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Software Quality Assurance Analysts and Testers

SOC 15-1253.00Job Zone 4 · Considerable Preparationv.26.05

Context coveredThis framework covers software quality assurance and testing practice across agile and traditional SDLC environments, from entry-level test execution through enterprise QA leadership, in technology-intensive organizations at Job Zone 4 preparation depth.

Sources:O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.SkillsCrosswalkSkillsCrosswalk — O*NET enrichment + adjacency index. Opens in new tab.
Emerging
Entry / Apprentice
  1. Software defects and anomalies — identify and document under direct supervision using a bug tracking system in an entry-level QA role.
  2. Test plans and predefined test scripts — execute following established procedures on assigned application modules.
  3. Program function and output — recognize deviations from expected behavior and escalate findings to senior QA staff.
  4. Bug tracking tools and development environment software — install and configure with guidance from a senior analyst on a project team.
  5. Test procedures and replicability standards — follow documented protocols to ensure consistent test execution across sprint cycles.
  6. Regression test cases — run predefined suites under supervision to validate that recent code changes have not introduced new defects.
  7. Software requirements and technical specifications — read and interpret to understand expected system behavior before beginning test execution.
  8. Defect reports — write clear, structured summaries using approved templates and submit to development teams via the bug tracking system.
  9. System modifications — assist in smoke-testing builds prepared for implementation in a supervised pre-release environment.
  10. Test results and execution logs — record accurately and organize in shared documentation repositories for team review.
Developing
Mid-level / Established
  1. Test scenarios and usability test scripts — design for assigned features, incorporating positive, negative, and boundary-condition cases in an agile development environment.
  2. Software defects affecting database integrity or online screen content — analyze root causes and document detailed reproduction steps in the bug tracking system with minimal oversight.
  3. Regression and error-retest programs — develop and maintain to cover database impacts and functional changes across iterative software releases.
  4. Feedback on software usability and functionality — prepare and communicate recommendations to developers during sprint reviews and design walk-throughs.
  5. Testing tools and automation frameworks — install, configure, and maintain to support routine test cycles within a CI/CD pipeline.
  6. System modifications scheduled for implementation — test independently against acceptance criteria and produce sign-off reports for project stakeholders.
  7. Test procedures and compliance documentation — author to meet organizational and industry standards, ensuring replicability by other team members.
  8. Defect trends and test execution metrics — monitor across releases and report anomalies to QA leads to inform risk assessments.
  9. Object-oriented or scripted test code — write and review to extend automated regression suites for web and desktop applications.
  10. Complex problem scenarios involving cross-module interactions — analyze and resolve by applying systematic critical thinking within familiar application contexts.
Proficient
Senior / Expert IC
  1. Comprehensive test plans and end-to-end test strategies — design autonomously for complex, multi-tier systems addressing scenarios including database impacts, security boundaries, and usability requirements.
  2. Non-routine software defects involving ambiguous specifications or intermittent failures — investigate, reproduce, and document with precision, driving resolution through cross-functional collaboration.
  3. Automated testing programs spanning regression, performance, and negative testing — architect and implement across the full software development lifecycle without requiring oversight.
  4. Quantitative defect analysis and quality metrics — produce and interpret to evaluate system stability and guide release-readiness decisions for senior stakeholders.
  5. Software usability and functionality recommendations — formulate and present to product and engineering leadership, grounding guidance in test evidence and industry best practices.
  6. Testing tools, frameworks, and development environments — evaluate, select, and integrate into existing DevOps pipelines based on project requirements and technology stack.
  7. Systems modifications and pre-production deployments — validate against complex acceptance criteria, identifying edge-case failures before customer-facing release.
  8. Operations analysis of system behavior under load or failure conditions — conduct using monitoring tools and log analysis to uncover systemic risks.
  9. Test documentation libraries and standards — maintain and continuously improve to ensure full compliance with organizational and regulatory requirements.
  10. Junior and mid-level QA analysts — guide through technical problem-solving, peer review of test artifacts, and mentoring on quality assurance methodologies.
Advanced
Lead / Principal / Executive
  1. Organization-wide QA strategy and quality governance framework — define and champion across all product lines, aligning testing standards with enterprise risk tolerance and business objectives.
  2. Quality assurance capability roadmap — lead the development of, including adoption of emerging test automation, AI-assisted testing, and shift-left practices across engineering organizations.
  3. Cross-functional QA processes and toolchain standards — establish and enforce, coordinating with development, product, DevOps, and security teams to embed quality throughout the SDLC.
  4. Senior QA engineers and test architects — mentor and develop, setting performance expectations and creating career growth pathways within the quality assurance function.
  5. Executive and stakeholder reporting on product quality, defect risk, and release readiness — deliver with strategic recommendations that influence go/no-go decisions at the portfolio level.
  6. Industry best practices in systems analysis, quality control, and software engineering — synthesize and translate into organizational standards, training programs, and methodology updates.
  7. QA team hiring, structure, and resource allocation — lead to build high-performing testing organizations capable of supporting large-scale, complex software delivery programs.
  8. Regulatory compliance and quality audit requirements — interpret and operationalize within the QA function, ensuring all test documentation and processes satisfy external and internal mandates.
  9. Enterprise-level test infrastructure investment decisions — evaluate and authorize, balancing cost, scalability, and capability improvements for current and future technology portfolios.
  10. Culture of quality and continuous improvement — instill across engineering and product organizations by advocating for proactive defect prevention, rigorous standards, and shared accountability.

