QA Test Lead

Akumen, Inc.; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A tech company in DC is seeking a skilled mid-level QA Test Lead to ensure high-quality IT solutions. In this role, you will lead a team in developing and executing testing strategies, and must have significant experience in both manual and automated testing. Ideal candidates will possess a strong analytical mindset, effective communication skills, and a minimum of 8 years in software testing. ServiceNow expertise and an active security clearance are also required. This position is 100% onsite in Washington, DC.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software testing experience including leading QA teams.
• Hands-on experience with ServiceNow testing and validation.
• Strong experience with test case design and QA methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of Test Engineers.
• Develop and execute comprehensive test strategies.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to integrate testing into the SDLC.

Skills

Manual testing

Automated testing

Test planning

SQL

Agile methodologies

API testing tools

ServiceNow testing

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Postman

SoapUI

Jira

Azure DevOps

JMeter

LoadRunner

Selenium

Cypress

Playwright

Job description

Akumen is seeking a highly skilled and motivated mid-level QA Test Lead with demonstrated expertise in both manual and automated testing. In this role, you will help deliver high-quality, reliable, and secure IT solutions within a collaborative, multidisciplinary team. You will design and execute comprehensive testing strategies to validate functionality, performance, and compliance with business and technical requirements.

The ideal candidate has strong analytical skills, exceptional attention to detail, and a commitment to continuous improvement. They communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders and consistently meet deadlines.

Location

Washington, DC (Onsite – Downtown DC) — 100% Onsite

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of 4 Test Engineers, ensuring alignment with project goals and delivery timelines.
• Develop and execute comprehensive test strategies (manual, regression, integration, performance, and automation).
• Collaborate with developers, product owners, and stakeholders to integrate testing into the SDLC.
• Design, create, and maintain test cases, test data, and automated test scripts.
• Track, document, and manage defects through resolution, ensuring quality standards are met.
• Support UAT, conduct risk-based and exploratory testing, and promote QA best practices in Agile environments.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 8+ years of software testing experience (manual + automation) and 3–5 years leading QA teams.
• Hands‑on ServiceNow testing experience (required), including validation of ServiceNow‑based applications.
• Strong experience with test planning, test case design, and QA methodologies.
• Proficiency in SQL, scripting/programming, and API testing tools (Postman, SoapUI).
• Experience with Agile/Scrum tools (e.g., Jira, Azure DevOps) and performance testing tools (JMeter, LoadRunner).
• Experience with automation frameworks (Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, etc.).
• Experience with ServiceNow Automated Test Framework (ATF).
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices.
• Strong understanding of system integration and enterprise application testing.
• Experience working in government or regulated environments.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.

Clearance Requirement

• Active Interim DoD/DSS SECRET clearance or higher

Akumen, Inc. is an equal employment opportunity employer. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law (federal, state, or local). We value a respectful, inclusive workplace where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. Akumen, Inc. maintains a drug‑free workplace, consistent with applicable local, state, and federal laws.