Test and Quality Assurance (QA) Lead

Location: Reston, VA

Clearance: Active Secret Clearance Required

Salary Range: $100,000-$129,500 (Based on experience and education)
Join the Future of Data-Driven Decision Making

At Data Machines, we leverage data analytics, DevSecOps, machine intelligence, and data science to engineer innovative solutions for our Federal Government, Department of Defense, and commercial customers. Our teams solve complex, mission-critical challenges using modern technology and secure software development practices.

We are seeking a hands-on Test and Quality Assurance (QA) Lead with Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) experience to build and mature testing infrastructure for production software supporting simulation, optimization, and decision support in mission-focused environments.

You will develop test harnesses, mocking infrastructure, and automated and manual testing strategies; integrate testing into CI/CD pipelines; and improve software quality and reliability across Java, Rust, and TypeScript-based applications.

The ideal candidate combines hands-on software testing and development experience with the ability to establish repeatable QA processes, improve testing infrastructure, and provide technical leadership across software-development teams.

This position will be performed on-site in Reston, VA.
Key Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, development, and execution of software-testing and quality-assurance activities.
• Design, build, and maintain scalable test infrastructure, test harnesses, fixtures, and mocking capabilities.
• Develop automated and manual testing strategies covering functional, integration, regression, system, and acceptance testing.
• Integrate automated tests and quality gates into CI/CD pipelines across development, test, integration, staging, and production workflows.
• Develop test plans, test cases, test scripts, acceptance criteria, and traceable test evidence from system and customer requirements.
• Test Java, Rust, and TypeScript/React applications, including APIs, backend services, full-stack workflows, and user interfaces.
• Identify, document, track, troubleshoot, and validate software defects through resolution.
• Collaborate with researchers, developers, engineers, and end users to translate technical concepts and operational workflows into effective tests.
• Establish repeatable QA standards, documentation, metrics, and release-readiness criteria.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to personnel involved in testing and quality assurance.

Minimum Qualifications

• Active Secret security clearance.
• S. citizenship required.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, Applied Mathematics, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of industry experience in software development, SDET, software testing, or test infrastructure.
• Experience building test infrastructure, including mocking capabilities and CI/CD integration.
• Experience designing and executing automated and manual tests.
• Software-development experience in Java, Rust, or TypeScript/React.
• Familiarity with full-stack web-application development.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, documentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work on-site in Reston, VA.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience serving as a QA Lead, Test Lead, SDET Lead, or senior member of a software-testing team.
• Experience using Azure DevOps, GitLab, or similar CI/CD and development-collaboration tools.
• Experience testing APIs, distributed systems, data platforms, cloud applications, or simulation and decision-support software.
• Experience with performance, load, security, reliability, or resilience testing.
• Experience with Docker, Kubernetes, Linux, and containerized test environments.
• Experience developing QA metrics, dashboards, test reports, and release-readiness assessments.
• Experience supporting Department of Defense or other Federal Government software programs.