Position: Junior Test Engineer/Test Engineer/Senior Test Engineer
Location: National Office
Business Unit: IT Testing Services
Group: Information Technology
Reporting to: Test Manager
Issue Date: September 2013
Delegated Authority: Nil
Staff Responsibility: Nil
Children’s Worker: No
Our Role
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is the lead agency for the social sector. We help the Government to set priorities across the sector, co-ordinate the actions of other social sector agencies and track changes in the social wellbeing of New Zealanders.
The Ministry provides policy advice, and delivers social services and assistance to children and young people, working age people, older people, and families, whānau and communities. We work directly with New Zealanders of all ages to improve their social wellbeing.
We serve over a million people, working out of more than 250 centres around the country. It is likely that every New Zealander will come into contact with the Ministry at some point in their life.
Our work, together with our social sector partners, is essential to achieving a sustainable and prosperous future, where all New Zealanders are able to take responsibility for themselves, be successful in their lives and participate in their communities.
Our Purpose
We help New Zealanders to help themselves to be safe, strong and independent.
Ko ta mātou he whakamana tangata kia tū haumaru, kia tū kaha, kia tū motuhake.
Our Principles
MSD people: All own what we all do | Take responsibility for what we do | Understand our role in the big picture, who can help us and who we can help | Navigate through ambiguity and the opportunity it brings to create better ways of doing things | Act with integrity, courage and transparency | Celebrate our achievements and those of our clients
Position Description Approved By:
______Deputy Chief Executive, Organisational Solutions
Date: ……/……/……
Group:
MSD uses a variety of channels to provide services to the public, including physical sites, contact centres, and limited services using the Internet. It is envisioned that Internet-based services will expand rapidly in the near future.
MSD staff use a large number of IT applications. Many are business critical systems. The following are the most significant:
· SWIFTT (Social Welfare for Tomorrow, Today) – the benefits processing and payments system.
· TRACE (Tracking, Recovery and Collection Enforcement) – debt recovery and management
· SOLO - employment system
· UCVII (Unified Customer View) – allows frontline staff to see a unified view of SWIFTT and SOLO together
· SAL (Student Allowances and Loan System)
· CHRIS and KEA –the HRMIS and FMIS systems respectively
The IT Unit’s contribution is through;
· Leadership in the development and delivery of business application solutions
· The provision of robust and reliable systems to support the business and external clients
· Total focus on serving internal customers
Business Unit:
The IT Testing Services Team works in coordination with other IT departments who are primarily responsible for delivering excellent customer service to frontline staff. This is achieved through the development of excellent relationships and communications with Business Units across the wider MSD business community.Purpose of the Position:
Junior Test Engineers plan, develop, execute, and report on testing as directed. All work produced and methods used must conform to the standard MSD testing processes and methodologies and be delivered to the required Ministerial work standards.
Junior Test Engineers aspire to become technical test practitioners. They are accountable for ensuring that testing is performed on projects assigned to them in accordance with Test Plans.
This is a technical position that utilises best-of-breed test tools and industry-standard test practices:
· Neoload and HP Loadrunner – performance testing software
· HP Quick Test Professional – automated testing software
· HP Quality Center – test management software
Test Engineers plan, develop, execute, and report on testing as directed for applications assigned to them. All work produced and methods used must conform to the standard MSD testing processes and methodologies and delivered to the required Ministerial work standards.
Test Engineers are test practitioners and are accountable for ensuring that adequate testing is performed that meets client expectations as defined in Test Plans, and within the constraints of the project schedule, cost, staffing, and test environments.
