Freelance Developer Operations Engineer Jobs in Kansas

Software Quality Engineer

Position Overview

The Software Quality Engineer will play a critical role in ensuring software quality across a portfolio of financial applications supporting investment, insurance, and retirement solutions platforms. This individual will be responsible for designing and executing test strategies, developing detailed test cases, performing manual and API testing, managing defect lifecycles, and collaborating closely with Agile development teams.

This position requires a strong foundation in manual testing, excellent analytical skills, and the ability to understand complex business workflows within financial systems. While automation experience is considered a plus, the primary focus is on quality engineering fundamentals, test design, exploratory testing, defect management, and ensuring software reliability across web and API-based applications.

The ideal candidate combines technical testing expertise with intellectual curiosity, strong communication skills, and a passion for delivering high-quality software in a fast-paced Agile environment.

Key Responsibilities

Test Planning & Quality Strategy

• Design and execute comprehensive testing strategies across the software development lifecycle.
• Create detailed test plans covering functional, regression, integration, system, and user acceptance testing scenarios.
• Develop and maintain reusable test cases and testing documentation.
• Identify testing risks, quality concerns, and coverage gaps early in the development process.
• Establish quality checkpoints and testing standards for new feature development.

Manual Testing & Validation

• Execute manual testing across web-based applications and APIs.
• Perform exploratory testing to uncover hidden defects and edge-case scenarios.
• Validate business workflows involving financial transactions, settlements, reconciliations, and operational processes.
• Verify application functionality against business requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Participate in sprint testing activities and release validation efforts.

API & Data Validation

• Perform API testing using Postman and REST-based tools.
• Validate request/response payloads, error handling, authentication, and business logic.
• Verify data consistency across user interface, backend services, and databases.
• Assist with end-to-end integration testing across interconnected systems.

Defect Management

• Document, reproduce, prioritize, and track software defects through resolution.
• Utilize Jira, Azure DevOps, or similar tools to manage defect lifecycles.
• Work closely with developers to troubleshoot issues and validate fixes.
• Generate defect reports and quality metrics to support continuous improvement initiatives.

Agile Team Collaboration

• Participate in Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, backlog grooming, standups, and retrospectives.
• Collaborate with developers during feature development to improve testability and quality.
• Review requirements and user stories to identify risks and testing considerations.
• Communicate testing results, quality concerns, and release readiness to stakeholders.

AI-Assisted Quality Engineering

• Utilize AI-powered tools such as GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, Claude, or similar technologies to improve testing efficiency.
• Leverage AI for test case generation, exploratory testing ideas, and defect analysis.
• Validate AI-powered application features and workflows through structured testing approaches.
• Help identify opportunities to improve quality processes through emerging AI technologies.

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Produce quality metrics, testing summaries, and defect trend reporting.
• Analyze recurring defects and recommend process improvements.
• Contribute to quality standards, testing best practices, and team knowledge sharing.
• Support ongoing efforts to improve testing efficiency and software reliability.

Required Qualifications

• 3–8 years of experience in Software Quality Engineering, Quality Assurance, or related testing roles.
• Strong background in manual software testing within Agile development environments.
• Experience supporting financial services, banking, insurance, investments, payments, settlements, reconciliations, or related financial systems.
• Proven experience developing test strategies, test plans, and detailed test cases.

Technical Skills

• Strong manual testing expertise across web applications.
• Experience performing:  Functional Testing, Regression Testing, Integration Testing, User Acceptance Testing (UAT), Exploratory Testing
• Experience with API testing using:  Postman, REST APIs, Similar API testing tools
• Experience with defect tracking and lifecycle management using:  Jira, Azure DevOps, Similar platforms
• Experience with test management tools such as:  Xray, Zephyr, Azure DevOps Test Plans
• Familiarity with Git or other version control systems.
• Strong understanding of SDLC and Agile/Scrum methodologies.

Preferred Qualifications

Financial Domain Experience

• Experience supporting financial services applications. Knowledge of:  Payments, Settlements, Reconciliations, Investment platforms, Insurance systems, Retirement solutions, Trading or derivatives workflows

Automation & Technical Exposure

• Exposure to test automation frameworks such as:  Playwright, Selenium, Similar tools
• Basic understanding of automation concepts and regression suite execution.
• Experience with SQL and database validation.
• Experience testing both UI and API layers.

AI & Emerging QA Practices

• Experience using AI tools such as:  GitHub Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT, Other AI-assisted QA platforms
• Interest in applying AI-driven approaches to testing and quality engineering.