Senior Manual QA Engineer (with API, AI, Database & Performance Testing Exposure)SaaS

Job description

Please note : that we are open to negotiation based on the your experience and compensation expectations. Strong communication skills (10/10) are essential for this role. Experience in AI or chatbot testing will be considered a valuable advantage

We are seeking a highly detail-oriented and experienced Manual QA Engineer to join our dynamic product delivery team. This role is pivotal in orchestrating the end-to-end quality assurance lifecycle—including comprehensive manual test execution, strategic test case development, API validation, backend/database verification, and non-functional performance assessments. The ideal candidate will operate at the intersection of quality, collaboration, and innovation, driving scalable, defect-free software releases that align with both business and user expectations.

Key Responsibilities

o Test Planning and Strategy : Collaborate with product owners, business analysts, and development teams to perform detailed requirement analysis and convert them into robust test strategies.

o Derive and prioritize high-coverage test scenarios, integrating both functional and non-functional dimensions aligned with sprint goals and release roadmaps.

o Define entry/exit criteria, traceability matrices, risk-based testing approaches, and test schedules in alignment with delivery milestones.

o Test Case Creation & Management

o Design modular, reusable, and comprehensive test cases mapped to user stories, use cases, and acceptance criteria using tools like TestRail, Zephyr, or Xray.

o Include positive, negative, edge-case, boundary, exploratory, and UI/UX-focused validations to ensure maximum test coverage.

o Apply advanced test case optimization methods (e.g., decision tables, equivalence partitioning, state transitions) to ensure test efficiency and effectiveness.

API Testing

o Validate RESTful and SOAP APIs using tools like Postman, Swagger, or REST Assured, ensuring endpoints behave correctly under valid and invalid conditions.

o Verify authentication mechanisms (OAuth, JWT), data contracts (JSON/XML schema), HTTP status codes, and response time SLAs.

o Create automated API test suites and data-driven scenarios where feasible to reduce regression cycle time.

Database Testing

o Perform backend validation of transactional workflows by executing complex SQL queries across normalized schemas (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle, MongoDB).

o Ensure data integrity, consistency, CRUD operations, constraints, and business rules are properly enforced at the database layer.

o Validate data synchronization across integrated systems and downstream data pipelines when applicable.

Manual Test Execution

o Execute test cases manually across diverse test environments, operating systems, and device profiles including cross-browser and responsive validation.

o Conduct various levels of testing such as: Functional, Regression, Smoke/Sanity, Integration, System and UAT support

Localization/Accessibility (where applicable)

o Performance and Load Testing (Basic)

o Collaborate with performance engineers or utilize tools like JMeter or BlazeMeter to simulate user load and capture baseline metrics (TPS, memory usage, response time).

o Execute lightweight load tests on APIs or key application workflows to identify bottlenecks early in the SDLC.

o Contribute to performance tuning recommendations and assist in validating scalability improvements post-deployment

Defect Lifecycle Management

o Log, triage, and track defects using enterprise-level defect tracking tools like JIRA, Bugzilla, or Azure DevOps.

o Perform root cause analysis (RCA) in collaboration with development teams and ensure retesting and regression closure of resolved issues.

o Maintain rigorous defect documentation with replication steps, system logs/screenshots, and environmental metadata.

Test Reporting and Metrics

o Generate daily/weekly quality reports, DRE (Defect Removal Efficiency), defect density trends, and test execution dashboards.

o Provide QA sign-off with risk analysis, unresolved issue log, and exit report for release governance.

Collaboration and Agile Engagement

o Work within Agile/Scrum or hybrid delivery models, actively participating in sprint planning, backlog grooming, retrospectives, and product demos.

o Foster a collaborative QA culture by sharing best practices, mentoring junior team members, and contributing to a shared test repository or QA Wiki.

Continuous Process Improvement

o Evaluate and adopt new tools, methodologies, and techniques in manual and semi-automated testing to streamline QA processes.

o Proactively suggest improvements to test coverage, defect prevention, and agile workflows through retrospectives and KPIs.

Required Qualifications

o Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related technical discipline.

o 3–5 years of professional experience in manual testing, with proven ownership of quality assurance for multiple product releases.

o Strong understanding of STLC, SDLC, Agile methodologies, QA metrics, and traceability models.

o Proficiency in writing test cases, test scenarios, and defect reports aligned with user stories and requirements.

o Solid hands-on experience in API testing, backend data validation, and basic performance testing frameworks.

o Exposure to CI/CD pipelines, Git workflows, and test integration in build automation tools is a plus.

o Superior communication, documentation, and analytical thinking skills