Senior QA Tester

Itility LLC•North Chicago, IL

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

ITility is seeking a talented and mission-focused Senior Quality Assurance Tester to join our Application Operations team in support of a mission-critical enterprise modernization contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). This role directly supports AWS-hosted enterprise applications that enable the secure processing of recruit candidates entering the U.S. Armed Forces across geographically dispersed sites nationwide. The systems and applications you will test and validate directly support this mission — ensuring every recruit is processed accurately, securely, and without interruption across a nationwide network of military entrance processing locations. This position is responsible for the creation, maintenance, and management of comprehensive test plans, test suites, estimations, and test cases — spanning both manual and automated testing methodologies — in support of ongoing enterprise application modernization efforts. This is a hybrid role with an expectation of 3 days onsite in Waukegan, IL, and 2 days remote per week

Requirements

US Citizenship required
8+ years of professional experience in Software Quality Assurance.
5+ years of experience as a Tester performing automated scripting using Java and Selenium framework.
Candidate should have a working knowledge with an automation framework (e.g., Behavior Driven Development (BDD) or Test NG)
Knowledge of incorporating automation reporting tools (e.g., Cucumber)
Familiarity with deployment tools like Jenkins and exposure working in AWS environments.
2+ years of knowledge working with performance tools (e.g., JMeter)
2+ years of experience on REST API testing with tools (e.g., POSTMAN)
Must have knowledge of SQL for validating Database objects
Minimum of 2+ years on an Agile Software Development team deploying bi-weekly Sprints
Candidate should be able to mentor junior candidates on testing and as well automation
Reporting defects in Jira or similar tools and providing risk management to the management team.
Provide feedback and develop knowledge base in tools like confluence pages.

Nice To Haves

Active Secret clearance (or higher)
Direct experience supporting DoD enterprise mission applications
Experience with performance and load testing tools such as JMeter, Gatling, or equivalent
Background in security testing practices, including OWASP methodologies and vulnerability validation
Experience with behavior-driven development (BDD) frameworks such as Cucumber or SpecFlow
Familiarity with additional test management platforms such as Zephyr or TestRail
Prior experience in a senior or lead QA role on a DoD or federal government IT program
ISTQB Certified Tester – Foundation Level (CTFL)
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related field preferred. An equivalent combination of education, certifications, and directly relevant experience may be substituted.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Application Operations team to create a positive experience in the implementation and use of technology by ensuring all products meet defined business and technical requirements before deployment
Develop, maintain, and manage comprehensive test plans, test strategies, test suites, test artifacts, and test cases within a dedicated test management system for both manual and automated testing activities
Define and document testing scope, objectives, entry/exit criteria, and risk-based testing approaches for each release and sprint cycle
Produce accurate test estimations to support sprint planning, release scheduling, and resource forecasting within Agile delivery frameworks
Maintain traceability between requirements, test cases, and defects using JIRA and Confluence, ensuring full visibility across the testing lifecycle
Continuously refine and improve test documentation, templates, and standards to reflect evolving application architecture and mission requirements
Apply deep subject matter expertise in software testing practices for web applications, serving as the team's go-to authority on testing methodology, standards, and execution quality
Execute manual and automated testing using documented test cases as determined by the test plan, ensuring thorough coverage across functional, regression, integration, system, and user acceptance testing (UAT) scenarios
Design, develop, and maintain automated test scripts and frameworks leveraging modern automation tools for web and mobile applications, with hands-on proficiency in Selenium and equivalent platforms
Perform API testing and validation to ensure secure, accurate data exchange between integrated enterprise systems and downstream mission applications
Execute performance and load testing to validate application scalability and stability under operational demand conditions
Conduct security-focused testing activities in alignment with DISA STIGs, RMF requirements, and DoD application security standards
Leverage AWS cloud architecture knowledge to inform cloud-native testing strategies and validate application behavior within AWS-hosted environments
Actively participate in Agile/SAFe ceremonies including sprint planning, backlog refinement, daily standups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives as a senior QA contributor
Integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines, enabling continuous testing and rapid feedback loops throughout the DevSecOps delivery lifecycle
Collaborate closely with developers, business analysts, and product owners to identify testable requirements, clarify acceptance criteria, and shift quality left in the development process
Provide QA input during requirements analysis and design reviews to proactively identify gaps, ambiguities, and testability concerns before development begins
Demonstrate proactive, clear communication in both technical and business settings, ensuring quality risks, testing status, and release readiness are consistently and accurately conveyed to all stakeholders
Identify, document, and track bugs and defects with precision and clarity across every release cycle, managing each issue through the full defect lifecycle from discovery to verified closure
Utilize JIRA to log, prioritize, assign, and monitor defects in coordination with development and operations teams, ensuring timely resolution aligned with mission impact
Produce clear, actionable QA status reports, test summary reports, and metrics dashboards for program leadership and Government stakeholders
Analyze defect trends and test execution metrics to identify systemic quality risks and recommend process or tooling improvements
Maintain a consistently customer service-oriented approach when engaging with team members, Government partners, and mission stakeholders — prioritizing responsiveness, professionalism, and solution-focused communication
Serve as a trusted quality partner to cross-functional teams, fostering a collaborative environment where quality is a shared responsibility across development, operations, and business functions
Translate complex technical quality findings into clear, business-friendly language that enables informed decision-making by non-technical stakeholders and mission owners
Mentor junior QA team members, providing guidance on test design, automation development, and quality engineering best practices
Champion a quality-first culture across the Application Operations team, advocating for robust testing practices at every stage of the software delivery lifecycle
Contribute to the development of QA standards, testing frameworks, and organizational best practices that elevate team-wide quality capability