Software QA Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Software QA Engineer jobs in Virginia are active across a broad range of sectors, including federal defense contracting, cybersecurity, cloud services, and enterprise software, with demand at every level from entry-level QA analyst through senior test architect. The heaviest concentrations of hiring are in Northern Virginia, Richmond, and the Hampton Roads area, where employers like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and General Dynamics Information Technology maintain large engineering workforces. The most sought-after specialties in Virginia are test automation, security testing for government systems, and performance engineering. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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NeatDevs LLC is a small federal subcontractor with a long-running seat on a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program in Ashburn, VA. We are hiring a mid-level Software QA Engineer to write and execute manual and automated tests for web applications on an Agile team supporting a mission-critical DHS/CBP program.
Clearance: U.S. citizenship is required (federal contract). You must be able to obtain a DHS/CBP Public Trust; an active or recent (last 24 months) Public Trust or other clearance shortens your start date but is not required.
Location: Hybrid - on-site in Ashburn, VA roughly one day per week, remote the rest. You must live in the DC/MD/VA area.
What you'll do:
Write and execute functional, regression, and end-to-end tests for web applications. Develop and maintain automated UI and API tests (Playwright, Selenium, Postman). Write BDD scenarios (Cucumber Gherkin) mapping acceptance criteria to verification points. Perform backend validations with SQL; log and track defects in Jira. Support Section 508 accessibility testing.
Required:
U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain a DHS/CBP Public Trust; must live in the DC/MD/VA area. Bachelor's degree (BA/BS) in Computer Science or related field. 5+ years of software QA experience, including hands-on test automation. Playwright or Selenium automation; API testing basics. SQL and Jira experience.
Nice to have:
Section 508 / ANDI exposure. GitLab CI/CD; federal program experience.
Pay and benefits: $67,000 - $78,000 per year depending on experience and clearance status. Full-time W-2 role with health, dental, and vision insurance, life insurance, 401(k), paid time off, and paid federal holidays.
NeatDevs LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
Pay: $67,000.00 - $78,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- This position is on a federal contract that requires U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain a DHS/CBP Public Trust background investigation. Are you a U.S. citizen? (Yes / No)
- Do you currently hold, or have you held within the last 24 months, a Public Trust or security clearance? If yes, which agency and when?
- This role is on site in Ashburn, VA about one day per week (remote the rest). Can you commit to that, and do you live in the DC/MD/VA area?
- What is your base salary expectation for this role?
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Ashburn, VA 20147
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Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Software QA Engineer Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in software QA engineer jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field required
- Hands-on experience with test automation frameworks such as Selenium, Cypress, or Playwright
- Proficiency writing and executing manual and automated test cases for web and backend systems
- Familiarity with Agile development methodologies and tools like Jira for defect tracking
- Experience working with API testing tools such as Postman or REST-Assured
- Active or eligible security clearance preferred for defense and government contractor roles in Virginia
Software QA Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a software qa engineer in Virginia?
Virginia does not require a state-issued license to work as a software qa engineer. Most employers hire candidates with a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or information technology, combined with demonstrated testing experience or relevant certifications such as ISTQB Foundation Level. Candidates targeting defense contractors in Northern Virginia often benefit from obtaining or being eligible for a federal security clearance, which significantly broadens available opportunities in that market.
How much do software QA engineers make in Virginia?
Software QA engineers in Virginia earn a median of about $121,590 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $78,820 for the lowest 10% to over $169,200 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire software qa engineers in Virginia?
Employers hiring software qa engineers in Virginia right now include General Dynamics Information Technology, Anduril, and Nightwing, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Virginia's concentration of federal contractors and technology firms means many openings require candidates who can work on government-facing systems or hold a security clearance.
Which Virginia cities have the most software qa engineer jobs?
Chantilly, Fort Belvoir, and Virginia have the most software qa engineer openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia dominates due to its dense cluster of federal agencies and defense contractors, while Richmond draws from a mix of financial services firms and state government technology projects, and Hampton Roads hiring is anchored by naval and military-adjacent technology employers.
Are there remote software qa engineer jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than most fields. Software QA engineering is well suited to remote work because testing and quality assurance tasks are largely performed through software tools and online collaboration platforms. About 17% of software qa engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how broadly distributed this work can be. Test automation and performance engineering roles tend to offer the highest share of fully remote arrangements.
How can I get hired as a software qa engineer in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is an associate or junior QA analyst role at a Virginia technology consultancy or government contractor, where teams often onboard candidates who demonstrate foundational testing knowledge and a willingness to learn automation tools. Large Virginia employers like Leidos and Booz Allen Hamilton run early-career and new-graduate hiring programs. Building a portfolio of personal automation scripts or contributing to open-source testing projects, combined with an ISTQB Foundation certification, gives candidates a concrete edge when competing for those roles.
Where can I find and apply to software qa engineer jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to software qa engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings updated regularly. Find the roles that fit your experience and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 16 Software QA Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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