Senior Quality Assurance Engineer (Accessibility)

JOB PURPOSE
A Senior Quality Assurance Engineer within the Accessibility discipline provides accessibility expertise for both internal and external Nerdery clients. Primary responsibilities include representing Quality during the design phase of a project, collaborating with design and development teams, and performing functional and accessibility testing of desktop and mobile applications. The Senior Engineer is focused on expanding the awareness of accessibility best practices, and contributing to the success of Nerdery by the constant pursuit of excellence in all areas of testing.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
Review websites to WCAG 2.1 A/AA standards
Map out site features and assess accessibility testing requirements
Utilize tools, scripts and knowledge of WCAG as needed to verify accessibility
Perform remediation testing when necessary
Test with empathy for potential users and understanding of the guidelines
Advocate for and support internal accessibility initiatives and best practices
Contribute to internal accessibility initiatives and projects as directed
Create well-written, comprehensive tickets and accessibility reports
Follow test strategies and execute functional test plans under the direction of the testing lead
Proactively identify testing risks and possible solutions
Effectively communicate findings to project stakeholders
Demonstrate reliable and independent work ethic, regardless of work setting
OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES
Conduct or assist with mobile application accessibility testing
Review websites to WCAG 2.1, Section 508, or other accessibility standards as required
Maintain and expand subject matter expertise
Develop and maintain positive relationships with clients
Provide timely technical consultation and clear communication to client throughout project lifecycle
Work proactively to discover and understand clients’ needs, communicating objectively with both the project manager and the client to ensure the best possible outcome
Collaborate on creation and maintenance of project documentation (e.g., scopes of work, test plans, deployment plans, milestones, and timelines)
Perform other applicable tasks, as directed
Previous accessibility team or project lead experience. Collaboration and continuous communication with design and development teams. Ability to build and execute upon thorough test plans and suggest test plan improvements. Experience providing recommended solutions to issues for the team. Must be able to communicate to client leadership and project team, and be an advocate for accessibility principles who can explain ticket prioritization.

SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS
Strong understanding of web accessibility standards, particularly WCAG 2.1.
Able to articulate accessibility issues from a user perspective
Able to navigate effectively in screen reader software such as VoiceOver, NVDA, or JAWS
Familiar with ARIA states and properties, and their uses
Able to recognize, choose, and effectively use tools that are right for the job
Able to read standard HTML5 and determine potential issues
Knowledgeable on use of browser inspection tools
Able to execute terminal commands and read output
Familiar with issue tracking software such as JIRA
Curious, driven, and creative in performing daily work
Able to communicate both verbally and in writing with a high degree of precision using technical language
Able to accurately track time against simultaneous clients and work streams