Software Test Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Software Test Engineer jobs in Virginia are actively in demand, concentrated in defense contracting, federal IT services, cybersecurity, and enterprise software sectors that anchor the Northern Virginia technology corridor, the Hampton Roads defense cluster, and the Richmond commercial tech market, with openings ranging from entry-level QA analysts through senior automation engineers. Major established employers with deep Virginia roots include Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and General Dynamics Information Technology, all of which maintain large engineering workforces across the state. The most sought-after specialties are test automation using Selenium or Cypress, DoD system integration testing, and cloud-based QA for federal platforms. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 28+ Software Test Engineer jobs
Responsibilities
- Understand the needs of stakeholders and conveying requirements to development teams
- Collaborate with product design teams to determine testing parameters and acceptance criteria
- Write comprehensive test plans, create test cases, develop test procedures, document bug reports, and produce final QA reports for products
- Manage test data architecture definition and coordinate test data requests
- Develop automated testing scripts with consideration for parallelization and idempotency
- Integrate test automation including performance, security, and functional tests into CI/CD pipelines
- Execute testing and examination of code written by others and analyze results, including three or more of the following:
- Data validation testing
- Functional testing
- Performance and load testing
- Usability testing
- Accessibility (Section 508) testing
- Develop automated testing scripts considering parallelization and idempotency
- 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 gap analysis, and produce artifacts that articulate options and recommendations
- Engineer and implement solutions and provide recommendations for continuous improvement of services provided
- Present regular status updates and provide cross-training to other DevOps team members
- Act as an individual contributor and mentor more junior team members
- Ability to obtain a U.S. government Security Clearance
- Bachelors Degree and 10 years of experience (7 must be relevant)
- 3 Years of Experience with Git SCM providers such as GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
- 3 Years of Experience with one or more programming or scripting languages
- 7 Years of application DevSecOps Experience with actual/active development experience in an Agile environment
- Experience utilizing docker containers and utilizing platforms such as Kubernetes
- 3 Years of Experience implementing test automation, using tools such as Selenium, Appium, Soap UI, RestAssured, Postman
- Experience integrating test automation including performance, security, and functional tests into CI/CD Pipelines
- Experience with performance and load testing
- Experience in one or more cloud computing environments (e.g. AWS, Azure, or GCP)
- Certifications:
- CAST (Certified Associate in Software Testing)
- International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) Certification
- Cloud certifications (AWS Certified Developer, Azure Developer Associate, etc.)
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal and collaborative skills
- Experience with behavior-driven development (BDD) and test-driven development (TDD) methodologies
Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. As an employee 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, visit http://www.steampunk.com.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Steampunk participates in the E-Verify program.
Responsibilities
- Understand the needs of stakeholders and conveying requirements to development teams
- Collaborate with product design teams to determine testing parameters and acceptance criteria
- Write comprehensive test plans, create test cases, develop test procedures, document bug reports, and produce final QA reports for products
- Manage test data architecture definition and coordinate test data requests
- Develop automated testing scripts with consideration for parallelization and idempotency
- Integrate test automation including performance, security, and functional tests into CI/CD pipelines
- Execute testing and examination of code written by others and analyze results, including three or more of the following:
- Data validation testing
- Functional testing
- Performance and load testing
- Usability testing
- Accessibility (Section 508) testing
- Develop automated testing scripts considering parallelization and idempotency
- 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 gap analysis, and produce artifacts that articulate options and recommendations
- Engineer and implement solutions and provide recommendations for continuous improvement of services provided
- Present regular status updates and provide cross-training to other DevOps team members
- Act as an individual contributor and mentor more junior team members
- Ability to obtain a U.S. government Security Clearance
- Bachelors Degree and 10 years of experience (7 must be relevant)
- 3 Years of Experience with Git SCM providers such as GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
- 3 Years of Experience with one or more programming or scripting languages
- 7 Years of application DevSecOps Experience with actual/active development experience in an Agile environment
- Experience utilizing docker containers and utilizing platforms such as Kubernetes
- 3 Years of Experience implementing test automation, using tools such as Selenium, Appium, Soap UI, RestAssured, Postman
- Experience integrating test automation including performance, security, and functional tests into CI/CD Pipelines
- Experience with performance and load testing
- Experience in one or more cloud computing environments (e.g. AWS, Azure, or GCP)
- Certifications:
- CAST (Certified Associate in Software Testing)
- International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) Certification
- Cloud certifications (AWS Certified Developer, Azure Developer Associate, etc.)
