QA Tester

Job Title: QA Tester

Location: Chicago, IL

Duration: 6+Months

Job Summary:

The QA Tester will report to the assigned Project Manager within the Enterprise Solution Delivery PMO in the Business Partnerships and Innovation Department within ITS. This is a short-term engagement intended to provide focused test execution and defect triage support for an active project, with the opportunity to extend or expand into a longer-term engagement based on performance and continued project need. This role is execution-focused: the QA Tester will not author test cases, but will execute test cases and validate user stories that are documented and maintained in Azure DevOps (ADO) by the assigned Business Analyst, using OpKey to drive test execution. The QA Tester will perform a first-level triage of any issues found, log clear and reproducible defects in ADO, and work directly with the developers assigned to the project to drive defects through to resolution and retest. The QA Tester will work in close, daily collaboration with the Project Manager and Business Analyst to ensure testing stays aligned with sprint priorities and release timelines.

Principal Accountabilities:

Test Execution: Execute test cases and validate user stories maintained in Azure DevOps (ADO) using OpKey, ensuring coverage of documented acceptance criteria.

Defect Triage: Perform initial triage of test failures and defects to confirm reproducibility, assess severity/priority, and determine whether an issue is a true defect, a data issue, or an environment issue before logging.

Defect Documentation: Log clear, well-documented defects in ADO, including steps to reproduce, expected vs. actual results, and supporting evidence (screenshots, logs).

Defect Resolution Support: Partner directly with developers assigned to the project to clarify defects, confirm fixes, and retest resolved items in a timely manner.

Collaboration: Work daily with the Project Manager and Business Analyst to align testing activities with sprint goals, flag blockers early, and confirm test case coverage against user stories.

Status Reporting: Track and report test execution progress, pass/fail status, and open defect counts to the Project Manager throughout the engagement. In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the QA Tester must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

 Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field is preferred; equivalent professional experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.

Experience and Number of Years:

A minimum of seven (7) years of professional experience in software quality assurance / testing.

 Hands-on experience executing and maintaining automated and manual test scripts using OpKey is required.

Hands-on experience using Azure DevOps (ADO) for test case execution, defect logging, and traceability to user stories is required.

Experience testing within an Agile/Scrum delivery environment, working directly from user stories and acceptance criteria authored by a Business Analyst.

Experience collaborating directly with developers to troubleshoot, clarify, and resolve defects.

Preferred Certifications:

 ISTQB Certified Tester (Foundation Level or higher)

OpKey Certification, if available  Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Test Execution Rigor: Ability to execute detailed test cases accurately and consistently, with strong attention to detail. Defect Triage: Sound judgment in assessing defect severity/priority and distinguishing true defects from data, configuration, or environment issues.

Tool Proficiency: Working proficiency in OpKey and Azure DevOps (ADO), including test plans, test suites, and work item linking.

Communication: Ability to clearly document and communicate defects and testing status to both technical (developers) and non-technical (PM, BA) stakeholders -- top 10 technical screening questions whether the candidate is geniune or not.

Keywords: Selenium, Azure DevOps, Opkey, Agile, ADO