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Test Engineering Jobs in Washington, DC (NOW HIRING)

Test Engineering Team Lead

Mclean, VA · On-site

$110 - $160/hr

Overview As a Test Engineering Team Lead , you will work with our growingDevSecOpspractice as a team lead delivering quality assurance services to support application,cloudand data systems ...

Four (4) years of additional Test Engineering or related experience may be substituted for a bachelor's degree. * A master's degree may be substituted for two (2) years of experience. Required ...

A Bachelor's degree in in Math, Science, Engineering, Statistics, Engineering Management or related discipline from an accredited college or university. Certifications: None : As a Test Engineer on ...

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Test Engineering information

See Washington, DC salary details

$84.9K

$129.5K

$172.7K

How much do test engineering jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for test engineering in Washington, DC is $129,491.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $113,300.00 and $145,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is test engineering?

Test engineering is a field focused on designing, developing, and executing tests to ensure the quality and functionality of products, typically in software or manufacturing industries. Test engineers create testing plans, identify potential issues, and work closely with development teams to resolve defects before products reach customers. Their work is crucial in verifying that products meet specified requirements and industry standards. Test engineering can involve both manual and automated testing processes, depending on the nature of the product and the project requirements.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a test engineer?

To thrive as a Test Engineer, you need strong analytical skills, a background in engineering or computer science, and experience with software or hardware testing methodologies. Familiarity with automated testing tools (such as Selenium, JUnit, or LabVIEW), scripting languages, and test management systems is typically required. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication distinguish top performers in this role. These skills ensure reliable product quality, efficient defect resolution, and clear collaboration across development teams.

What are some common challenges faced by test engineers, and how can they be effectively managed?

Test engineers often encounter challenges such as tight project deadlines, rapidly changing requirements, and the need to quickly learn new testing tools or technologies. Managing these challenges involves strong communication with development teams to clarify requirements, prioritizing testing tasks based on risk, and continuously updating one's skills. Collaborative work environments and agile methodologies can also help test engineers stay flexible and efficient, enabling them to deliver high-quality results even in fast-paced settings.

What is the difference between Test Engineering vs Quality Assurance (QA) Testing?

AspectTest EngineeringQuality Assurance (QA) Testing
Primary FocusDesigning, developing, and executing test plans and automation scripts to validate productsVerifying that products meet quality standards through manual and automated testing
Work EnvironmentEngineering teams, development labs, automation toolsTesting labs, user environments, QA departments
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Engineering, Computer Science; knowledge of testing tools and scriptingBachelor's in Computer Science, Quality Management; familiarity with testing methodologies
Industry UsageUsed across software, hardware, and embedded systems industriesPrimarily in software development and IT sectors

Test Engineering focuses on creating and implementing testing processes and automation to ensure product functionality, while QA Testing emphasizes verifying that products meet quality standards through various testing methods. Both roles are essential in the product development lifecycle but differ in scope and responsibilities.

Are test engineers in demand?

Test engineering is a growing field with strong demand due to the increasing complexity of electronic and software products. Employers seek professionals skilled in automation tools, scripting, and quality assurance processes, often requiring certifications and experience with testing frameworks. Job prospects are favorable across industries such as manufacturing, technology, and automotive sectors.

How much does a test engineering get paid?

Test engineers typically earn a median annual salary ranging from $60,000 to $90,000, depending on experience, location, and industry. Entry-level positions may start lower, while experienced professionals with specialized skills or certifications can earn higher salaries, especially in high-demand sectors like electronics or software testing.

What does a test engineering do?

A test engineer designs, develops, and executes tests to ensure the quality and functionality of products or systems. They use tools like test automation software and may analyze test data to identify defects, working closely with design and manufacturing teams to improve product reliability.

What are the most commonly searched types of Test Engineering jobs in Washington, DC?

The most popular types of Test Engineering jobs in Washington, DC are:

Infographic showing various Test Engineering job openings in Washington, DC as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 11% Part Time, 4% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 87% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $129,491 per year, or $62.3 per hour.

