Quality Assurance Intern (Summer 2027)

Bound; Ames (IA); On-site; USD 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Capstone project

Mentorship

Hands-on internship experience

Job summary

Bound in Ames, IA is seeking a QA Intern to learn quality assurance from the ground up. You will read specs, turn them into a test plan, execute tests on web and mobile, and write up findings so engineers can act immediately.

You will own a semester-long project evaluating automated test coverage, researching frameworks, prototyping, and presenting a recommendation. You will collaborate with product and engineering, gain hands-on testing experience, and participate in team ceremonies as part of

Qualifications

• Enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in CS, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Data Science, or a closely related technical field.
• Completed coursework in programming fundamentals and able to read code, write basic scripts.
• Strong written communication; describe problems precisely for reproducibility.
• Meticulous attention to detail and ability to follow a process.
• Ability to work independently on a defined project with weekly check-ins.

Responsibilities

• Learn and apply core QA methodology: test case design, boundary/edge analysis, regression testing, exploratory testing.
• Write clear, reproducible test plans and test cases from product requirements and specs.
• Execute manual test passes across Bound's web and mobile experiences; document results.
• File high-quality bug reports with precise reproduction steps and environment details.
• Verify bug fixes and perform regression checks before releases; collaborate with product managers and engineers.
• Maintain and improve the reusable regression test library; research automated testing frameworks.
• Prototype a small automated test suite; document trade-offs of building/maintaining automation.
• Present a written recommendation and demo to product/engineering teams at internship end.
• Participate in standups, sprints, and release readiness discussions.

Skills

Programming fundamentals

Written communication

Attention to detail

Independent work

Education

CS/SE/IS/Data Science degree

Tools

Playwright/Cypress/Selenium/Jest/pytest

Git/GitHub/PR workflows

Postman/browser dev tools

Issue trackers: Linear/Jira

Job description

About Bound

We believe an athletic director's job is one of the most critical in a community: to shape the lives and experiences of student-athletes. But as we listened, we learned that with dwindling budgets and growing responsibilities, they've had no choice but to spend more time managing logistics than leading their teams and programs. After countless conversations, we gained a deep understanding of their challenges, from handling transactions to managing schedules and tracking results.

This insight was the catalyst for Bound. We created an all-in-one platform to give ADs back their time. With our OneSchedule Technology at its core, our platform integrates essential tools like Activity Registration, Tickets and Passes, and 20+ additional solutions. Today, Bound empowers schools across the country to manage every aspect of their athletics and activities, all within a single, unified solution.

We're not just a software company; we are a team made up of former athletic directors, administrators, coaches, parents, and fans. We all share one core belief: in the power of youth sports and activities to positively impact communities and the people who live in them.

What An Internship at Bound includes

At Bound, internships are a structured experience designed to give you real ownership, real mentorship, and a real project to point to when you're done.

Here’s what to expect:

• A Capstone Project - You will own a meaningful project from day one through the final presentation, giving you something substantial to show for your summer.
• Real Team Experience - Beyond your project, you will be embedded in your team's day-to-day work, gaining hands-on exposure to how Bound operates.
• Mentorship & Support - regular 1:1s with your supervisor and a buddy to help you navigate your summer.
• Connection - Intern events and opportunities to connect with the broader Bound team.
• Program dates - Summer 2027 internships run May 17 - August 6, 2027 (approximately 12 weeks).

A note on timing: We’re recruiting for our Summer 2027 cohort. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with interviews and offers extending into winter/spring 2027. This role is open to students who will be enrolled in or have completed a relevant degree program as of Summer 2027 (e.g., rising juniors/seniors).

About the Role

Bound ships software that thousands of athletic directors, coaches, and families rely on during the few hours a week that matter most to them - game day. The QA Intern exists to help us protect that experience. You'll learn quality assurance from the ground up: how to read a spec, turn it into a test plan, execute that plan against real product, and write up what you find so an engineer can act on it immediately. Alongside the day-to-day testing work, you'll own a semester-long project evaluating how Bound should build and maintain automated test coverage - researching frameworks, prototyping a small suite against a real part of our product, and presenting a recommendation to the product and engineering teams. Success looks like: bugs caught before customers see them, test plans that outlive your internship, and a well-reasoned automation recommendation we can actually act on.

Key Responsibilities

• Learn and apply core QA methodology - test case design, boundary and edge case analysis, regression testing, and exploratory testing
• Write clear, reproducible test plans and test cases from product requirements, Linear issues, and feature specs
• Execute manual test passes across Bound's web and mobile experiences, documenting results case by case
• File high-quality bug reports with precise reproduction steps, expected vs. actual behavior, environment details, and supporting evidence
• Verify bug fixes and run regression checks before releasesPartner with product managers and engineers to clarify intended behavior when a spec is ambiguous
• Maintain and improve the reusable regression test library so coverage compounds over time
• Research automated testing frameworks and approaches, and assess their fit for Bound's stack and team size
• Prototype a small automated test suite against a defined area of the product to validate the recommendation in practice
• Document the trade-offs of building and maintaining automation - tooling cost, CI integration, flakiness, and ongoing ownership
• Present a written recommendation and demo to product and engineering at the end of the internship
• Participate in team standups, sprint ceremonies, and release readiness discussions

Required Qualifications

• Currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Data Science, or a closely related technical field
• Completed coursework in programming fundamentals - comfortable reading code and writing basic scripts in at least one language (Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Java, or similar)
• Strong written communication: able to describe a problem precisely enough that someone else can reproduce it without asking follow-up questions
• Meticulous attention to detail and a habit of following a process through to completion
• Ability to work independently on a defined project with weekly check-ins

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Exposure to testing frameworks such as Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, Jest, or pytest - coursework or personal projects count
• Familiarity with Git, GitHub, and pull request workflows
• Experience with issue trackers (Linear, Jira) or documentation tools (Notion, Confluence)
• Basic understanding of REST APIs and tools like Postman or browser dev tools
• Any prior QA, technical support, or software internship experience
• Background in K-12 athletics or activities - as a student-athlete, manager, coach, or fan

Who You Are

• A "learn it all." You'd rather ask the question than guess, and you retain what you're taught.
• Naturally skeptical. When something works, you wonder what happens if you do it slightly wrong - and then you try it.
• Organized under ambiguity. Given a rough spec and a deadline, you build your own structure rather than waiting to be handed one.
• A clear communicator. You can explain a technical problem to an engineer and a customer impact to a PM in the same sitting.
• Motivated by the mission. You care that the software works because you understand who's on the other side of a broken schedule on a Friday night.

Work Hours & Flexibility

Bound does not operate on a traditional "routine" workweek. When work needs to be done, we collaborate to get it done - whether that's in the morning, afternoon, evening, or occasionally on weekends.

At the same time, Bound supports flexibility for personal needs, family events, appointments, and time to recharge. Employees are trusted to manage their schedules while meeting deadlines and delivering high-quality work.

Work Location

Bound supports in-office, remote and hybrid work. Some roles may require on-site presence depending on team needs and responsibilities. Location expectations for this role: Ames, IA

Why Join Bound?

Bound Core Values:

• Moments Matter - We work for moment creators.
• Hands On. Hands In. - We live these problems and live to solve them.
• You Are Unusual - Everyone was given remarkable gifts. We want to see those in action.
• We Figure It Out - We don't dwell on a problem or issue, we work together and figure it out.
• Learn It Alls - We are learn it alls, not know it alls

Bound is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status. Bound is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need an accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us.