Quality Assurance Analyst/Tester, Jr

Abacus Service Corporation

  • Nashville, TN
  • 4 days ago

    Highlights

    Qualifications Type Category Qualification Description Competency Required Skills Database Microsoft SQL Server Novice (1-3 Years) No Skills Database MySQL Novice (1-3 Years) No Skills Languages SQL Novice (1-3 Years) No Skills Others Communication skills both verbal and written Proficient (4-6 Years) No Skills Others Learning ability Proficient (4-6 Years) No Skills Others Process Flow Analysis Novice (1-3 Years) No Skills Others Team work Proficient (4-6 Years) No Skills Tools MicrosoftOffice Novice (1-3 Years) No Skills Tools SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Novice (1-3 Years) No . Needs to be uploaded Filename Current organizational chart Deputy Commissioner or equivalent approval Cost estimate of Budget Worksheet Proposed scope of work Workload, backlog, caseload, or productivity data Filled versus unfilled position report, if applicable Draft deliverables or performance measures Grant, audit, corrective action, or compliance documentation, if applicable Current contract, amendment, or renewal justification, if applicable .

    Numbers & Facts

    LocationNashville, TN

    Description

    Description
    This posting is for a QA Analyst III. This position will support testing of modernization through supporting and leading the UAT test phase. This requested position should have knowledge and experience in manual and automation testing as part of an Agile/Scrum project team. The position also require experience in the use of the following tools: Jira, Zephyr for Jira, Sequel Server, Postman, Selenium, Tricentis Tosca, or other automation test tools. Current resources are assigned at maximum capacity testing modernized applications (EBMS, SEBT, and C-CARE), API and Performance Testing (EASL), learning new application functionality, learning Tricentis TOSCA, a new automation tool, as well as creating automation scripts for ServiceNow applications (Customer Portal, Provider Portal, Worker Portal, HR Portal, and Legal Portal) along with new modernization application C-CARE. Additional experienced staff is needed to meet customer expectations on modernization applications, to aid in working with users and the various business areas in creating and executing manual test cases. They also will be responsible for creating and executing automation test scripts to increase test coverage, better reuse repetitive tests to aid in reducing testing time, which will improve current employee tension and unforeseen turnovers.
    Specialized Skill Set
    The required combination of ADA/Section 508 accessibility testing and AI-powered testing expertise represents a highly specialized skill set that:
    • Is difficult to source through traditional state hiring pipelines
    • May exceed state salary band limitations
    • Is more readily and competitively available in the contractor market
    Estimated Duration
    10/05/2026 - 12/31/2027
    Schedule
    Days
    Monday Yes Tuesday Yes Wednesday Yes Thursday Yes Friday Yes Saturday No Sunday No

    Hours/Day
    7.5

    Time Zone
    CST
    Shifts Start Time End Time Description
    Active
    Shift 1
    8:00 AM
    4:30 PM
    Regular Shift
    Yes


    Location-
    Position Location - Hybrid

    Address
    710 James Robertson Pkwy Nashville, Tennessee 37203
    Qualifications
    Type Category Qualification Description Competency Required
    Skills Database Microsoft SQL Server Novice (1-3 Years) No
    Skills Database MySQL Novice (1-3 Years) No
    Skills Languages SQL Novice (1-3 Years) No
    Skills Others Communication skills both verbal and written Proficient (4-6 Years) No
    Skills Others Learning ability Proficient (4-6 Years) No
    Skills Others Process Flow Analysis Novice (1-3 Years) No
    Skills Others Team work Proficient (4-6 Years) No
    Skills Tools MicrosoftOffice Novice (1-3 Years) No
    Skills Tools SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Novice (1-3 Years) No


    Attachment:

