Quality Assurance Lead

Forge is a global solutions provider. We are a proud, certified woman-owned, service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (WOSB, SDVOSB) ignited to redefine the traditional GovCon mold, deliver innovations, and elevate collective impact. We are known as international problem fixers who only pursue work where we can truly make a difference. We are deeply integrated members of trusted client communities, energized and honored to be partners in questioning and solving human challenges across the world.

Forge strikes a precise balance between empowering autonomy and emphasizing the necessity of being part of a connected network of people and initiatives. It's led to a new echelon of collective excellence- one that continues to lead to monumental growth - and built a dream team of top-tier, collaborative, 'get-it-done' experts.

Our culture is everything. People come first. Our culture is built around a diverse group of employees empowered to think in different directions, a leadership team that trusts employees to lean in to unique greatness, and an operations team that deploys programs to support employee well-being and growth - both personally and professionally. We treat Forge like a co-op in which the input of staff drives corporate action.

With a 93% retention rate, it's evident that once we hire great people, we keep them. We're rated #2 Best Medium Business in all of Virginia, and we are a multi-year, multi-award winner of the Fortune® Magazine Best Workplaces in Consulting & Professional Services™, Best Medium Workplaces™, and Best Workplaces for Parents™.  Based on employee feedback and independent analysis, we have been certified as a Great Place to Work™ six years in a row. In addition to recognition for top workplace culture, our growth ranked us on the 2024 and 2025 Inc. Magazine 5000 List of the Fastest-Growing Companies in America, and the Women Presidents Organization (WPO) and J.P. Morgan Chase named us one of 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies nationally. But most importantly, we're proud to be a company that puts people first.

The future of Forge is exciting and evolving - as capability and community remain the battle rhythm sustaining transformative success. We're searching for those who want to work hard, play hard, give back, and enjoy life. If this resonates with you, then come make a difference at Forge.

Requirement: Quality Assurance Lead

Job Description: Forge requires a QA Lead to validate business workflows, interfaces, data, and role-based behavior for a DoW customer. The tester will collaborate with business analysts, developers, product personnel, and automation engineers throughout the delivery process. The tester will maintain disciplined test inventories, traceability, execution results, evidence, and defects using Jira and Microsoft Excel.

Key Responsibilities: Key responsibilities of the candidate will be (but aren't limited to):

• Analyze requirements, user stories, acceptance criteria, process flows, and change requests to identify test conditions, ambiguities, dependencies, and coverage gaps

• Develop risk-based manual test scenarios, cases, and procedures with clear preconditions, test data, steps, expected results, and requirements traceability

• Maintain reusable test inventories, execution status, evidence, and traceability in Jira and Microsoft Excel using consistent naming and change-control practices

• Prepare and reconcile test data, user roles, prerequisites, and expected outcomes for functional, regression, integration, and user-acceptance testing

• Execute manual smoke, functional, regression, integration, end-to-end, negative, boundary, and role-based access tests

• Record actual results and retain reproducible screenshots, logs, data comparisons, and other evidence in accordance with customer handling requirements

• Report defects in Jira with reproducible steps, expected and actual results, environment and build information, severity rationale, and supporting evidence

• Maintain the test requirements traceability matrix

• Prepare test deliverables, including test plans, the test requirements traceability matrix, and test execution results reports

• Retest fixes, assess regression impact, verify closure criteria, and participate in defect triage and root-cause discussions

• Communicate coverage, execution progress, defects, residual risks, and release-readiness findings to delivery teams and customer stakeholders

• Plan and execute Section 508 accessibility testing; document findings, supporting evidence, and remediation verification

• Identify stable, high-value regression checks suitable for lightweight automation and contribute to their implementation or maintenance when appropriate

Qualifications/Requirements:

The Candidate must have the ability to think strategically, act tactically, and display strong analytical and critical thinking skills. They must also build strong cross-group working relationships and demonstrate exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail. The Candidate must be able to thrive and succeed in an entrepreneurial environment and not be hindered by ambiguity or competing priorities.

The candidate will serve as a QA Lead responsible for planning, designing, and executing predominantly manual functional testing of secure business applications and end-to-end workflows supporting a DoW customer, with limited automation of stable, repeatable checks.

