss test plans/results. Contacts include Enterprise employees at all levels as well as external vendors.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide Test Effort estimates
• Assist development with analysis and design for new or existing systems.
• Collaborates in the analysis of advantages and disadvantages of solution alternatives as they are reviewed and a solution recommendation is made. 
• Participates in the pro-active review of enterprise processes and applications. Provides input that determines relative efficiency of the alternatives. 

• Functions as testing expert in the inspection of business and system requirements.

• Works with development team to determine test approach and to translate requirements/stories into test plans, use cases, and test cases.
• Review project requirements and change requests to provide an estimate (timeline and resources) on effort required for completion.

• Provide input to Test Automation Developers in order to create new automated test cases and/or modify existing automated test cases.

• Coordinate vendor testing.

• Responsible for developing test cases that support the positive expected results as identified by the requirements/stories.
• Responsible for developing complex test cases that test the negative results of the requirements/stories.  Parameters for these cases are identified by the tester’s business knowledge.
• Responsible for using established tools and templates for ensuring test cases are clearly linked to requirements/stories.

• Responsible for executing test plans; manual and automated test cases for Enterprise-wide applications and interfaces between internal and external systems.
• Responsible for assisting other testing staff with developing and executing test plans.
• Validate application test results to verify documented system requirements/stories.

• Responsible for following the SDLC process, specifically in areas that relate to testing.

• Raise awareness of application, tool and data issues as found through the testing process to ensure requirements have been addressed and all impacted systems work appropriately.

• Evaluate impacted systems and applications to ensure standardization of presentation format, usability and reporting.
• Assist in the testing of user documentation developed for training to validate system performance.
• Assist in providing use case demonstrations to internal business customers.
• Visit beta testing sites to evaluate software performance.

• Identify, analyze, and retest defects relating to system changes, procedures, or workflows in regards to requirements, stories or specifications.
• Ensure defects found in testing are resolved (fixed or approved to go to Production by customer) prior to Test Approval
• Responsible for ensuring the project planning systems are kept current for assigned testing initiatives.
• Ensure customer approval of test results is obtained prior to moving code to Production.
• Responsible for creating and maintaining test management documentation, and for creating and distributing reports and communicating directly with the customer.
• Assist in reviewing, evaluating and making recommendations for process improvements.

• Assist in developing documentation for testing tools and conducting training for same.

• Periodically participate in groups/committees related to processes, standards and best practices.
• Responsible for understanding, using and retaining the technical and business knowledge of the Enterprise for testing purposes.

• Participates in the problem management process including data related discrepancies systems.
• Leads testing initiatives for assigned Enterprise projects, department projects and change requests (communication, providing subject matter and testing expertise, coordinating testing resources).
• May participate in the development and execution of training for ETC team members and other interested parties.
• Maintains confidentiality of information processed as appropriate.
• May modify and execute manual scripts.

EMPLOYMENT QUALIFICATIONS:

EDUCATION REQUIRED:

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Business or related field. Combination of relevant education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.  Quality certification (CTFL, CTAL, CSQE, CSTE, or equivalent) required.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Three Four years of progressively more responsible software quality assurance and testing of business systems required.

SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ABILITIES (SKA) REQUIRED:

• Thorough understanding of software development lifecycles.
• Thorough knowledge of testing philosophies, methodologies, workflow and software tools that supports them.

• Working knowledge of automated testing tools.
• Ability to create and execute SQL queries for use in testing and validating systems which have relational database.
• Ability to interpret program logic, prepare test data, and execute test plans. 
• Excellent understanding of the various types and phases of testing.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.
• Ability to apply the principles of independent logical thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to establish acceptable workloads and expectations.
• Ability to comprehend the consequences of various problem situations and take appropriate actions or refer them for appropriate decision making.
• Working knowledge of computer systems and integrations.
• Ability to develop and execute test plans and test cases.
• Ability to communicate effectively to clearly and concisely communicate factual and technical information.
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities, establish workflows and meet necessary deadlines.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Knowledge of computers, word processing, and spreadsheet software.
• Basic knowledge of relational databases.
• Ability to enter and verify alpha/numeric data accurately.
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations.
• Ability to proofread documents for accuracy of spelling, grammar, punctuations, and format.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and demands.
• Demonstrated ability to create test plans, execute test cases and capture results (examples required)

ADDITIONAL EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND/OR ABILITIES PREFERRED

Experience in insurance business systems, knowledge of workers’ compensation insurance, and experience working with relational databases highly preferred. 

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is performed in an office setting with no unusual hazards. 

REQUIRED TESTING: 

Intermediate Windows, Intermediate Excel, Intermediate Word. Alpha Numeric. Math. Reading Comprehension. Proofreading.