QA Test Engineer Jobs in Virginia
QA Test Engineer jobs in Virginia are in strong and consistent demand, concentrated in defense contracting, federal IT systems, cybersecurity, and commercial software development, with openings at every level from entry-level to senior and principal engineer. The largest hiring activity is in the Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Hampton Roads metros, where established employers like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Northrop Grumman maintain significant engineering operations. Automation testing, software quality assurance for government systems, and API and performance testing are among the most sought-after specialties across Virginia listings. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Public Trust Eligibility Required
About Aretum
Aretum is a mission-driven organization committed to delivering innovative, technology-enabled solutions to our customers across defense, civilian, and homeland security sectors. Our teams work at the intersection of strategy, technology, and transformation, helping agencies solve their most critical challenges. We believe in investing in our people and creating a culture where collaboration, inclusion, and professional growth are at the forefront.
Job Summary
Serve as a QA Automation Test Engineer supporting an Agile team responsible for creating, maintaining, and enhancing applications for a federal government client. The successful candidate will be responsible for planning, developing, executing, and maintaining manual and automated testing solutions that ensure application quality, performance, accessibility, and reliability.
Due to the nature of our work as a federal consulting organization, employees may be expected to handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and must adhere to applicable safeguarding and compliance requirements.
Responsibilities
- Design, develop, execute, and maintain manual and automated test cases for web applications, APIs, and integrated systems.
- Develop and maintain test strategies, test plans, and testing approaches that support the level of automation needed for application quality and delivery objectives.
- Provide clear feedback by following the standard testing process in writing detailed descriptions, acceptance criteria, identifying problems and documenting steps in the ticketing system.
- Build and maintain reusable automated test scripts, utilities, and testing components that reduce repetitive testing efforts and improve testing efficiency.
- Design, implement, and support scalable test automation frameworks that enable consistent and maintainable automated testing across teams.
- Perform functional, regression, smoke, integration, end-to-end, and user story validation testing throughout the software development lifecycle.
- Collaborate with Product Owners, Business Analysts, Developers and Testers to determine quality expectations during backlog refinement and sprint planning.
- Contribute to the team's Definition of Done (DoD) by ensuring appropriate test coverage, successful test execution, and quality validation prior to story completion.
- Integrate automated testing into Azure DevOps CI/CD pipelines and leverage continuous integration practices to provide rapid feedback on code quality.
- Develop and execute load, performance, and scalability tests to validate application stability, reliability, and capacity under expected usage conditions.
- Analyze test results, identify defects and risks, measure test coverage, and provide actionable recommendations to improve overall software quality and release readiness.
Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree (BA or BS) or equivalent combination of education and 4 additional years of relevant experience.
- 5+ years’ experience in using automation tools for testing systems and applications, writing and executing test scripts.
- 3+ years’ experience with automation testing tools, Playwright preferred (e.g., GitHub Issues/GitLab Issues, Selenium, Cypress, SonarQube, NeoLoad, and/or Postman).
- Experience developing automation and performance testing strategies and frameworks from the ground up.
- Experience creating reusable test automation solutions and integrating automated testing into CI/CD pipelines.
- Experience performing functional, regression, smoke, integration and end-to-end testing.
- Experience performing manual accessibility testing with screen readers and other accessibility tools.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Experience with collaborating and working across functional teams.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Azure / .NET.
- Federal Government experience as a contractor.
- DHS Trusted Tester Certification.
Travel Requirements
This is a remote position; however, occasional travel may be required based on project needs, client meetings, team collaboration events, or training sessions. Travel is expected to be less than 10% and will be communicated in advance whenever possible.
EEO Statement
Aretum is committed to fostering a workplace rooted in excellence, integrity, and equal opportunity for all. We adhere to merit-based hiring practices, ensuring that all employment decisions are made based on qualifications, skills, and ability to perform the job, without preference or consideration of factors unrelated to job performance.
As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Aretum complies with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.
We are proud to support our nation’s veterans and military families, providing career opportunities that honor their service and experience.
If you require reasonable accommodation during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact hr@aretum.com for assistance.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled
U.S. Work Authorization
Applicants must be U.S. citizens or currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. This position supports a federal government contract and requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust or Suitability Determination, depending on the agency’s background investigation requirements. Sponsorship is not available.
Benefits
- Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
- Retirement Plan (401k)
- Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
- Paid Time Off
- Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
- Short Term & Long-Term Disability
- Training & Development
See All 9 QA Test Engineer Jobs in Virginia
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Find QA Test Engineer JobsQA Test Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
QA Test Engineer Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring



What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in QA test engineer jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or a related engineering field
- Hands-on experience with test automation frameworks such as Selenium, Cypress, or Playwright
- Proficiency writing and executing test cases, test plans, and defect reports
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines and tools such as Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or Azure DevOps
- Familiarity with Agile and Scrum methodologies and sprint-based testing workflows
- Knowledge of API testing tools such as Postman or REST Assured and SQL query fundamentals
QA Test Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a qa test engineer in Virginia?
There is no state-issued license required to work as a qa test engineer in Virginia. Most employers expect a bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or software engineering, though some accept an associate degree paired with a strong portfolio. Certifications such as ISTQB Foundation Level or CSTE are widely recognized and strengthen applications considerably. Virginia's large defense and federal IT sector also values clearance eligibility, so starting that process early gives candidates a practical edge.
Which companies hire qa test engineers in Virginia?
Employers hiring qa test engineers in Virginia right now include Groundswell, TIAG, and Aretum, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Virginia's defense and federal IT concentration means that government contractors and large systems integrators headquartered in the Northern Virginia corridor represent a substantial share of total openings.
Which Virginia cities have the most qa test engineer jobs?
McLean, Reston, and Virginia are the Virginia cities with the most qa test engineer openings. Northern Virginia drives the largest share of listings because of its dense cluster of federal agencies, defense contractors, and commercial technology firms, while Richmond and Hampton Roads add volume through state government IT programs, financial services companies, and military installation support contracts.
Are there remote qa test engineer jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than most technical fields. About 100% of qa test engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how well testing and automation work translates to distributed teams. The most remote-compatible portions of the role include writing and running automated test suites, defect tracking, and code review, while positions requiring hands-on hardware testing or access to classified government systems tend to require on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a qa test engineer in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through a junior or associate QA analyst role, particularly within Virginia's large government contracting firms, which regularly onboard early-career candidates through structured associate programs. Lateral moves from roles like business analyst, technical support specialist, or software developer trainee are common entry points because they demonstrate familiarity with software development cycles. Building a portfolio of automated test scripts on public repositories strengthens applications significantly, and earning the ISTQB Foundation Level certification before applying gives candidates a concrete credential Virginia employers consistently recognize.
Where can I find and apply to qa test engineer jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to qa test engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings tied to Virginia employers and locations. Find the roles that fit your background and experience level and apply directly through each listing.
See All 9 QA Test Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find QA Test Engineer Jobs