    Contractor Authorization Questions
    Question Response
    Has this contractor request been discussed with the AC and DC or equivalent?
    Has leadership approved pursuing contractor support instead of a state position, internal reassignment, or other alternative? Yes, Anthony informed us to proceed with backfill
    Division
    Department ID
    Program area, unit, or team requesting contractor support TDHS Quality Assurance
    Type of request
    What type of contractor support is being requested? QA Analyst III
    How many contractors are being requested? 1
    What is the anticipated start date? 09/14/2026
    What is the expected end date? Unknown
    Contractor work type Quality Assurance Testing
    Contractor work location Hybrid
    What is the reason for requesting contractor support? This request for a backfill is for a QA Analyst III position vacated on 7/31/2026. The vacancy has created an immediate gap in the team's ability to validate and deliver system changes that directly impact citizen benefit services.

    Contractor support is the preferred staffing solution for the following reasons:

    Speed A contractor can be onboarded significantly faster than a state classified hire, minimizing disruption to active project timelines and release schedules

    Specialized Skills The required combination of ADA/Section 508 accessibility testing and AI-powered testing expertise is more readily available in the contractor market

    Defined Scope The primary need is tied to a specific need (manual, automation, ADA, and AI-powered tool) experience making a contractor engagement more appropriate than a permanent FTE commitment

    Budget Availability Funding is available within the existing contract vehicle, avoiding the long-term cost obligations associated with a permanent state employee

    Operational Continuity This is a backfill of an already validated and essential role. The testing responsibilities did not disappear with the previous resource and must be continuously performed to protect program integrity and compliance
    Leaving this position vacant is not a viable option as it introduces unacceptable risk to project delivery, ADA compliance, federal program integrity, and the continuity of services.
    What specific business problem, service need, operational gap, or compliance issue does this request address? The absence of a dedicated QA Analyst creates an immediate and measurable gap in the agency's ability to deliver, validate, and maintain critical systems that support the administration of benefits and services to Tennessee citizens. This request address the following:

    Business Problem
    The vacancy creates an immediate risk of undetected system defects reaching production, threatening the accuracy of eligibility determinations and benefit calculations. Existing staff lack the capacity to absorb testing responsibilities without sacrificing quality and productivity across active workstreams.

    Service Need
    Citizens who depend on TDHS-administered rely on accurate, reliable systems. Without dedicated testing coverage, system enhancements and policy-driven updates cannot be safely deployed, directly impacting vulnerable populations and caseworker efficiency.
    How does this contractor support departmental or organization goals? The QA Analyst III contractor directly advances strategic priorities across the following areas:

    Program Integrity
    Ensures accurate eligibility determinations and benefit processing by validating system changes before production deployment, protecting the integrity of federally funded programs and reducing the risk of improper payments.

    Digital Equity & Accessibility
    Dedicated ADA and Section 508 testing ensures all citizens, including those with disabilities, have equal access to TDHS digital services, fulfilling the agency's legal obligations and commitment to equitable service delivery.

    Technology Modernization
    AI-powered testing expertise directly supports the department's IT modernization goals by introducing intelligent automation, reducing manual testing effort, and accelerating the delivery of system enhancements to critical platforms such as EBMS.

    Risk Reduction
    Comprehensive testing coverage reduces legal, financial, and operational risk associated with production defects, accessibility violations, and federal audit findings that could disrupt services or trigger corrective action.

    Operational Efficiency
    AI-driven testing tools reduce cycle times, lower maintenance costs, and free existing staff to focus on higher-value strategic work, delivering long-term efficiency gains across the organization.
    What are the specific impacts on service delivery, operations, compliance, timeliness, or customer service if this contractor support is not approved? Failure to approve this contractor backfill will have immediate consequences across these critical areas:

    Service Delivery
    Undetected system defects risk incorrect benefit determinations and payment errors for citizens depending on SNAP and Families First with vulnerable populations facing the greatest impact.

    Operations
    Existing staff will be forced to absorb testing duties, resulting in burnout, reduced productivity, and declining quality across all active workstreams. Without AI-powered testing, manual processes will continue to slow delivery and limit scalability.

