QA team structure: Understanding QA roles and responsibilities

As James Bach, the creator of Rapid Software Testing methodology, puts it, "Testing is the art of finding a black box and making it sing." Yet, the reality is that 67% of consumers abandon apps due to poor experiences, and retention rates plummet to just 25% after day one. Today, when a single glitch scares users away, quality assurance and testing have become the foundation of successful software development. 

Understanding QA roles and tasks of a quality assurance engineer has never been more important. In this article, we'll discuss the software testing roles, capture their differences, and overview their skillsets and responsibilities. 

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How do test engineers contribute to software development?

From the fact that high-performing teams with all the right experts involved deploy code 200 times more frequently than their peers, understanding QA tester vs QA engineer distinctions, and the specific features of each role is your potential strength. Testers run test cases, while QA engineers handle test planning, requirement analysis, and defect management, so each adds to the result uniquely.

What is a quality assurance engineer precisely? The modern QA job position goes far beyond basic bug hunting. While 55% of companies rely on dedicated testers, what sets apart a senior QA engineer job description is its strategic depth. As Trish Khoo wisely notes, "The more effort I put into testing the product conceptually at the start of the process, the less effort I had to put into manually testing the product at the end because fewer bugs would emerge as a result." So better testing, better product. Period.

What does a QA engineer do exactly? Their core responsibilities are:

• Strategic test planning and execution
• Bug detection and detailed documentation
• Automated testing implementation
• Performance and security assessments
• Cross-team collaboration

But here's what makes today's software testing roles particularly interesting: they're increasingly diverse. When QA teams fire on all cylinders, they don't just find bugs – they prevent them. You might find QA specialists focusing on specific areas like:

• Performance testing (making sure your app doesn't crawl when users need it to sprint)
• Security testing (keeping the bad guys out).
• API testing (ensuring all the digital pieces talk to each other correctly).
• Domain-specific testing (like Healthcare QA, where accuracy can literally save lives)

The evolution of test engineering skills has created diverse specializations within the QA team structure. Tester tasks vary based on project needs. Take the role of a product testing engineer or senior quality assurance engineer responsibilities – they often include mentoring junior testers, architecting test frameworks, and driving quality initiatives across entire organizations.

Automaton vs manual tester roles and responsibilities

One of the most common questions is about the distinction between automation QA engineer and a traditional manual tester. So, how are they different?

When we look at manual testing, we're talking about professionals who directly interact with software to ensure quality. While some might view manual testing as old-school, it's a must-have for tasks that require human intuition and real-world usage scenarios. A manual QA job description typically includes the following:

• Exploratory testing
• Usability evaluation
• Ad-hoc testing (by necessity)
• User experience assessment

On the flip side, a QA automation job description reveals a more technical role. The distinction becomes clear when we look at the additional technical skills required. Modern QA automation skills include:

• Programming expertise
• Framework development
• Continuous integration implementation
• Test script maintenance

While traditional manual testers are still vital (after all, you can't automate human gut feeling), there's a growing trend toward what some call "hybrid testers" – professionals who can both test manually and write automation code when needed. 

What type of testing will you benefit from?

The decision between manual and automated testing is based on your project needs. Manual software testing services excel when human intuition and real-world interaction are necessary – like new features that need exploratory testing, visual elements that require subjective evaluation, or rapidly changing test scenarios. It's also the go-to choice when you need emotional feedback about user experience or when dealing with one-time test cases that don't justify automation setup.

Automation, on the other hand, shines in scenarios demanding consistent, repeatable execution. It's particularly valuable for regression testing, performance monitoring, and high-risk features requiring precise calculations. While automation requires a higher initial investment in both time and resources, it proves invaluable when you need 24/7 test execution or when dealing with stable test cases that will be run frequently. 

What's particularly interesting is how these roles affect the bottom line. While manual testing seems more cost-effective initially, companies investing in quality automation engineers see significant long-term returns. In fact, about one-quarter of companies report immediate ROI from their automation initiatives.

Now that we have the manual vs automation QA sorted out, let’s explore what makes each role and responsibility.

