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Senior Software Quality Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Senior Software Test Engineer

Arlington, VA ยท On-site

$120 - $160/hr

THE ROLE We are hiring a Senior Software Test Engineer to own the automated test frameworks, quality assurance tooling, and integration pipelines for our core systems. You will build and scale ...

Senior Software Engineer

Mclean, VA ยท Remote

$100K - $185K/yr

Overview As a Senior Software Engineer , you will work with a team of developers to deliver ... Troubleshoot software quality, security, and reliability issues * Participate in code reviews ...

Senior Software Engineer

Richmond, VA ยท On-site

$90K - $110K/yr

Senior Software Engineer Our client, in the specialty transportation industry, is seeking a Senior ... Ability to adapt to change and a commitment to excellence and quality Why consider this position?

Senior Software Engineer

Reston, VA ยท On-site

$127K - $168K/yr

The Senior Software Engineer will implement solutions for complex software products and features, ensuring high quality through design, implementation, and testing. Responsibilities : โ€ข participate ...

This role requires a 5-10 year Quality Engineer/SDET/Test Automation professional with deep automation-framework experience, Azure DevOps/CI/CD expertise, strong accessibility testing knowledge, and ...

This role requires a 5-10 year Quality Engineer/SDET/Test Automation professional with deep automation-framework experience, Azure DevOps/CI/CD expertise, strong accessibility testing knowledge, and ...

This role requires a 5-10 year Quality Engineer/SDET/Test Automation professional with deep automation-framework experience, Azure DevOps/CI/CD expertise, strong accessibility testing knowledge, and ...

This role requires a 5-10 year Quality Engineer/SDET/Test Automation professional with deep automation-framework experience, Azure DevOps/CI/CD expertise, strong accessibility testing knowledge, and ...

This role requires a 5-10 year Quality Engineer/SDET/Test Automation professional with deep automation-framework experience, Azure DevOps/CI/CD expertise, strong accessibility testing knowledge, and ...

This role requires a 5-10 year Quality Engineer/SDET/Test Automation professional with deep automation-framework experience, Azure DevOps/CI/CD expertise, strong accessibility testing knowledge, and ...

This role requires a 5-10 year Quality Engineer/SDET/Test Automation professional with deep automation-framework experience, Azure DevOps/CI/CD expertise, strong accessibility testing knowledge, and ...

This role requires a 5-10 year Quality Engineer/SDET/Test Automation professional with deep automation-framework experience, Azure DevOps/CI/CD expertise, strong accessibility testing knowledge, and ...

This role requires a 5-10 year Quality Engineer/SDET/Test Automation professional with deep automation-framework experience, Azure DevOps/CI/CD expertise, strong accessibility testing knowledge, and ...

Senior Software Engineer

Springfield, VA ยท On-site

$140K - $160K/yr

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will play a key role in supporting the Geospatial Intelligence ... high-quality software solutions. * Excellent problem-solving and communication skills, with a ...

Showing results 41-60

Senior Software Quality Engineer information

See Virginia salary details

$21.3K

$123.1K

$187.4K

How much do senior software quality engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior software quality engineer in Virginia is $123,059.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $101,100.00 and $136,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a senior software quality engineer?

Senior Software Quality Engineers are experienced professionals responsible for ensuring the quality and functionality of software products. They design and implement test plans, develop automated and manual tests, and identify software defects. In addition, they often mentor junior engineers, collaborate with development teams, and help establish best practices for software testing. Their role is crucial in delivering reliable, stable, and user-friendly applications.

What skills and qualifications are needed to be a senior software quality engineer?

To thrive as a Senior Software Quality Engineer, you need expertise in software testing methodologies, test automation, and a solid understanding of software development lifecycles, typically backed by a degree in computer science or related field. Familiarity with tools like Selenium, JIRA, Jenkins, and programming languages such as Python or Java, as well as certifications like ISTQB, are commonly required. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, effective communication, and the ability to mentor junior team members are essential soft skills. These competencies ensure the delivery of robust, high-quality software products and help maintain efficient collaboration within development teams.

What are common challenges faced by senior software quality engineers, and how can they be addressed?

Senior Software Quality Engineers often encounter challenges such as managing complex test environments, balancing the need for thorough testing with tight project deadlines, and ensuring effective communication across multidisciplinary teams. Addressing these challenges typically involves adopting automation tools to streamline repetitive tests, prioritizing testing efforts based on risk, and fostering strong collaboration with developers and product managers. Continuous learning and staying updated on the latest quality assurance methodologies also help in proactively solving issues and driving high-quality software releases.