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal and collaborative skills
- Experience with behavior-driven development (BDD) and test-driven development (TDD) methodologies
Steampunk is a Change Agent in the Federal contracting industry, bringing new thinking to clients in the Homeland, Federal Civilian, Health and DoD sectors. Through our Human-Centered delivery methodology, we are fundamentally changing the expectations our Federal clients have for true shared accountability in solving their toughest mission challenges. As an employee 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, visit http://www.steampunk.com.
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Steampunk participates in the E-Verify program.
See All 28 Software Test Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Software Test Engineer JobsSoftware Test Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Software Test Engineer Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Science & Research
- Construction & Real Estate
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Medical Devices
- Technology & Software
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in software test engineer jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or a related engineering field
- Hands-on experience writing and executing automated test scripts using Selenium, Cypress, or similar frameworks
- Familiarity with Agile and Scrum development workflows and sprint-based testing cycles
- Proficiency with bug-tracking and test management tools such as Jira, TestRail, or Zephyr
- Active or eligibility for DoD security clearance, required by many Virginia defense and federal contractors
- Experience testing APIs using tools such as Postman or REST-Assured alongside CI/CD pipeline integration
Software Test Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a software test engineer in Virginia?
Most software test engineer roles in Virginia do not require a state-issued license, but a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field is the standard entry point for professional positions. Virginia's large defense and federal IT sector adds a practical requirement many other states lack: eligibility for a security clearance, which hiring managers at contractors in Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads treat as near-mandatory. Building a portfolio of automated test scripts and earning a recognized certification such as ISTQB Foundation Level strengthens applications significantly.
How much do software test engineers make in Virginia?
Software test 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 test engineers in Virginia?
Employers hiring software test engineers in Virginia right now include Northrop Grumman, Swift, and The Amatriot, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Virginia's concentration of federal agencies and defense prime contractors means many of the largest and most consistent hiring organizations are systems integrators and IT services firms with long-term government contracts throughout Northern Virginia and the Hampton Roads region.
Which Virginia cities have the most software test engineer jobs?
Waynesboro, Manassas, and Arlington account for the largest share of software test engineer openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia cities like Reston, McLean, and Herndon drive volume through dense clusters of defense contractors and federal agency support offices, while Richmond attracts commercial enterprise and fintech QA roles, and Hampton Roads openings are tied closely to Navy and DoD program work at nearby military installations.
Are there remote software test engineer jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 22% of software test engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting how portable automated testing and QA analysis work tends to be when no physical hardware lab is involved. The roles most likely to stay fully on-site are those requiring classified system access or hands-on hardware integration testing for DoD programs.
How can I get hired as a software test engineer in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a QA analyst or junior tester role at one of Virginia's many mid-size federal IT contractors, where teams routinely hire new graduates for manual testing before moving them into automation work. Companies such as Leidos and GDIT run associate and rotational programs designed for early-career candidates, and internships through Virginia Tech or George Mason University's computing programs feed directly into Northern Virginia contractor pipelines. Building a public GitHub portfolio with test automation samples and earning the ISTQB Foundation Level credential provides a measurable edge over other entry-level applicants.
Where can I find and apply to software test engineer jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to software test engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings across defense, federal IT, and commercial tech employers. Search the available roles, find the ones that match your experience and location preferences, and apply directly to each position.
See All 28 Software Test Engineer Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Software Test Engineer Jobs