Minimum Qualifications:

• US Citizen (authorization to work is insufficient)

• Previous professional experience supporting the U.S. Federal Government, either as a federal employee or contractor, is required

• 5+ years of professional software-testing experience with a substantial focus on hands-on manual functional testing

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business, or equivalent, OR 4 additional years of relevant professional experience in lieu of a degree

• Experience analyzing requirements and designing traceable test conditions, scenarios, cases, procedures, test data, and expected results

• Experience in manually testing web-based business applications, end-to-end workflows, integrations, regression impacts, negative paths, and role-based behavior

• Working knowledge of test-design techniques such as equivalence partitioning, boundary-value analysis, decision tables, state transitions, and use-case testing

• Experience managing test cases, execution results, traceability, evidence, and defects in Jira and Microsoft Excel without relying on a dedicated test-management suite

• Experience writing reproducible defect reports, retesting fixes, preserving test evidence, and communicating coverage and quality risks in an iterative delivery environment

• Active CompTIA Security+ or equivalent DoW-approved baseline cybersecurity certification, or ability to obtain within the first 30 days of starting

• Active Secret security clearance

Highly Desired Qualifications:

• Previous professional experience supporting a DoW organization, mission, or customer is strongly preferred
• Experience in functionally testing ArcGIS platforms or another enterprise GIS platform
• ISTQB Certified Tester Foundation Level or comparable software-testing certification
• Active Section 508 Trusted Tester certification
• Experience contributing small, maintainable automated checks or using API and data validation to supplement manual regression testing

Job: Full-time

Location: Remote w/less than 10% travel

Salary Range: $120k-$130k/yr

Assigned Forge Job Title: Senior Specialist

Essential Duties:

• Problem Solving- Identifies and resolves problems promptly; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem-solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
• Written Communication- Writes clearly and informatively; edits work for spelling and grammar; varies writing style to meet needs; presents numerical data effectively; able to read and interpret written information.
• Diversity- Demonstrates knowledge of EEO policy; shows respect and sensitivity for cultural differences; promotes a harassment-free environment; builds a diverse workforce.
• Ethics- Treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and ethics; upholds organizational values.
• Strategic Thinking- Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; understands organization's strengths & weaknesses; analyzes market and competition; identifies external threats and opportunities; adapts strategy to changing conditions.
• Planning/Organizing- Prioritize and plan work activities; use time efficiently; plan for additional resources; set goals and objectives; organize or schedule other people and their tasks; develop realistic action plans.
• Professionalism- Tactfully approaches others; reacts well under pressure; treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments.
• Innovation- Displays original thinking and creativity; meets challenges with resourcefulness; generates suggestions for improving work; develops innovative approaches and ideas; presents ideas and information in a manner that gets others' attention.
• Qualifications- To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements below represent the required knowledge, skill, and/or ability. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
• Language Skills- Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, proposals, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Mathematical Skills- Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
• Reasoning Ability- Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to question activities and issues in all functional areas and make sound business decisions based on that data.
• Physical Demands- The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk, type, or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.
• Work Environment- The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The employee will normally work in a temperature-controlled office environment, with frequent exposure to electronic office equipment.

This job posting sets forth the basic authorities and responsibilities of this position, which may be changed from time to time as shall be determined. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

Benefits:

Forge fosters a rich company culture built on a diverse, hard-working employee base. Our staff is the core of our success and the impetus behind our decisions. In today's corporate culture, there is no longer a line between work and home life. As a result, we focused our benefits approach on the whole family.

The Forge total compensation model is based on a "choose-your-own-adventure approach," allowing each employee to create a comprehensive package of benefits and perks tailored to his or her needs. Examples of benefits included in our total compensation package include:

• Complete Flextime
• 401k With Employer Matching
• Healthcare, Including Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Health Savings Account (HSA) And Pre-Tax Premium Options
• Supplementary healthcare and family support
• Extended Short-Term Disability and Long-Term Disability
• Healthcare Insurance Deductible Paydown
• Health and Wellness Programs
• Tuition Reimbursement, Student Loan Repayment, and Education & Training Stipends
• Cell Phone / Internet Stipends
• College Saving Plans with Employer Contributions
• Alternative Work Locations and Tele-Commuting
• Employee Referral Awards
• Retention, Signing & Performance Bonuses
• Commuter Benefits
• Paid Sabbatical

Forge Group, LLC is a proud DoD Skillbridge and V3 (Virginia Values Veterans) certified company committed to hiring and retaining military veterans and spouses.

Forge Group, LLC is an Equal Opportunity [and/or] Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or military or protected veteran status. We participate in the E-Verify Employment Verification Program.