QA Engineer

QA Engineer Location: Menlo Park, CA or Fremont, CA (Hybrid) Job type: Full time Job Summary: We are seeking a highly motivated and hands-on QA Engineer to join our team as an individual contributor. The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in functional testing, software/application testing, and agile delivery, with the ability to independently own testing activities from requirement analysis through release sign-off. The role requires a problem-solving mindset, strong ownership, and a willingness to adopt modern QA practices, including automation and AI-assisted testing approaches. Key Responsibilities: Function as an individual contributor responsible for end-to-end functional testing activities without people's management responsibilities. Independently own testing scope from requirement analysis, test design, execution, defect management, validation, and release sign-off. Design, document, and execute functional, regression, and edge-case test scenarios based on business and technical requirements. Analyze requirements, defects, and application behavior to identify root causes and validate fixes. Investigate ambiguous requirements and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure clear and testable acceptance criteria. Participate actively in agile ceremonies, including sprint planning, backlog grooming, stand-ups, reviews, and retrospectives. Log, track, and manage defects with clear reproduction steps, severity, impact analysis, and supporting evidence. Validate defect fixes and ensure quality closure across sprints and releases. Continuously adopt new testing tools, methodologies, and technologies to improve testing effectiveness and efficiency. Demonstrate adaptability and a commitment to upskilling in emerging QA practices, automation, and AI-driven testing approaches. Required Skills: 6+ years of experience in functional software testing for web-based or enterprise applications. Strong experience working as an independent QA contributor within agile development teams. Hands-on expertise in functional testing, black-box testing, regression testing, and end-to-end test execution. Proven ability to convert business and technical requirements into comprehensive and testable scenarios. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify root causes and resolve issues independently. Experience operating effectively with minimal supervision and high ownership. Solid understanding of software/application testing methodologies and defect lifecycle management. Excellent verbal and written communication skills for collaboration with QA, Engineering, Product, and Business stakeholders. Preferred Qualifications: Working knowledge of test automation concepts and frameworks. Hands-on experience with Playwright is highly desirable. Experience using AI/LLM-based tools for QA activities such as: Test case generation Test data creation Exploratory testing support Documentation and analysis Exposure to agentic AI-based testing approaches and next-generation QA practices. Experience testing AI-enabled applications, chatbots, or intelligent workflow solutions. Proven ability to leverage AI-assisted tools to improve test coverage, efficiency, and productivity. Experience driving QA improvements beyond traditional manual testing practices. Strong learning agility with an interest in emerging technologies, tools, and testing paradigms. Ability to balance deep functional testing expertise with modern automation and AI-driven quality engineering practices.