Quality Assurance Lead

Title: Quality Assurance LeadLocation: Remote, MNDuration: 12 monthsJob Description:OverviewWe are seeking a highly experienced Senior QA Analyst to support the Minnesota Judicial Branch in delivering quality assurance leadership and hands-on testing across multiple application initiatives. This role is critical in an environment where QA processes are still maturing, requiring a resource who can both execute testing and help establish structure, consistency, and best practices.This is a high-impact individual contributor role requiring strong ownership, initiative, and the ability to operate independently while collaborating across development and business teams.Key ResponsibilitiesPerform hands-on functional, exploratory, and regression testing across multiple applications and workflowsDevelop, maintain, and execute detailed test cases and test scenariosCreate and contribute to test plans and master test plans aligned with release cyclesIdentify, document, and track defects with clear, reproducible stepsAnalyze application behavior and proactively identify risk areas and testing gapsProvide recommendations on test coverage, prioritization, and risk mitigationSupport ongoing sprint and release testing cycles in Agile environmentsContribute to building and standardizing QA processes, documentation, and frameworksCollaborate with developers, business analysts, and stakeholders to ensure application quality and stabilityProvide informal guidance to junior testers when needed (non-supervisory role)Participate in initial QA maturity assessment (first 30–45 days) to identify gaps and improvement areasDeliverablesExecuted test cases and test results documentationComprehensive test plans and QA documentationDetailed defect logs with reproducible stepsRisk assessments and testing recommendationsContributions to standardized QA processes and repeatable frameworksRequired Qualifications8+ years of experience in software quality assuranceStrong background in hands-on testing (not just coordination)Deep understanding of QA methodologies, SDLC, and Agile environmentsProven experience with:Test case creation and executionExploratory and functional testingTest planning and documentationAbility to identify risk and adjust testing strategy accordinglyStrong written and verbal communication skillsAbility to work independently and take full ownership of QA effortsComfortable working in unstructured or evolving QA environmentsPreferred QualificationsExperience with test automation tools/frameworks (Selenium, Cypress, etc.)Exposure to CI/CD pipelines and automated testing integrationKnowledge of accessibility testing (WCAG standards)Experience supporting enterprise or government systemsBackground in improving or implementing QA processes and standardsEnvironment & Tools (What You Should Expect)Agile/Scrum-based development environmentMixed QA maturity (some applications lack structured QA processes)Collaboration with distributed teams and stakeholdersLikely tools may include Jira, Azure DevOps, or similar (not explicitly stated but expected)What Success Looks LikeAbility to quickly assess QA gaps within the first 30–45 daysEstablishing consistency in testing practices across applicationsReducing production defects and improving release reliabilityBringing structure and repeatability to QA processesWhat the JD/SOW Does NOT Say (But You NEED to Recruit for)This is NOT a passive QA roleYou need someone who can build structure from scratch, not just follow test scripts.Must be comfortable in ambiguityThere are no fully established QA processes—this person must create order, not wait for it.Strong communication is criticalThey will be interacting with:IT leadershipDevelopersBusiness stakeholdersThis is NOT a heads-down-only tester.Needs a "Lead without title" mindsetNot a managerBut expected to own QA strategy + guide othersRisk-based testing mindset is keyNot just executing scripts—must prioritize what matters most.Government environment expectationsSlower processes / more documentationCompliance-heavy mindsetStability over speedReliability > AutomationAutomation is "nice to have," but this is a manual-heavy, foundational QA roleCandidate must be highly accountableWorks independentlyNo micromanagementExpected to deliver consistently