Engineer Levels
The table below outlines the expectations of the different levels of engineer:
Junior Test Engineer / · works with regular levels of supervision in undertaking test engagements
· work across a range of application systems
Test Engineer / Additional responsibilities include:
· participates in leading test engagements
· works independently
· identifies implications for applications architecture and infrastructure
Senior Test Engineer / Additional responsibilities include:
· leads key streams of work (eg process improvements)
· manages relationships with other IT partners
· supervises the day to day work of other Test Engineers in both technical and work standards
· proactively contributes to applications architecture design
Core Functions:
· Planning, development, executing and reporting assigned test work products
· Configuration of load generation environments required for performance testing
· Ensuring risk and audit requirements are met
· Ensuring adherence to MSD test processes and methodologies
· Measuring and reporting on application quality
· Applying knowledge and skills to ensure timely delivery of scheduled work products
Contributing to the successful operation of the IT Testing Services department
Working Relationships
Internal:
· Other Junior, Test and Senior Test Engineers and members of the test team
· Other IT Applications staff
· Business Enablement staff
· Infrastructure and Services staff
· System Integrators
· Business Representatives
· Other Ministry staff
External:
· Application Software Vendors
Key Accountabilities:
Test Planning / Junior Test Engineers will:
· Participate in defining scope and tests
· Identify test environment requirements
· Participate in cost and time estimations
· Create test documentation
As well as the above, Test Engineers will also:
· Participate in formal documentation inspections of requirements and specifications, including providing documented feedback
· Scope and define test approach / strategy (via test plans)
· Identify and derive requirements from business representatives, technical specialists, and related documentation
· Prepare cost and time estimates (via a Test Timeline and Test Cost/Resources Report)
· Create Test Plans
· Apply risk model to all test plans
· Peer review deliverables and outputs prepared by other team members
And Senior Test Engineers will also:
· Assist in identifying requirements for Test Engineers
Test Development / Junior Test Engineers will:
· Analyse requirements and specifications to create tests
· Create, modify and maintain test data
· Maintain test documentation and testware to ensure the currency of the test suite
· All documentation written to standards that permits re-use
· Read, write, record and debug automated and performance test scripts following industry-practice and Ministry standards
As well as the above, Test Engineers will also:
· Analyse requirements and specifications to define test requirements and coverage
· Create and maintain test work products within timeframes specified
· Peer-review deliverables and outputs prepared by other team members
And Senior Test Engineers will also:
· Provide supervision of the work of Test Engineers to ensure preparation encompasses industry-practice and milestones are met
Test Execution / Junior Test Engineers will:
· Interpret, refine and execute Test Scripts (functional/non-functional/ automated/performance), including scripts created by others
· Record and collate test results
· Log defects / incidents according to the defect management standards, including clearly documenting steps to reproduce
· Retest defect fixes
· Collate and file auditable test results and evidence
As well as the above, Test Engineers will also:
· Peer-review deliverables and outputs executed by other team members
· Retest defect corrections
And Senior Test Engineers will also:
· Supervise the work of Test Engineers to ensure execution industry-practice and milestones are achieved
·
Progress Tracking and Reporting / Junior Test Engineers will:
· Ensure entry criteria for code into the testing environments is met
· Maintain test coverage and result status via the Test Progress Schedule and metrics
· Interpret test metrics, and initiate corrective actions
· Ensure adherence to the MSD test processes and methodologies
· Manage environment use during assigned streams of work
As well as the above, Test Engineers will also:
· Consolidate/identify any emerging risks and issues associated with assigned work streams
· Manage test progress according to schedule and implement remedial actions and/or escalate as required
· Prepare and present status reports to test management and project management
And Senior Test Engineers will also:
· Mentor Test Engineers to achieve key result areas of Test Planning, Test Development, Test Execution, and Test Reporting with work products produced at expected quality levels
Test Completion / · Review, analyse, and interpret test results
· Ensure exit criteria for code leaving the testing environments is understood and documented
· Develop and present Test Completion Report
· Participate in post implementation reviews.
Teamwork / Junior Test Engineers will:
· Participates proactively in the development of team goals and plans
· Works reliably to achieve team goals
· Supports team members by encouraging participation and listening to others’ ideas
· Cooperates with team members to resolve problems and achieve goals
· Acknowledges others’ skills, experience, knowledge, creativity, and contributions
· Encourages trust among team members through being open and honest in dealings and sharing information
· Asks for input from peers or other team members.