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Breaking down QA roles

QA as a service has evolved into a rich ecosystem of specialized roles. Each position brings unique value to the quality assurance process, working together to ensure software excellence. Let's explore the distinct responsibilities and skills of each role, and take a look at the alternative QA team names of each expert in this field.

Software Test Engineer (STE)

The foundation of any QA team, STEs are the frontline defenders of software quality. Known also as Quality Assurance Engineers, Manual QA Engineers, or Test Engineers, they form the foundation of testing teams. They do more than catch bugs — they write test cases, track defects, verify fixes, and help shape how users experience software through detailed cross-platform testing and stakeholder communication.

Key responsibilities of STEs include:

• Requirements analysis and risk assessment
• Cross-platform compatibility validation
• Documentation and reporting systems design
• Stakeholder communication and feedback loops

What truly sets successful STEs apart is their ability to think beyond the testing scenario. This QA job position requires not just technical mastery but a deep understanding of user behavior and business objectives. Their toolkit includes strong analytical thinking, SQL knowledge, and familiarity with test management and bug-tracking tools. A skilled STE often becomes the go-to person for both developers and product managers when quality questions arise.

Test Analyst

Moving up the specialization ladder, Test Analysts — so-called Business Test Analysts, Functional Test Analysts, or Quality Analysts — bridge the gap between business needs and implementation. These specialists handle everything from test data preparation and execution scheduling to comprehensive documentation and technical reviews, working closely with stakeholders to ensure alignment with business goals.

Core competencies of Test Analysts:

• Business domain expertise
• Risk analysis and mitigation strategies
• Test strategy development
• Metrics analysis and reporting

Today, Test Analyst is often involved in the early stages of development, bringing expertise in test design techniques, defect management, and system knowledge. Test analysts excel at understanding the "why" behind features, making them valuable for complex domain testing, especially when it comes to translating business requirements into effective test scenarios and maintaining high-quality standards throughout the development process.

Test Automation Engineer

As Michael Bolton, a context-driven software testing expert, says, "A good test is one that has a high probability of breaking the code if there is a problem." Our next player puts it on autopilot.

Automation engineers, also known as Technical Testers or Test Automation Development Engineers, embody this philosophy. Their work focuses on creating sustainable, scalable testing frameworks that support continuous delivery, writing automated scripts, and maintaining test environments. They frequently work with tools like Selenium, TestComplete, and Katalon Studio, while mastering languages like Python, Java, or C#.

Essential skills of Automation Engineers include:

• Framework design and implementation
• Script maintenance and optimization
• CI/CD pipeline integration
• Cross-browser and cross-platform testing solutions

Why is it important? Automation can boost defect detection by 90% over manual testing. Beyond just writing scripts, these engineers design test architectures, maximize critical feature coverage, and integrate continuous testing processes. It runs tests quickly and consistently, reduces human error, and improves software development speed and reliability.

Performance Tester

When an app needs to handle thousands of users, performance testers — also called Performance Test Engineers or Load Test Specialists — step in. Their work ensures software works well under pressure. These specialists design load scenarios, configure monitoring tools like JMeter or LoadRunner, and analyze system behavior under various conditions. With user expectations higher than ever, performance testers ensure systems handle real-world loads.

Focus areas of Performance Test Engineers:

• Load testing and stress testing
• Scalability assessment
• Performance metrics analysis
• Bottleneck identification and resolution

Performance testers track metrics like response time, throughput, error rate, CPU/memory usage, latency, wait time, and concurrent user capacity to ensure systems are fast, reliable, and handle users efficiently. They combine technical expertise with analytical skills to interpret test results and provide actionable recommendations for optimization.

Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET)

The QA engineer vs SDET debate often comes up, but SDETs have a unique role. A Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET), sometimes called a Technical Test Developer or Quality Development Engineer, is an IT professional skilled in both software development and testing. They combine deep coding expertise with a quality assurance mindset, working with complex test data sets and various application platforms.

