Entry Level Computer Hardware Jobs in Austin, TX

Description

Location: Austin, TX

Work Model: Hybrid - 3-4 days per week in office

Sponsorship: This position does not offer visa sponsorship. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

Salient manufactures and markets video surveillance and video management systems. As an innovative and entrepreneurial company, Salient experienced significant growth in the 2010s, driven by the transition from analog to IP cameras. Salient offers multiple versions of its systems, including a classic on-premise solution, a hybrid cloud option, and a camera-to-cloud solution, allowing end users to select the version that best fits their needs. Our products are built with an open architecture, encouraging seamless integration with leading software providers worldwide.

This is a rare entry-level opportunity to join a QA team that takes both quality and career development seriously. You'll get real responsibility from day one, hands-on mentorship from experienced senior engineers, and direct exposure to AI-powered testing workflows that most QA teams are still building. Recent graduates are encouraged to apply.

You'll join a team of ~8-9 QA professionals, including two team leads and a mix of manual testers and automation specialists, all working on a product with a meaningful twice-yearly release cycle and daily builds. On a typical day, you'll review new JIRA tickets, draft and execute test cases across Windows desktop, web, and mobile clients, log bugs with clear reproduction steps, and collaborate with engineers to move issues to resolution.

Over time, you'll have real opportunities to grow - including contributing to AI-assisted automation initiatives as the team continues to evolve how it leverages tools like Claude and Copilot in everyday QA workflows.

Assist in evaluating and interpreting system specifications to understand overall system architecture and individual components.

Utilize AI tools (such as Claude) to draft, iterate, and refine detailed test cases, ensuring efficient test coverage.

Execute manual test cases across Windows desktop, web, and mobile clients to ensure product quality and functionality.

Document, report, and track bugs using Jira and Xray, ensuring issues are accurately linked to test executions for full traceability.

Collaborate with Engineering teams, Product Management, and Customer Support to perform functional and non-functional testing under the guidance of senior QA engineers.

Participate in agile ceremonies and contribute to continuous process improvement and team-oriented initiatives.

Learn and apply testing methodologies including test planning, test execution, and defect management in a real-world setting.

Occasionally support internal device testing, including IP cameras and related hardware components.

Attention to Detail: A meticulous approach to testing, ensuring that all potential issues-from UI bugs to hardware-related performance constraints-are identified and addressed.

Technical Curiosity: A strong drive to investigate root causes, understand system architecture, and bridge the gap between frontend user experience and backend server behavior.

Collaboration: Working effectively with cross-functional teams and a willingness to learn from experienced colleagues.

Adaptability: Being open to learning new tools (including AI and test automation) and adapting to changes in a fast-paced environment.

Continuous Improvement: A strong desire to develop your skills and grow within the QA team, helping to refine internal standards for AI usage.

Requirements

0-1 years of professional or internship experience in software testing or a related field; recent graduates are encouraged to apply.

Basic understanding of software testing concepts, including test case creation and defect reporting.

Strong attention to detail with a focus on teamwork and communication.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills for reporting test results and actionable items.

Ability to follow and translate user story acceptance criteria into structured test coverage.

Must be authorized to work in the United States. This position does not offer visa sponsorship.

Proficiency or exposure to Jira and Xray for test management and bug tracking.

Experience or strong interest in using AI/LLM tools to streamline documentation and test case generation.

Coursework or academic experience in computer science, software engineering, or a related discipline.

Familiarity with API concepts or basic SQL queries.

Experience with or knowledge of Agile development methodologies.

Interest in video management or surveillance technology.

Salary is commensurate with experience. Salient Systems provides an excellent benefits package including partial employer paid health insurance, employer sponsored life, short-term, and long-term disability insurance, voluntary dental and vision insurance, 401(k), and flexible  PTO. Our values are commitment, collaboration, customer focus, determination, and innovation! A fun, entrepreneurial spirit and initiative are key elements of the Salient environment. We foster a culture of collaboration through supporting team building events and continuing career growth and development.

Salient Systems is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and transfer. Salient Systems makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.