As well as the above, Test and Senior Engineers will also:
· Participate in defining individual and shared responsibilities
· Address conflicts within the group without help from the team leader
· Ask for input from peers or other team members
Relationship Management / Junior Test Engineers will:
· Coordinate test requirements and test activities with other IT staff
· Schedule reviews with peers, other IT staff and customers as required
· Obtain sign-offs for test deliverables
· Establish and maintain effective working relationships within the team, IT and the wider Ministry
As well as the above, Test and Senior Engineers will also:
· Co-ordinate defect review meeting
· Negotiate defect resolution and correction releases with IT Applications staff
Process Improvement / · Participate in identifying process improvement opportunities
· Participate in testing initiatives that aligns to IT strategic objectives
· Contribute to the design and development of new methodologies and processes
· Ensure adherence to standard processes and practices.
Communication / · Openly share information, particularly about application and system functionality and operation, with Test Analysts/Test Engineers, and Senior Test Analysts/Senior Test Engineers
· Manage and escalate issues to the Test Manager that may impact on test outputs, results, or timeframes.
Technical/Professional Knowledge and Experience
Junior Test Engineers will have:· An appropriate computer science degree
· Exposure to client/server and database technologies
· Exposure to programming languages; e.g. Java, C++, Assembler etc.
· Understanding and appreciation of the Systems Development Life Cycle, including testing
· Understanding of information analysis methods and modelling techniques
Test Engineers will also have:
· In depth exposure to various types of testing and can determine when each is suitable for use on various architectures
· Ability to effectively utilise tools for the development and maintenance of test deliverables including automation/scripting tools, defect management systems eg Neoload, HP LoadRunner, Quick Test Professional, Quality Centre
· Extensive knowledge of Defect and Release Management
· Working knowledge of the system development lifecycle principles and methodologies
· Sound practical knowledge of Microsoft Office products – Word, Excel, Visio, Powerpoint
Test Engineers may have:
· Extensive knowledge of the System Development Life Cycle
· Extensive understanding of IT fundamentals, including information analysis methods and techniques eg Use Cases, decision tables, data modelling
Senior Test Engineers will also have:
· A wide breadth of experience working on significant and complex applications (including Infrastructure, Web, Telephony applications)
· Demonstrated knowledge and experience with most of the following: Functional Testing, Systems/Integration/Usability/Sociability/End-to-End/Regression Testing, Non-Functional Testing, Performance Testing, Security Testing, Compliance Testing, Sociability Testing, Installation Testing, Fail-Over Testing, and experience with multiple test / development methodologies
· In depth exposure to various techniques used to analyse, prepare and execute tests
· Ability to effectively utilise specialised tools to increase the capabilities of the test team - may include: C, query language. SQL scripts, PERL , UNIX command line, Crystal Reports, report writer, automated testing, batch processing exposure to various platforms; web, client / server, mainframe, data warehousing, exposure to e-government web guidelines
· Experience in coaching and supervising staff
Attributes/Success Factors
Junior and Test Engineers will have:
· Excellent communication skills – able to clearly and concisely communicate information (both in oral and written format) appropriate to the target audience.
· Excellent relationship management skills – able to establish, build and maintain effective working relationships.
· Strong analytical skills – seeks information from a variety of sources, identifies possible cause-effect relationships, draws correct conclusions based on sound information.
· Strong problem solving skills – able to clearly identify problems, seek alternative solutions, identify risks and benefits before making decisions, seek input from others.
· Sound interpersonal skills – able to influence others to accept ideas, adapts style to meet the needs of the audience.
· Highly detailed and focussed – able to pick up errors or omissions, keeps track of small details/changes, anticipates consequences of actions.
· Strong planning and organisational skills
· Strong work ethic – shows drive and determination in all situations
Senior Test Engineers will also have:
· Strong leadership skills – able to supervise, lead, mentor and motivate individuals towards goal completion
· Strong people skills – able to mentor, coach and assist in the development of others in relation to both technical and work standards