Software Quality Assurance Lead

AMERICAN SYSTEMS•Arlington, VA

18h

About The Position

AMERICAN SYSTEMS is an employee-owned federal government contractor supporting national priority programs through our strategic solutions in the areas of Information Technology, Test & Evaluation, Program Mission Support, Engineering & Analysis, and Training. We are seeking a Software Quality Assurance (QA) Lead with a strong background in software engineering and quality assurance to join a critical national defense program. This role is essential for ensuring the reliability, security, and overall quality of software products developed for government use. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader who can drive quality initiatives across multiple development teams and ensure the integrity of every software release. As the Software QA Lead, you will own the end-to-end quality strategy for the program’s portfolio of software products. Directly supporting the Government Software Lead for the program, you will coordinate all testing activities, drive consistency in test processes, and partner with consulting engineers to craft robust test plans and modern DevOps pipelines. Your primary mission is to raise overall system reliability and dramatically reduce the number of defects that reach production.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
4+ years of experience in software engineering or a related technical field, with a focus on quality assurance and software testing.
2+ years of experience in a leadership role, specifically managing or leading software testing and QA teams for multiple software products.
Demonstrated experience with a wide range of testing methodologies, including functional, integration, regression, and performance testing.
Strong grasp of SDLC models (e.g., V-Model, Agile, DevSecOps).
Hands-on experience with at least one test automation framework (e.g., Python/pytest, C++/GoogleTest, Selenium).
Solid understanding of CI/CD principles and DevOps tools.
Strong communication skills and the ability to effectively coordinate with multiple teams and stakeholders.
Active Top Secret clearance with ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI. SAP eligibility.
U.S. Citizenship Required for the purposes of obtaining/holding a U.S. security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience on defense or aerospace programs, especially in a multi-contractor environment.
Experience with security-focused testing (SAST, DAST, vulnerability scanning).
Exposure to Model-Based Testing (MBT) or formal verification methods.

Responsibilities

Lead and mentor a team of QA engineers and testers, providing guidance on best practices, test methodologies, and quality standards.
Coordinate all QA and testing activities for a suite of software products developed by multiple defense contractors, ensuring a cohesive and standardized approach to quality.
Collaborate directly with the Government Software Lead to define, develop, and execute comprehensive test plans and strategies.
Work with consulting engineers to implement DevOps strategies, including continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines, to automate testing and improve release - efficiency.
Analyze software requirements and design detailed test cases to identify defects and ensure software meets all functional and non-functional requirements.
Report on key quality metrics to program leadership, highlighting areas of risk and recommending improvements to the software development lifecycle.
Lead periodic QA retrospectives, capture lessons learned, and implement process enhancements across the contractor ecosystem.
Stay current on emerging testing standards and introduce best-practice innovations.