    Compliance
    The agency faces growing ADA, Section 508, and federal program integrity exposure, increasing the likelihood of audit findings, Corrective Action Plans, and financial penalties.

    Timeliness
    Active releases and policy-driven system updates will face immediate delays, with testing backlogs creating compounding schedule impacts across multiple projects.

    Customer Service
    Caseworkers and citizens will experience reduced system reliability, increased errors, and accessibility barriers, driving up complaints, appeals, and processing times.
    Why is contractor support needed instead of filling or creating a state position? Contractor support is the most appropriate solution for this need for the following reasons:

    Speed of Hire
    A state classified position requires several months to post, recruit, screen, select, and onboard. Active projects and release schedules cannot sustain that gap. A contractor can be engaged and productive in a fraction of the time through an existing contract vehicle.

    Specialized Skill Set
    The required combination of ADA/Section 508 accessibility testing and AI-powered testing expertise represents a highly specialized skill set that:
    • Is difficult to source through traditional state hiring pipelines
    • May exceed state salary band limitations
    • Is more readily and competitively available in the contractor market

    Cost Efficiency
    A contractor engagement avoids the long-term financial obligations of a permanent state employee including benefits, retirement contributions, and salary commitments beyond the period of need. Funding is already available within the existing contract vehicle.

    Backfill of Validated Need
    This is not a request for a new or expanded capability. It is a backfill of an already approved and validated role. The fastest and most practical path to restoring that capability is through contractor support.
    Contractor Need is: Temporary, Seasonal, Project-Specific, Urgent, Specialized, or Ongoing Urgent and Specialized
    How are these duties or services currently being handled? In the absence of a dedicated QA Analyst III, testing duties are being managed through interim measures:

    Absorbed by Existing Staff
    Current team members are informally taking on testing responsibilities alongside their primary duties, resulting in incomplete test coverage, divided attention, increased error risk, and staff burnout.

    Reduced Testing Scope
    Without dedicated resources, the team will be forced to scale back testing activities. As a result:
    • Regression testing can become limited or skipped in some release cycles
    • UAT facilitation is inconsistent and unreliable

    Growing Testing Backlog
    Deferred testing activities can accumulating technical and compliance debt including unexecuted test cases, undocumented defects, and unvalidated system changes.
    What alternatives have been considered using existing staff, vacant positions, reassignment, overtime, process changes, or reprioritization? None
    Why are those alternatives not feasible? The following alternatives were considered:
    Alternative Why Not Feasible
    Redistribute to Existing Staff Team is already at full capacity. This approach has already proven unsustainable as the current interim solution
    Hire a Permanent State Employee Hiring timeline is too long for active project needs, specialized skills may exceed state salary bands, and project-bound workload does not justify a permanent FTE commitment
    Temporary State Employee Insufficient flexibility, limited engagement duration.
    Every alternative cannot meet the immediate timeline, or introduces greater risk than the contractor backfill. Contractor support is the only feasible solution that addresses the agency's speed, skill, scope, and budget requirements.
    What technology opportunities, including AI, automation, bots, workflow tools, reporting tools, or system enhancements have been explored to assist with or replace this work? None
    Provide a summary of the specific work the contractor will perform. The QA Analyst III contractor will perform the following core duties in support of TDHS systems and projects:

    Test Planning & Strategy
    Develop and maintain test plans, test schedules, and test scope definitions aligned to project milestones and release cycles in collaboration with business and technical teams.

    Test Execution & Defect Management
    Develop and execute manual, automation, functional, regression, integration, and UAT test cases. Document, track, and manage defects through resolution while conducting post-deployment validation to confirm release stability.

    AI-Powered Testing
    Implement and manage AI-powered testing platforms to automate regression cycles, develop self-healing test scripts, leverage predictive defect analysis, and generate test cases from requirements reducing manual effort and accelerating delivery.