Key tasks of SDETs:

• Creating test tools
• Building test infrastructure
• Advanced debugging
• Working closely with dev teams

Unlike developers who write product code, SDETs design and implement tests and collaborate with developers and QA teams to fix issues. Their toolkit includes strong SQL skills, knowledge of distributed systems, and cloud infrastructure expertise. This role bridges development and testing, pushing the boundaries of test automation and tool mastery.

Test Architect

The test architect roles and responsibilities cover the entire testing strategy. Often titled Head of Quality, Director of QA, or Technical Quality Lead, these senior specialists design testing infrastructures and shape quality practices across organizations. They combine deep technical knowledge with strategic vision, working with automation frameworks, CI tools, and application lifecycle management systems to create sustainable testing ecosystems.

Main responsibilities of Test Architects:

• Framework design
• Tool selection
• Quality standards
• Testing innovation

Test architects keep an eye on the main 11 designated key automation metrics, from test duration to production defects, ensuring everything works together smoothly. They mentor teams, provide technical guidance, and drive continuous improvement through industry best practices and emerging technologies.

Test Manager

These leaders, also known as Test Leads or QA Leads, orchestrate the entire testing effort, ensuring all pieces work together seamlessly. Drawing on their experience with automation testing and project management tools like Jira or YouTrack, they plan test strategies, set quality metrics, and manage testing budgets while developing their team's capabilities. In fact, they are "the PMs of quality assurance."

Test Managers handle the following tasks:

• Resource allocation and team development
• Strategy implementation and oversight
• Stakeholder management
• Budget and timeline management

Good test managers balance technical knowledge with people skills, helping their teams grow while keeping projects moving. They excel at understanding business requirements, coordinating testing activities, and maintaining high-quality standards across projects.

Full-Stack Test Engineer 

A relatively new role, Full-Stack Test Engineers combine multiple testing disciplines with broader technical knowledge. Sometimes called Universal Test Engineers or Complete Stack QA Engineers, they handle everything from UI testing to API validation and database verification. These versatile professionals work across the entire technology stack, from frontend to backend testing, using a diverse set of tools and frameworks.

Comprehensive skills of Full-Stack Test Engineers include:

• End-to-end testing expertise
• Full technology stack understanding
• Integration testing mastery
• Cross-functional collaboration abilities

Full-stack testers often catch issues others miss because they see how all parts of an application work together. Their ability to switch between different testing levels and types while maintaining a holistic view of quality makes them invaluable in modern development teams. This role represents where the QA team roles and responsibilities are heading — toward more technically diverse skill sets.

With the industry's focus on quality metrics — including test duration, coverage rates, and production defects — each role contributes uniquely to the overall quality assurance process.

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The role of test engineers in software development life cycle

Quality isn't just a final checkpoint anymore — it's woven into every step of modern software development. While traditional QA roles might have focused on final testing, today's quality assurance engineer professionals are active participants from day one. So, what does this look like in practice? Different testing roles play unique parts throughout the development lifecycle:

• During planning, quality assurance engineer specialists help shape project requirements and architecture. This early involvement, known as "shift left," prevents costly issues before they arise. As coding begins, QA engineer and developer collaboration ensures code quality through continuous assessment and feedback.
• The testing phase showcases core software testing roles, where professionals combine QA automation engineer skills with strategic thinking to validate every aspect of the software. Here, test engineering skills come into play as teams develop comprehensive test strategies and automation frameworks.
• Moving toward release, QA engineer automation teams strategically implement automated testing, while during the monitoring phase, testing roles expand to include system stability and performance tracking. 
• In the monitoring phase, testing roles focus on system stability and performance. Product testing engineer professionals utilize monitoring tools and dashboards to track system health and performance metrics, enabling quick responses to any issues.

This comprehensive approach, combining both manual tester roles and responsibilities with automation, ensures quality at every step of development. However, with varying methodologies your team might use, these roles also function differently.

How QA contributes to modern development workflows

So, how do quality assurance skills contribute to modern development approaches to ensure the integrity of the idea with the end result?

