STEM OPT Quality Assurance Tester Jobs
Quality Assurance Tester roles in software and hardware testing qualify for the STEM OPT extension, giving you up to 24 additional months of work authorization beyond your initial OPT year. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and your degree in computer science, engineering, or a related STEM field must align with the CIP code on your I-20.
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Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Work Arrangement: This position requires working onsite in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Position Summary
The QA Tester is responsible for ensuring that software releases are stable, functional, and ready for production through hands-on manual testing. This is primarily a manual QA testing position focused on executing test cases during functional, sanity, and regression testing cycles. The tester will identify and document defects, maintain test cases, validate testing environments, and work closely with QA and Development teams to ensure applications meet quality requirements before release.
Key Responsibilities
- Execute manual test cases for functional, sanity, and regression testing.
- Test new software releases, enhancements, fixes, and application changes.
- Identify, document, and report software defects clearly and accurately.
- Retest resolved defects and confirm that fixes work as expected.
- Create, maintain, and update test cases using JIRA/Xray.
- Develop and maintain test plans, test scenarios, test profiles, and test data.
- Validate testing environments before beginning test execution.
- Perform impact analysis to determine the appropriate regression testing scope following application changes.
- Document test execution results and maintain evidence of completed testing.
- Work closely with developers and QA team members to investigate and resolve defects.
- Participate in Agile/Scrum activities, including daily meetings, sprint planning, and defect reviews.
- Support testing activities for special projects, application enhancements, production fixes, and other QA initiatives.
- Maintain clear and accurate testing documentation.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of testing processes and software quality.
Key Deliverables
- Test Plans
- Test Cases
- Test Scenarios and Profiles
- Test Data
- Test Execution Results
- Testing Evidence
- Defect Reports and Tracking
- Regression Testing Results
- QA Documentation
Required Qualifications
- Experience performing manual software testing.
- Experience with functional, regression, and sanity testing.
- Experience creating and executing test cases.
- Experience identifying, documenting, and tracking software defects.
- Experience using JIRA and Xray, or similar test-management and defect-tracking tools.
- Understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC).
- Experience performing impact analysis and determining regression testing scope.
- Ability to document testing activities and results clearly and accurately.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
Preferred Skills
- Strong attention to detail.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to follow detailed testing procedures.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple testing activities and deadlines.
- Strong collaboration skills.
- Experience working with developers, business analysts, and other QA professionals.
- Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments.
- Experience testing enterprise or financial applications is a plus.
Important: This is primarily a MANUAL TESTING position and requires working 100% ONSITE in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Candidates should be comfortable performing hands-on manual testing as a primary responsibility of the role.
QA Tester
Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Work Arrangement: This position requires working onsite in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Position Summary
The QA Tester is responsible for ensuring that software releases are stable, functional, and ready for production through hands-on manual testing. This is primarily a manual QA testing position focused on executing test cases during functional, sanity, and regression testing cycles. The tester will identify and document defects, maintain test cases, validate testing environments, and work closely with QA and Development teams to ensure applications meet quality requirements before release.
Key Responsibilities
- Execute manual test cases for functional, sanity, and regression testing.
- Test new software releases, enhancements, fixes, and application changes.
- Identify, document, and report software defects clearly and accurately.
- Retest resolved defects and confirm that fixes work as expected.
- Create, maintain, and update test cases using JIRA/Xray.
- Develop and maintain test plans, test scenarios, test profiles, and test data.
- Validate testing environments before beginning test execution.
- Perform impact analysis to determine the appropriate regression testing scope following application changes.
- Document test execution results and maintain evidence of completed testing.
- Work closely with developers and QA team members to investigate and resolve defects.
- Participate in Agile/Scrum activities, including daily meetings, sprint planning, and defect reviews.
- Support testing activities for special projects, application enhancements, production fixes, and other QA initiatives.
- Maintain clear and accurate testing documentation.
- Contribute to the continuous improvement of testing processes and software quality.
Key Deliverables
- Test Plans
- Test Cases
- Test Scenarios and Profiles
- Test Data
- Test Execution Results
- Testing Evidence
- Defect Reports and Tracking
- Regression Testing Results
- QA Documentation
Required Qualifications
- Experience performing manual software testing.
