Manual QA Engineer - (Hybrid)

Job Title: Senior Manual QA Engineer - Greenfield AI Project LOCATION: Irvine, CA (onsite). Monday through Thursday onsite, Fridays remote. COMPENSATION: $50-60 an hour. This is a contract that will convert to full-time. ABOUT US: We are on a mission to develop innovative AI solutions that will revolutionize our workforce. As we embark on an exciting new greenfield AI project, we are seeking an exceptional QA Automation Engineer, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the quality and reliability of our services for this groundbreaking initiative. JOB DESCRIPTION: Position Overview: We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced QA Engineer to join our Stealth AI Project team. In this role, you will be responsible for developing and executing automated tests, identifying and reporting defects, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure the successful development and deployment of our solutions. Key Responsibilities: • Review requirements, specifications, and technical design documents to provide timely and meaningful feedback. • Develop, document, and execute test cases (manual and/or automated). • Identify, record, and thoroughly document bugs or defects using issue-tracking tools (e.g., Jira). • Perform regression testing after bug fixes and software updates. • Collaborate with developers and product managers to reproduce and resolve issues. • Conduct functional, integration, system, and user acceptance testing (UAT). • Maintain and improve test plans and processes to ensure product reliability. • Participate in Agile/Scrum meetings and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives. • Ensure software quality across different browsers, platforms, and devices. • Communicate and coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure timely and high-quality releases. Qualifications & Skills • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. • 3+ years of professional experience in manual web and API testing, including test design and execution. • Strong expertise in test case design, defect management, and requirements traceability. • Proficiency with Jira, Confluence, and test management systems (TestRail, Zephyr, or similar). • Solid understanding of SDLC, STLC, Agile/Scrum, and DevOps workflows. • Proficient in testing RESTful APIs using Postman and Swagger, with a strong understanding of CI/CD workflows and database validation (SQL). • Working knowledge of CI/CD pipelines, particularly using GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or GitLab CI. • Familiarity with browser debugging tools, DevTools, and network logs. • Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and problem-solving mindset. • Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a focus on clarity and precision. • Ability to work independently while effectively collaborating within cross-functional teams. • Passion for quality, continuous learning, and adopting new QA tools or techniques. Preferred Qualifications (Nice-to-Have) • Basic understanding of test automation frameworks (e.g., Cypress, Playwright, Selenium). • Familiarity with JavaScript, Python, or another scripting language. • Experience in performance, security, or accessibility testing. • Exposure to cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure) and microservices architecture. • Understanding of API mocking and data-driven testing. Apply tot his job