Quality Assurance Analyst [QAA-2026-09]

About the Role

Agate Software is seeking a QA Analyst who turns fuzzy requirements into crisp, testable outcomes and raises the bar on quality across projects. You'll enforce simple, repeatable QA guardrails, push back early when stories are thin, and insist on clear acceptance criteria so our team can meet our commitments for accurate builds with first-pass quality. This is an onsite position eligible for a hybrid schedule (3 days required onsite/2 days remote) after the first 90 days.

What You'll Do

• Create and maintain test cases tied to acceptance criteria and real user flows
• Prioritize by risk to protect the highest-impact paths first
• Execute manual tests; log "dev-ready" defects with clear repro steps and data
• Validate data with basic SQL (read/write simple queries, joins, filters)
• Push for clarity early: flag gaps, reject unclear stories, and partner with Project Managers and Business Analysts to solidify customer requirements
• Establish lightweight QA guardrails (where test cases live, how they're written, how they're kept current)
• Tighten UAT: shorten cycles, reduce rework, and improve signal quality
• Publish simple metrics (coverage, escaped defects on covered flows, UAT cycle time)
• Build an initial backlog of high-ROI automation candidates as we scale

What You'll Bring

• 3+ years of QA experience across the SDLC in fast-moving teams
• Strong test design and risk-based prioritization; comfort saying "not ready" when criteria are weak
• Clear, concise communication with Developers, Project Managers, and Business Analysts; healthy EQ and respectful professional pushback
• SQL proficiency for data validation and sanity checks
• Bias for simple, repeatable process over heroics

What Success Looks Like

• Predictable, measurable QA on assigned projects within 60–90 days
• Fewer escaped defects on covered flows and faster UAT turnaround
• Requirements clarified earlier; fewer "thin" stories entering testing
• Guardrails adopted by peers (shared templates, consistent test artifacts)
• A ranked automation-candidate list with impact notes