• Agile integration

Modern QA roles have changed within Agile frameworks. Quality isn't just the responsibility of testers – it's a shared commitment across the entire team. Developers participate in testing efforts, while software testing roles expand to include business domain expertise. During sprint cycles, the distinction between a QA and a developer becomes less rigid as teams collaborate on features. This collaboration helps catch issues early and ensures better deliverables.

• DevOps evolution

DevOps takes this integration further by creating an infinite feedback loop. Here, automation quality assurance engineer professionals are integral to the entire delivery pipeline. The QA engineer role expands significantly in DevOps environments. Continuous testing becomes the norm, with product testing specialists implementing checks throughout the delivery pipeline. This provides instant feedback about business risks with each release.

• CI/CD integration

In continuous integration and delivery pipelines, testing roles extend beyond traditional boundaries. The modern automation test engineer job description includes collaboration with analytics teams, infrastructure specialists, monitoring experts, and support personnel.

This broader role means testers are now involved in the entire delivery process, making quality assurance more thorough and well-rounded.

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Tools and programs for quality assurance engineering

Strong quality assurance skills depend on leveraging the right tools. Let’s take a closer look at the essential tool categories and widely-used solutions that help QA professionals uphold software standards.

• Bug tracking systems

Bug tracking tools serve as the central nervous system for quality management. Quality assurance engineer professionals use these platforms to document, track, and manage issues throughout the development cycle. While Jira leads the market, alternatives like Azure DevOps Boards and Bugzilla offer robust features for defect management.

• Test management platforms

These tools help technical QA specialists organize and track testing efforts. They provide centralized repositories for test cases, execution plans, and results. Popular choices include TestRail, which excels at test case organization, and qTest, which offers strong integration capabilities.

• CI/CD integration tools

Modern QA engineer automation workflows depend heavily on continuous integration and delivery tools. Jenkins, CircleCI, and GitLab CI enable teams to automate testing processes and ensure consistent quality checks throughout the development pipeline.

Popular testing tools by category

Software testing relies on various tools tailored to different needs, each contributing to delivering high-quality software. Let’s overview popular tools in key categories and what makes them stand out.

• Automation testing tools

When it comes to automating web app testing, Selenium WebDriver is a trusted name. It supports multiple programming languages, making it widely adopted for end-to-end web testing. For mobile applications, Appium stands out, seamlessly handling iOS and Android platforms with its cross-platform capabilities. Meanwhile, Cypress is gaining traction with its real-time feedback during test execution for an interactive experience, perfect for today’s agile teams.

• Performance testing tools

Apache JMeter remains the industry standard for load and performance testing. It’s reliable and packed with features for testing complex scenarios. Developers seeking a more modern, code-centric approach might prefer K6 by Grafana, which is lightweight and integrates effortlessly into development workflows. For handling high-load scenarios, Gatling is a great choice, offering efficient performance simulations and insightful reports.

• Reporting and analytics tools

Test results need clear and comprehensive reporting, and tools like Allure excel in creating visually rich and detailed test execution reports. For real-time insights, ReportPortal shines, providing analytics and live updates to help teams track testing progress effectively. On the other hand, Extent Reports is perfect for generating detailed HTML reports, combining execution data with an intuitive layout for easy understanding.

The world of software testing tools is constantly evolving, with new technologies emerging regularly. Whether you're a QA engineer or an SDET, staying updated with these tools and choosing the ones that align with your team’s specific needs can significantly enhance your testing processes and ensure the product you’re working on will be useful and efficient.

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Best practices for organizing an effective QA team

“In many ways, being a good tester is harder than being a good developer because testing requires not only a very good understanding of the development process and its products, but it also demands an ability to anticipate likely faults and errors,” says John D. McGregor. This leads us to understand that setting up a strong QA team is about creating a well-oiled machine that drives quality throughout your company.

First things first, you need to get crystal clear about how your QA roles align with your company's bigger picture. Start by mapping out what your team needs to achieve and how it fits into your company's goals.

When it comes to the actual team structure, think about the essential quality assurance skills you'll need. A typical team might include a mix of quality assurance engineers with different specialties. You might have folks focusing on manual testing, others diving deep into automation, and perhaps a senior QA engineer leading the charge.