Test Engineering Team Lead

Steampunk

Mclean, VA • On-site

$110 - $160/hr

Other

Posted 24 days ago


Job description

Overview

As aTest EngineeringTeam Lead, you will work with our growingDevSecOpspractice as a team lead delivering quality assurance services to support application,cloudand data systems development. We are looking for candidates with 5-7years experiencewithresponsibility for leadinga team of quality assurance and test automationprofeesionalsto drive projectsin an Agile/DevSecOpsenvironment.

Contributions

Responsibilities include:

  • Serves as the technical delivery leader, accountable for completion of team delivery efforts including quality oversight and client acceptance
  • Fosters and promotes innovative thinking across the client environment
  • Builds andmaintainsclient relationships, developing a strategic vision for clients and internal teams
  • Handles challenging client situations and offers technical and business guidance & direction to client executives
  • Manages staff and monitors performance and training needs to create skills expansion and career advancement opportunity
  • Understanding the needs of stakeholders and conveying this to developers
  • Meet with product design team todeterminetesting parameters
  • Write test plans, create test cases, test procedures, bug reports, final QA reports for products
  • Manage test data architecture definition and requests
  • Troubleshoot errors and streamline the test procedures
  • Testing and examining code written by others and analyzing results, including three or more of the following:
    • Data validation testing
    • Functional testing
    • Performance and load testing
    • Usability testing
    • Accessibility (508) testing
  • Establishingautomated testing tools and infrastructure for test automation
  • Providevalidation testing of different system and data sets for cloud migrations
  • Develop automated testing scripts considering parallelization and idempotency
  • Automate and improve development, testing, deployment,and release processes
  • Ensuring that systems are safe and secure against cybersecurity threats
  • Working with software developers and software engineers to ensure that development follows established processes and works as intended
  • Document as-is state of the environment, perform a gap analysis, and produce artifacts that articulate options and recommendations
  • Leverage virtualization and containerization tooptimizetesting software systems
  • Work with teams to bring continuous improvement toDevSecOpsprocesses and tools.
  • Engineer and implement solutions andproviderecommendations for continuous improvement for the servicesprovided
  • Present regular status updates andprovidecross training to other DevOps team members.
  • Leads and manages team members
  • Assistsin sales and technical strategy activities beyond their current program
  • Engineer and implement solutions and provide recommendations for continuous improvement for the services provided
Qualifications

Required:

  • Ability to obtain a U.S. government Security Clearance
  • BS Degree in an IT field OR BS in a non-IT field and 2 years related IT experience
  • Proven experience of leading the deployment of enterprise and custom Software solutions in client environments
  • Demonstrated ability to influence and consult while providing thought leadership to sponsors/stakeholders in solving governance, program/project management, business process and/or technical problems
  • Proven experience growing and selling while delivering
  • 5 Years of Experience with Git SCM providers such as GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
  • 5 Years of Experience with one or more programming or scripting languages
  • 5 Years of applicationDevSecOpsExperience with actual/active development experience in an Agile environment
  • Experience utilizing docker containers andutilizingplatforms such as Kubernetes
  • 5 Years of Experience implementing test automation, using tools such asSelenium, Appium, Soap UI,RestAssured, Postman
  • 3 Years of Experience integrating test automation including performance, security, and functional tests into CI/CD Pipelines
  • 3 Years of Experience with performance and load testing

Preferred:

  • MSDegree
  • Certifications:
  • CAST (CertifiedAssociate in SoftwareTesting)
  • International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) Certification
  • Certified Manager of Software Testing (CMST)
  • DHS Trusted Tester Certification (TTv5)
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal and collaborative skills
  • Experience with documenting an as-is state of the environment, perform a gap analysis, and produce artifacts that articulate options and recommendations preferred
About steampunk

Steampunk relies on several factors to determine salary, including but not limited to geographic location, contractual requirements, education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience. The projected compensation range for this position is $110,000 to $160,000. The estimate displayed represents a typical annual salary range for this position. Annual salary is just one aspect of Steampunk’s total compensation package for employees. Learn more about additional Steampunk benefits here.

Identity Statement

As part of the application process, you are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud.

Steampunk is aChange Agentin the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through ourHuman-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. As anemployee owned company, we focus on investing in our employees to enable them to do the greatest work of their careers – and rewarding them for outstanding contributions to our growth. If you want to learn more about our story, visithttp://www.steampunk.com.

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