Job Title
Core Test Engineer
Location
VA US (Primary)
Category
Engineering, General Laborer
Job Type
Full-Time
Compensation Minimum (USD)
$80,000
Compensation Maximum (USD)
$105,000
Education
Bachelor's Degree
Minimum Citizenship Status Required
U.S Citizen or Permanent Resident
Security Clearance Required
None
Job Description
About STC
STC is a science, sensors, and systems company founded in 1979. We continually expand our Earth and Space Sciences support capabilities to NASA, NOAA, DoD, and other Federal and State agencies. Our staff support many of the operational missions that monitor the heartbeat of our planet through a growing number of Earth Observing System of Systems platforms and direct field research. We also research and investigate leading-edge observing technologies and assist in their integration into operations.
STC offers competitive benefits to include health, dental, vision, FSA, life, disability, 401K (matching), tuition reimbursement, bonincentive programs, and various other plans.
Overview
The EOSDIS Evolution and Development (EED) program supports NASA's Earth Science Data and Information System (ESDIS) in enabling global, open access to critical Earth observation data. As part of its growing EED support team, STC is seeking a Test Engineer to support the Consolidated Cumulus Core team.
The Consolidated Cumulus Core Test Engineer is responsible for the quality, reliability, and operational readiness of the Core Cumulus system. This role focuses on rigorous Verification and Validation (V&V) of Cumulus, ensuring the system performs predictably across diverse data and operational scenarios and complies with strict security and quality standards. The Test Engineer bridges development and operations, ensuring all code is thoroughly tested before integration into mission-critical data ingest workflows. This role reports to the Consolidated Cumulus Core Product Owner.
Primary Responsibilities
- Design, implement, and maintain automated test suites (unit, integration, and end-to-end) specifically for Cumulus Core code.
- Verify that Cumulus releases are operationally sound and scalable, ensuring they can handle high-throughput loads from large-scale mission systems.
- Manage a robust regression library to ensure that core software updates do not negatively impact existing functionality.
- Ensure all code is strictly aligned with system standards and security requirements.
- Collaborate with Core Developers to validate that code runs correctly across the system.
- Develop test cases for diverse user scenarios, ensuring code handles both expected and edge-case user flows.
- Support Tier-2 resolution by providing technical evidence and test logs to help triage failures traced back to specific code.
- Identify, document, and track defects; work closely with Core Developers to verify fixes and ensure successful remediation.
- Partner with the UX Test Engineer to validate that system code functions correctly when combined into complex, multi-step user flows.
Job Requirements
- Experience in software quality assurance with a focus on automated testing for cloud-based or microservice architectures
- Strong scripting skills in Node.js or Python for developing automated test scripts and harnesses
- Hands-on experience with AWS services (Lambda, Step Functions, S3) and cloud-native monitoring tools (e.g., CloudWatch)
- Familiarity with Earth science data formats (HDF, NetCDF) and the ability to validate structured scientific metadata
- Experience integrating automated tests into CI/CD pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions, Bamboo, or Jenkins)
- Proven ability to perform root cause analysis and simulate complex failure modes in a distributed system
Desired Skills and Experience
- Deep understanding of Scrum, Kanban, and Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) principles; proficiency with Agile management tools (e.g., Jira)
- Experience leading technical teams within a complex DevOps/CICD environment
- Knowledge of SDLC and production deployment workflows
We are equal opportunity/affirmative action employers, committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under state or local law.
