Test Engineer

The HR Source•Columbia, MD

About The Position

Our client is seeking an experienced Systems Test Engineer to support the testing and validation of mission-critical software, telecommunications infrastructure, network components, and radio/telephone communication systems. This individual will be responsible for verifying that integrated hardware and software solutions meet defined technical, functional, performance, and customer requirements. The role will support multiple phases of system testing, including internal verification, formal qualification and acceptance testing, and testing conducted directly with customers. The Systems Test Engineer will also work closely with engineering teams, technical partners, and customers to understand system and site requirements, develop appropriate test strategies, troubleshoot issues, and validate solutions.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering , or a related technical discipline; equivalent professional experience may be considered.
Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in software, systems, hardware, or integration testing .
Candidates without a related bachelor's degree should have at least 3 years of relevant experience working with IT and telecommunications hardware and software , in addition to demonstrating the technical capabilities required for the position.
Experience developing formal test plans, procedures, and supporting documentation for internal and customer-facing testing.
Experience testing complex technical systems, preferably involving mission-critical or high-availability hardware and software in a production or operational environment.
Hands-on experience with telecommunications and telephony technologies such as VoIP, T1, ISDN, POTS, and TDM .
Ability to translate technical and system requirements into clear, repeatable test procedures.
Experience identifying and documenting defects with sufficient technical detail to support troubleshooting and resolution.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, and technical troubleshooting capabilities.
Ability to travel up to 30% based on project requirements.
Must be able to complete required background screening, which may include fingerprinting and consumer/credit background checks .
Must be eligible to obtain a Public Trust and any other access authorization required for assigned government facilities or projects.
Must be authorized to work in the United States and meet applicable requirements for access to U.S. Government sites.

Nice To Haves

Experience working across multiple operating systems, including Linux and Windows/Windows Server environments .
Familiarity with network monitoring and protocol-analysis tools such as Wireshark or comparable technologies.
Experience with defect-tracking and test-management platforms such as JIRA, JAMA , or similar systems.
Familiarity with commercial performance, simulation, telecommunications, or system-analysis testing tools.
Experience working with relational databases such as PostgreSQL or similar database technologies.
Working knowledge of quality assurance methodologies and software development/testing life cycles .
Experience working within Agile/Scrum development environments .
Strong written and verbal communication skills, particularly when communicating technical information to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Ability to manage multiple testing activities and project priorities simultaneously.
Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a cross-functional technical team.
Strong organizational skills and the ability to communicate project status, technical risks, and issues to the appropriate stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Develop, document, and execute comprehensive test plans, procedures, scripts, and specifications based on system, software, hardware, and customer requirements.
Perform a variety of system-level testing, including functional, performance, reliability, stability/load, security, environmental, voice-quality, maintenance, inspection, and analytical testing.
Support informal testing, formal Factory Acceptance/Qualification Testing (FAT/FQT), customer acceptance testing, and other system verification activities.
Manage assigned test environments, including configuration of test systems, test scripts, equipment, and supporting infrastructure.
Develop verification approaches based on technical requirements, product specifications, system use cases, and expected operating conditions.
Analyze system and software requirements to determine testability and identify appropriate verification methods.
Identify, investigate, and thoroughly document software, hardware, network, or system defects discovered during testing.
Provide detailed steps and supporting information needed to reproduce defects and unexpected system behavior.
Partner with engineering teams to recreate, troubleshoot, and resolve identified technical issues.
Maintain organized testing documentation and records, including test results, defect information, and historical test data.
Analyze test results to identify trends, recurring issues, and potential areas for improvement.
Communicate testing status, technical concerns, defects, and project information to engineering teams, test leadership, customers, and other stakeholders.
Collaborate with Engineering and Technical Support teams to perform root-cause analysis of issues identified in test and live production environments.
Recommend improvements to testing practices and broader engineering processes based on lessons learned during system verification activities.
Participate in technical discussions with customers and external partners regarding system requirements, site-specific configurations, testing approaches, and proposed solutions.