508 Tester

Steampunk; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Steampunk is seeking a 508 Test Engineer to ensure web, software, and digital platforms meet Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 standards. You will collaborate with developers, designers, and product teams to identify accessibility issues early and guide teams toward compliant solutions.

With 5+ years in accessibility testing, QA and test automation in Agile or DevSecOps, you will develop accessibility plans, execute tests, document issues with repro steps, and support CI/CD integration.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of accessibility testing for web or enterprise apps.
• Familiarity with 508 and WCAG 2.1 standards.
• Experience with assistive technologies (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver).
• CI/CD experience with GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or GitLab CI.
• Programming or scripting in JavaScript, Python, or Java.
• Ability to obtain a U.S. government Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and test web and application interfaces for Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 compliance.
• Develop and execute accessibility test plans, test cases, and reports.
• Document accessibility issues with reproduction steps and track fixes.
• Use manual and automated testing tools to verify compliance.
• Collaborate with developers, UX designers, and business analysts on accessible design.
• Participate in Agile sprint planning and CI/CD integration for accessibility testing.
• Contribute to automation strategies using Selenium, Cypress, or Playwright.
• Provide guidance on accessibility best practices to engineering teams.
• Conduct accessibility audits and VPAT/ACR reports.
• Stay current with evolving accessibility standards and tools.
• Engineer and implement improvements for services.

Skills

Accessibility testing

Quality Assurance

Test automation

Agile/DevSecOps

CI/CD

Screen readers

Assistive tech

Collaboration

JavaScript/Python/Java

Education

BS in IT field

BS in non-IT field with 2 years IT experience

Tools

Axe

JAWS

NVDA

WAVE

ANDI

Deque tools

Selenium

Cypress

Playwright

Job description

Overview

As a 508 Test Engineer, you will provide quality assurance services focused on accessibility compliance to ensure web, software, and digital platforms meet Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 standards. You will collaborate closely with developers, designers, and product teams to identify accessibility issues early in the development lifecycle and guide teams toward compliant solutions. We are seeking candidates with 5 years of experience in accessibility testing, quality assurance, and test automation within Agile or DevSecOps environments.

Contributions

• Evaluate and test web and application interfaces for Section 508 and WCAG 2.1 compliance.
• Develop and execute accessibility test plans, test cases, and reports.
• Document accessibility issues, provide detailed reproduction steps, and follow through on defect resolution.
• Use manual and automated testing tools (e.g., Axe, JAWS, NVDA, WAVE, ANDI, Deque tools) to verify compliance.
• Collaborate with developers, UX designers, and business analysts to build accessible-by-design solutions.
• Participate in Agile sprint planning, refinement, and retrospectives to ensure accessibility testing coverage.
• Contribute to automation strategies for accessibility testing using frameworks such as Selenium, Cypress, or Playwright.
• Support continuous integration pipelines by integrating accessibility testing into CI/CD processes.
• Provide technical guidance and accessibility best practices to engineering teams.
• Conduct accessibility audits and generate compliance documentation, including VPAT/ACR reports.
• Stay current with evolving accessibility standards, tools, and testing methodologies.
• Engineer and implement solutions and provide recommendations for continuous improvement for the services provided

Qualifications

• Ability to obtain a U.S. government Security Clearance
• BS Degree in an IT field OR BS in a non-IT field and 2 years related IT experience
• 5+ years of experience performing accessibility and usability testing for web or enterprise applications.
• Working knowledge of Section 508 standards, WCAG 2.1 guidelines, and related compliance frameworks.
• Experience using assistive technologies such as screen readers (JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver), keyboard-only navigation, and color contrast analyzers.
• Familiarity with common accessibility testing tools such as Axe, WAVE, ANDI, and Lighthouse.
• 3 years of experience working within Agile or DevSecOps pipelines with CI/CD tools (e.g., GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or GitLab CI).
• Experience programming or scripting in languages such as JavaScript, Python, or Java to support test automation.
• Excellent analytical, documentation, and communication skills, including clear reporting of testing outcomes and issues.

Preferred

• Bachelors Degree
• Certifications:
  • DHS Trusted Tester Certification (TTv5)
• Formal accessibility testing certifications (e.g., IAAP CPACC or WAS, Trusted Tester v5).
• Experience conducting accessibility audits and authoring VPAT/ACR documentation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, interpersonal and collaborative skills
• Experience with documenting an as-is state of the environment, perform a gap analysis, and produce artifacts that articulate options and recommendations preferred

About steampunk

Steampunk relies on several factors to determine salary, including but not limited to geographic location, contractual requirements, education, knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience. The projected compensation range for this position is $60,000 to $120,000. The estimate displayed represents a typical annual salary range for this position. Annual salary is just one aspect of Steampunk’s total compensation package for employees. Learn more about additional Steampunk benefits here.

Identity Statement

As part of the application process, you are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud.

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 our toughest mission challenges. 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.