Junior Test Engineer (DEA)

Hatch IT•Arlington, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Expression is seeking a Junior Test Engineer to support the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Investigative Case and Data Ecosystem (ICDE) modernization effort. The program delivers a modern, secure, user-friendly investigative and case management ecosystem for DEA's law enforcement, investigative, forensic, and intelligence communities. This early-career role supports functional testing of Pega applications and related system capabilities in collaboration with developers, business analysts, and experienced QA professionals. The engineer will validate functionality against requirements and user stories, document defects, maintain test artifacts, and contribute to quality throughout the Agile software development lifecycle. The role is based in Arlington, Virginia, and the program is primarily onsite at DEA Headquarters. A Top Secret clearance is required, along with willingness to pursue SCI.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field.
One year of professional experience.
Top Secret clearance and willingness to pursue SCI.
Exposure to or foundational understanding of Pega testing concepts or Pega functional testing tools through coursework, training, internships, or professional experience.
Basic understanding of QA principles, including test-case creation, defect reporting, functional testing, and regression testing.
Ability to interpret requirements or user stories and translate them into clear test steps.
Familiarity with Agile methodologies such as Scrum or Kanban through coursework, internships, or previous roles.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to clearly document issues, defects, test results, and testing outcomes.
Experience with or knowledge of test-management or defect-tracking tools such as Jira or Azure DevOps.

Nice To Haves

Pega certification, such as CSA, CSSA, or another applicable entry-level certification.
Exposure to automated testing tools for Pega applications, such as PegaUnit or Selenium for Pega UI.
Familiarity with Agile-focused testing methodologies, including Scrum, SAFe, or hybrid environments.
Interest in or basic exposure to test-automation or hybrid-testing frameworks.
Awareness of CI/CD concepts and how software testing integrates into automated delivery pipelines.
Exposure to testing Federal Government or other complex enterprise applications.

Responsibilities

Support the design and execution of functional test cases for Pega applications using established testing guidelines and workflows.
Work with developers, business analysts, and senior QA team members to understand requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria.
Validate system functionality against documented requirements and confirm expected system behavior.
Execute functional and regression tests and accurately document test results.
Identify and document software defects, and collaborate with engineering teams through resolution and retesting.
Provide input on test scope and help estimate testing effort during test-planning activities under guidance.
Maintain and update regression test cases, test results, testing checklists, and other QA artifacts.
Support User Acceptance Testing and other system validation activities as assigned.
Participate in Agile ceremonies, including stand-ups, sprint planning, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
Support testing throughout development iterations and align testing activities with sprint requirements.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to promote quality standards throughout the software development lifecycle.
Review and analyze test results and escalate potential risks, defects, or issues to senior QA team members.
Assist with testing system workflows, integrations, and user-facing functionality.