Edtech.com's Summary

Braven is hiring a Quality Assurance Engineer to ensure the reliability, accessibility, and user satisfaction of their student- and staff-facing software. This role involves developing automated and manual testing strategies, collaborating with engineers to improve test coverage, managing CI/CD quality gates, and validating data to maintain high software quality standards.

Highlights

Build and maintain UI and API automation tests using Playwright.
Design and execute test plans for web and API features with integrations including Salesforce, Canvas, and Zoom.
Perform cross-browser, device, and WCAG accessibility testing; log defects clearly.
Manage CI/CD quality gates with GitHub Actions and ensure release verification and bug triage.
Validate data flows using SQL and observability tools; drive process improvements.
Required skills: Playwright or Cypress, API testing, Git/GitHub, GitHub Actions/CI, accessibility testing standards (WCAG).
Preferred experience with Ruby on Rails, Python, Heroku, Jira, performance testing, and test data management.
Bachelor's degree in a technical field or equivalent experience; 2+ years in software engineering or 3+ years in QA/testing.
Starting salary range: $92,000 to $114,900 with comprehensive benefits including unlimited vacation, 401K match, paid parental leave, and sabbatical.
Collaborate with the Systems team and report to the Senior Director of Engineering.

Quality Assurance Engineer Full Description

Job Title: Quality Assurance Engineer

Team: Systems

Location: Hybrid in Chicago (IL)

Employment Type: Full-time

Start Date: ASAP

About Braven

Braven is a national nonprofit that prepares promising college students to secure a strong first opportunity after college graduation through a career-accelerating program.

We work with higher education and employer partners to offer a life-changing experience that begins with a semester-long course for college students followed by support that lasts through graduation.

Together, our ambition is to help rebuild the middle class and revitalize the American Dream.

To learn more, take a look at Braven’s Jobs Report.

About the Role

In order to achieve its ambition of serving 80,000–100,000 Fellows over the next decade, Braven is hiring a Quality Assurance Engineer who will ensure our student- and staff-facing software is reliable, accessible, and a joy to use. We want every interaction in MyBraven and our broader ecosystem to feel empowering, connected, and engaging.

You will be a core partner to Engineering: shaping test plans, expanding automated test coverage, and collaborating with engineers to write effective unit and integration tests. You’ll help us balance the agility needed to ship impactful features with the discipline of strong quality practices and continuous improvement.

This role is on the Systems team and reports directly to the Senior Director, Engineering.

What You’ll Do

Test automation & collaboration with engineers (40%)

Build and maintain UI and API automation (Playwright preferred).
Partner with engineers to write/expand unit and integration tests and improve testability.
Increase automation coverage and reliability (flakiness control, data management).

Test planning & manual execution (35%)

Design and execute test plans and test cases for web and API features across key integrations (Salesforce, Canvas, Pathify, LinkedIn, Zoom).
Perform cross-browser/device and accessibility (WCAG) testing; log clear, actionable defects.

CI/CD quality gates, release verification, and bug triage (15%)

Own quality checks in GitHub Actions/CI; implement sensible gating and fast feedback loops.
Coordinate regression and release verification for scheduled launches; drive root-cause analysis.

Data validation & process improvement (10%)

Validate data flows with SQL; use logs/observability to detect regressions.
Document test cases, patterns, and QA standards; champion pragmatic process improvements.
Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Minimum Requirements

2+ years of professional software engineering experience OR 3+ years QA/software testing experience (or 2+ years QA experience + 1+ in automation/engineering)
Tools/Skills: Playwright (or Cypress), API testing, Database, Git/GitHub, GitHub Actions/CI, accessibility testing (WCAG). Familiarity with REST API tools (e.g., Postman) and WCAG testing tools (e.g., axe, lighthouse, wave) is a plus.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in a technical field or equivalent professional experience
Experience with Ruby on Rails, Python, and Heroku environments and modern web app architectures.
Experience with performance testing, observability (e.g., logs/metrics), and test data management.
Familiarity with Jira and structured defect triage.
Strong organizational and task management skills, with the ability to prioritize work, ensure attention to detail, and make sound technical decisions independently.
Flexible and solutions-oriented, with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to changing priorities.
Excellent communication skills, bridging technical and non-technical teams and managing stakeholder expectations effectively.
Demonstrated commitment to building strong and welcoming cultures that help to develop others.
Exemplification of Braven’s core values.
Experience that has informed your belief in Braven’s mission and has prepared you to work with, or for, Braven’s student Fellow population.

Please know that no one ever meets 100% of the preferred qualifications. If much of this describes you, we encourage you to apply.

Work Demands

Ability to work in-person in Chicago (IL) at least 3 days per week
Travel 2-3 times per year

Additional Requirements

Authorized to work in the U.S.
Braven doesn’t offer employment visa sponsorship

Application & Interview Process

While the interview process may vary slightly, the general process will be:

Phone screen with Talent Team member
Performance Task
Interview with Hiring Manager
Panel Interview with Key Partners
Reference Checks

Benefits

Compensation and Benefits

Braven offers competitive base salaries based on the midpoint of the market among not-for-profit organizations of similar size, with opportunities for salary growth over time. We believe in compensating staff members fairly in relation to each other, their qualifications, and their impact on behalf of the organization, and take internal and external equity seriously. Given our commitment to equity, Braven does not negotiate salary offers; instead, each salary offer is determined carefully using external and internal benchmarking.

New hires can expect a starting salary at the beginning of the range to allow room for growth with performance and so that Braven maintains internal equity. The salary ranges, by geographic market, for this role are set forth $92,000-$114,900 in Chicago. This is a full-time, regular, exempt, and benefits eligible position where you will be working at 100% capacity.

Braven also provides competitive, comprehensive benefits, recognition, and career development. While Braven reserves the right to change benefits at any time, current benefits include:

Unlimited vacation time in addition to org-wide holidays and week-long shutdowns in July and the end of the calendar year (this is a minimum of 19 days per year)
Braven supports your path to parenthood and beyond with $25,000 in lifetime Carrot benefits for fertility, family-building, and hormonal health
Match of your 401K contribution up to 5% of your base annual salary, starting your first full month
Coverage of 85% of health insurance premium for employee and dependents
12 weeks of paid parental leave
A one-month paid sabbatical after 4 years on staff

Please note that Braven is firm in its compensation philosophy; therefore, only candidates who believe that our total rewards package matches what they are looking for in their next opportunity are encouraged to apply.

Location

We gather in the office 3 days per week (on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) and work remotely 2 days per week (although certain commitments might adjust that from time to time). Therefore, this role requires teammates to live within commuting distance of Chicago (IL). We believe in the magic, connection, and collaboration that happens when people work together face-to-face, and we believe in giving people flexibility to focus, balance personal priorities, and save themselves two commutes per week.

Braven is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected factor. We encourage talented individuals of all backgrounds to apply.

Original Job Description