    ADA & Accessibility Testing
    Conduct structured ADA, Section 508, and WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA compliance testing using both automated scanning tools and manual testing methods including screen reader and keyboard navigation validation. Document defects and verify remediation before release.

    Reporting & Metrics
    Produce test execution reports, defect trend analysis, and release readiness assessments that provide leadership and project teams with clear visibility into system quality and testing progress.

    Collaboration
    Serve as a tester across development, business, and project management teams, participating in Agile ceremonies and communicating testing status and risks to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
    What work is outside of the contractor's scope? None
    What qualifications, certifications, licenses, experience, or technical skills are required? Education
    Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree and two years
    professional experience in one or a combination of the following: 1) software applications development; 2) systems analysis or design; 3) testing and quality documentation and execution; or 4) business analysis and process design.

    Substitution of a specific Associate's Degree for the Required Bachelor's Degree: An associate's degree in business data processing (e.g., business data programming, business systems analysis, or computer accounting), management
    information systems, computer and information systems, or other related Information Technology field from an accredited college or university may substitute for the required bachelor's degree.

    Substitution of Experience for Education: Qualifying experience in one or a combination of the following areas may substitute for the required
    education, on a year-for-year basis, to a maximum of four years: 1) testing and quality assurance work, or 2) any information systems work including but not limited to computer programming, database administration, or information systems analysis (e.g., experience equivalent to one year of full-time work in one or a combination of the above listed
    fields may substitute for one year of the required education).

    Substitution of Graduate Coursework for Experience:
    Additional qualifying graduate course work in Information Systems may substitute for the required experience, on a year-for-year basis, to a maximum of one year (e.g., 36 graduate quarter hours in Information Systems may substitute
    for one year of the required experience).

    Experience
    Minimum 3-5 years of software testing experience in a complex system environment, proven experience with ADA, Section 508, and WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA accessibility testing, Hands-on experience with AI-powered testing, experience in Agile/Scrum environments, State or federal health and human services system experience preferred
    Familiarity with eligibility and benefit management systems.

    Technical Skills
    Skill Area Tools & Technologies
    Core Testing JIRA, manual and automated test execution, regression, UAT, functional testing
    AI-Powered Testing
    Accessibility Testing Axe, WAVE, NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, WCAG 2.1/2.2 AA
    Additional Technical SQL, Postman, Microsoft Office

    Professional Skills
    Strong written and verbal communication for technical and non-technical audiences
    Ability to manage multiple priorities across concurrent workstreams, detail-oriented with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
    What are the expected deliverables, work products, or measurable outputs? Manual Test Cases & Automated Test Scripts Fully developed, reviewed, and maintained covering functional, regression, integration, and UAT scenarios
    What deadlines, milestones, volume expectations, or performance measures will apply? Test cases developed and maintained across all active projects and releases
    Full regression and smoke testing executed each release cycle
    Defects documented within 1 business day of discovery
    UAT sessions facilitated for each project or release cycle
    Weekly status reports delivered during active testing cycles
    Who will provide day-to-day oversight and approve the contractor's work? Sandra Glenn
    Will the contractor need access to state systems, facilities, equipment, data, or confidential information? Yes
    What is the estimated total cost, rate, or contract amount? $53.00
    What funding source, budget availability, cost estimate, workload data, or other documentation supports this request?
    • FA EBMS = HS00001708 (60%)
    • FA EBMS O&M = HS00001696 (10%)
    • IT Indirect Support = HS00001702 (if we can use the individual to support ADA) (20%)
    Needs to be uploaded Filename
    Current organizational chart
    Deputy Commissioner or equivalent approval
    Cost estimate of Budget Worksheet
    Proposed scope of work
    Workload, backlog, caseload, or productivity data
    Filled versus unfilled position report, if applicable
    Draft deliverables or performance measures
    Grant, audit, corrective action, or compliance documentation, if applicable
    Current contract, amendment, or renewal justification, if applicable


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