What is the difference between Senior Software Quality Engineer vs Software Quality Engineer?

AspectSenior Software Quality EngineerSoftware Quality Engineer
QualificationsTypically requires 5+ years experience, certifications like ISTQB, and advanced testing skillsUsually 1-3 years experience, foundational testing knowledge, and relevant certifications
ResponsibilitiesLeading testing efforts, designing test strategies, mentoring team membersExecuting test cases, reporting bugs, and supporting testing activities
Work EnvironmentOften in senior or lead roles within development teams, collaborating across departmentsPrimarily in QA teams, working under supervision to perform testing tasks
Industry UsageCommon in software development, tech, and IT companiesWidespread across software firms, startups, and enterprise organizations

The main difference between a Senior Software Quality Engineer and a Software Quality Engineer lies in experience, responsibilities, and leadership roles. Senior professionals typically lead testing efforts and mentor others, while Software Quality Engineers focus on executing tests and supporting quality assurance processes.

What are the most commonly searched types of Software Quality Engineer jobs in Virginia?

The most popular types of Software Quality Engineer jobs in Virginia are:

What job categories do people searching Senior Software Quality Engineer jobs in Virginia look for?

The top searched job categories for Senior Software Quality Engineer jobs in Virginia are:

What cities in Virginia are hiring for Senior Software Quality Engineer jobs?

Cities in Virginia with the most Senior Software Quality Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Senior Software Quality Engineer job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 4% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 86% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $123,059 per year, or $59.2 per hour.

Senior Software Test Engineer

Quartermaster

Arlington, VA โ€ข On-site

$120 - $160/hr

Other

Posted 8 days ago


Job description

ABOUT QUARTERMASTER

Quartermaster is building the world's most comprehensive maritime intelligence platform. Our SmartMastโ„ข system transforms commercial and civilian vessels into a persistent, distributed sensing networkโ€”combining HD video, AI, radar, RF sensing, and AIS to deliver real-time maritime domain awareness at global scale. With 600+ sensors deployed across 25+ countries and more than 400,000 vessels identified outside of AIS, we are setting a new standard for what ocean surveillance and safety can look like.

We are a startup in build mode: small team, high ownership, fast iteration, and meaningful constraints. We ship quickly, learn in production, and optimize for mission impact over process theater.

THE ROLE

We are hiring a Senior Software Test Engineer to own the automated test frameworks, quality assurance tooling, and integration pipelines for our core systems. You will build and scale internal test platforms, design automated verification suites, and validate hardware-to-cloud data flows to ensure our edge platforms and back-office systems operate with high reliability.

This is a senior startup role for an engineer who can move quickly from initial system requirements to production-ready test automation, make pragmatic architecture choices, and deliver validation tools that empower engineering teams to ship code with confidence.

WHAT YOUโ€™LL DO
  • Design, build, and deploy automated test frameworks and internal validation tools used by software, hardware, and operations teams.

  • Develop end-to-end integration tests, regression suites, and ETL data quality checks to validate system telemetry and third-party API integrations.

  • Build backend integration services and test automation scripts (Python, TypeScript, or Java) to simulate real-world operational environments.

  • Establish monitoring, automated alerting, and CI/CD testing pipelines to ensure continuous integration and software quality across deployments.

  • Investigate complex software, firmware, and data integration failures, conducting root-cause analysis across distributed systems.

  • Partner directly with cross-functional engineering teams to define test plans, qualification procedures, and system performance benchmarks.

WHAT WEโ€™RE LOOKING FOR
  • 6+ years of professional software test engineering or test automation experience.

  • Strong programming skills in Python, TypeScript/JavaScript, or Java for building automated test suites, tooling, and integration frameworks.

  • Solid experience testing RESTful APIs, integration services, and complex data flows across microservices architectures.

  • Strong SQL and database query skills for validating data correctness, schema evolution, and backend pipeline execution.

  • Hands-on experience with CI/CD tools (GitHub Actions, Jenkins) and containerized deployment environments (Docker, AWS, Kubernetes).

  • Comfort owning test infrastructure end-to-end, including test fixture setup, environment configuration, and operational hardening.

  • Clear written and verbal communication, with a bias for direct collaboration and fast execution.

BONUS POINTS
  • Experience with test framework orchestration tools (pytest, Cypress, Playwright, or similar).

  • Familiarity with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing, bus communication protocols, or edge-to-cloud data verification.

  • Experience testing event-driven systems or queue-based integration patterns.

  • Exposure to defense, maritime, or regulated environments with strict software verification and validation (V&V) standards.

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