Here's the tip: Don't get too hung up on fancy quality assurance job titles. What matters more is having people who can handle your specific testing needs. Some teams might merge different QA tasks into single roles, while others might need more specialized positions like an automated QA engineer or product testing engineer. Remember, your team structure should be flexible to adapt to your project's needs. 

The key to success? Building a team that's always learning and growing. Technical skills evolve, and your team needs to keep pace. Set up regular training sessions, encourage knowledge sharing, and make sure everyone stays up to date.

The thing is, establishing efficient QA processes can be a challenge, from analyzing specific requirements to creating clear communication channels and well-defined processes. An in-house team often lacks the diverse skillset for some business cases, or the need for a more specific role might appear at the later development stages. Here, a good outside perspective of expert-led IT consulting gives you an advantage.

Our QA expertise

At COAX Software, an experienced automation testing services company, we provide comprehensive solutions to ensure your software meets the highest quality and performance standards. Our expert team provides end-to-end solutions, from test planning and execution to result analysis, ensuring your applications are robust, reliable, and ready to meet user expectations. 

Our team of experts offers tailored strategies for functional, regression, performance, API, and non-functional testing. With a focus on precision and efficiency, we make the best use of advanced tools and technologies to deliver reliable and scalable testing. 

Partnering with COAX means reducing costs, accelerating testing processes, and enhancing quality through modern solutions. By eliminating human errors, we help you achieve faster time-to-market while maintaining the best user experience. 

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Quality test engineer as your strategic player

QA roles are diverse and important. From manual testers who use human intuition to automation engineers who streamline repetitive tasks, each role contributes uniquely to the success of the development process. As quality assurance engineer skills evolve, hybrid testers who combine manual and automation testing skills are in high demand, ensuring companies can adapt to the changing needs of their projects.

QA engineers are now involved in every step of the software development lifecycle, from planning to release and ongoing monitoring. Integrating quality assurance into Agile, DevOps, and CI/CD frameworks has improved teamwork between developers and testers, creating a more efficient and adaptable process. By taking on specialized roles, teams can handle the challenges of modern software development with better accuracy and insight.

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FAQ

What do test engineers do?

Test engineers play a crucial role in ensuring the quality of software by finding and reporting bugs, validating software functionality, and executing various types of testing. Their core responsibilities include bug detection, test planning, and execution, as well as automated testing implementation. Test engineers help identify issues early in the development process, which prevents defects from making their way into the final product.

What are some examples of QA team names?

Examples of testing team names include Software Test Engineer, Test Analyst, Test Automation Engineer, Performance Tester, Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET), Test Architect, Test Manager, Full-Stack Tester, QA Lead, and Quality Assurance Specialist.

What is the difference between a QA engineer vs test engineer?

While QA engineers and test engineers both focus on ensuring software quality, their roles differ in scope. QA engineers are responsible for the broader strategy of quality assurance, which includes test planning, automation, and performance assessments. They focus on preventing defects and improving overall quality. Test engineers, on the other hand, often focus more directly on finding bugs through manual or automated testing and reporting issues.

What is an automation tester job description?

An automation tester designs, creates, and maintains automated testing frameworks and scripts. Their role involves programming, scripting, and integrating tests into the continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipeline. The automation tester job description includes responsibilities such as developing test automation frameworks, optimizing tests, and ensuring tests are repeatable and scalable for high-frequency testing needs.

What is QA engineer meaning?

The QA engineer meaning refers to a professional accountable for ensuring the quality of software through both manual and automated testing, and by integrating testing early in the software development lifecycle. A QA engineer is involved in strategic test planning, bug detection, performance testing, and ensuring that the product meets the required quality standards.

What are the senior QA engineer roles and responsibilities?

Senior QA engineers typically take on more complex testing tasks and lead teams of junior testers. Their roles and responsibilities include designing and architecting test strategies, mentoring and guiding junior testers, driving quality initiatives across the organization, and ensuring that quality standards are met at all stages of development.