- Experience with functional, regression, and sanity testing.
- Experience creating and executing test cases.
- Experience identifying, documenting, and tracking software defects.
- Experience using JIRA and Xray, or similar test-management and defect-tracking tools.
- Understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and Software Testing Life Cycle (STLC).
- Experience performing impact analysis and determining regression testing scope.
- Ability to document testing activities and results clearly and accurately.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
Preferred Skills
- Strong attention to detail.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to follow detailed testing procedures.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple testing activities and deadlines.
- Strong collaboration skills.
- Experience working with developers, business analysts, and other QA professionals.
- Experience working in Agile/Scrum environments.
- Experience testing enterprise or financial applications is a plus.
Important: This is primarily a MANUAL TESTING position and requires working 100% ONSITE in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Candidates should be comfortable performing hands-on manual testing as a primary responsibility of the role.
See all 276+ STEM OPT Quality Assurance Tester Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Quality Assurance Tester
Verify your CIP code matches QA roles
Pull your I-20 and confirm your CIP code maps to a STEM-designated field like computer science or information systems. A mismatch between your listed major and a QA Tester role can get your STEM OPT extension denied before it starts.
Filter employers by E-Verify enrollment status
Search the E-Verify employer search tool to confirm any company you're targeting is actively enrolled before you apply. An unenrolled employer cannot legally hire you on STEM OPT, regardless of how willing they are to sponsor you.
Build a training plan tied to QA competencies
Your I-983 must list specific learning objectives your employer will supervise, so draft goals around test automation frameworks, defect lifecycle management, or SDLC participation. Vague objectives like 'gain experience' are the most common reason DSOs send training plans back for revision.
Target companies with active software testing LCAs
Use the OFLC Wage Search to identify employers who have filed Labor Condition Applications under QA or software testing job categories. Consistent LCA filings signal that a company has already built internal processes for hiring international workers in technical roles.
Find STEM OPT-ready QA roles on Migrate Mate
Search Quality Assurance Tester positions on Migrate Mate, which filters for employers verified against E-Verify enrollment and DOL LCA filing history. That saves you from applying to companies that have never navigated STEM OPT paperwork for technical roles.
Time your STEM OPT application around your offer letter
USCIS recommends filing your STEM OPT extension up to 90 days before your initial OPT expires. Get your I-983 signed by your employer before your DSO can issue a new I-20, so delays on the employer side don't compress your filing window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Quality Assurance Tester role qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, if your employer classifies the role under a STEM-eligible occupation and your degree is in a STEM field listed on the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. QA Tester positions in software development environments typically fall under computer and information science or engineering categories. Confirm the match with your DSO before filing, since your I-20 CIP code must support the extension.
What E-Verify requirement applies when I accept a QA Tester job on STEM OPT?
Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify before your STEM OPT extension is approved and must remain enrolled throughout your authorization period. E-Verify enrollment is a federal requirement, not a company preference. You can confirm enrollment using the E-Verify employer search tool before you sign an offer letter. If the company is not enrolled, your extension cannot be authorized regardless of the role.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for a QA Tester position?
Your I-983 must describe the practical training goals your employer will supervise, including specific QA competencies like test case design, defect tracking, regression testing, or test automation. Both you and a company supervisor must sign the form. Your DSO will review it before issuing the updated I-20 needed for your STEM OPT extension application to USCIS. Generic objectives are the most common reason plans get rejected.
How does cap-gap protection apply if I'm a QA Tester awaiting an H-1B decision?
If your employer files an H-1B visa petition on your behalf before your STEM OPT expires and USCIS selects it in the lottery, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of the fiscal year the petition targets. You can continue working as a QA Tester in the same role during that period. USCIS guidance confirms this extension is automatic and does not require a separate filing.
Where can I find Quality Assurance Tester jobs that accept STEM OPT students?
Migrate Mate filters QA Tester listings by employers verified against E-Verify enrollment and DOL Labor Condition Application history, so you're not sorting through postings from companies with no track record of hiring international candidates. The O*NET occupation profile for Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers can also help you identify whether a specific role description aligns with your STEM degree and training plan objectives.