AI-at-Work Competency Framework

Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Authoritative source data identified for 998 occupations

How a worker at each mastery level uses, directs, and evaluates AI tools in this occupation. Each statement cites its evidence inline; click a citation chip to verify the source.

Emerging
  1. AI-assisted defect documentation — uses an LLM to draft initial bug reports from raw notes and test observations, then reviews and corrects the generated text before submitting to the bug tracking system Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  2. Test script bootstrapping — prompts an AI tool to generate starter test cases for straightforward functional scenarios, then manually validates each case against requirements Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
Developing
  1. Regression test generation — directs an AI assistant to produce regression test suites from existing test plans and change logs, then refines coverage gaps through critical review Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Test procedure narration — uses an LLM to convert hand-written test steps into fully documented, standards-compliant procedures, verifying accuracy and completeness before sign-off Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  3. Defect pattern summarization — delegates analysis of large bug-tracking exports to an AI tool to surface recurring failure patterns, then interprets findings for stakeholder communication WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
Proficient
  1. End-to-end test plan drafting — orchestrates an AI assistant through the full lifecycle of test plan creation—scenarios, scripts, and acceptance criteria—while retaining ownership of risk prioritization and scope decisions Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. Negative and boundary test design — instructs an LLM to enumerate edge-case and negative-test scenarios from specification documents, then critically evaluates each suggestion against system constraints Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. AI-generated test data validation — evaluates synthetic test datasets produced by an AI tool for completeness, bias, and regulatory compliance before incorporating them into automated test pipelines Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
  4. Cross-functional defect reporting — uses AI-drafted summaries to translate technical bug findings into clear narratives for non-technical stakeholders, editing for precision and accountability Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab..
Advanced
  1. Autonomous test-agent oversight — designs the evaluation criteria and guardrails under which an AI testing agent executes exploratory test runs autonomously, then audits agent decisions and escalates anomalies that require human judgment Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab..
  2. QA process re-engineering — leads organizational adoption of AI-integrated quality workflows, benchmarking time-savings against measurable baselines and calibrating human-AI task boundaries to preserve critical-thinking oversight Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
  3. AI Impact governance for QA — defines which testing competencies remain human-led given the occupation's Q2 augmented positioning, establishing standards that prevent over-reliance on AI for complex analytical tasks Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab. WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab..
Evidence pack
AEI usage
Task observations: 24694
Augment share: 95%
Time saved: 84.9%
AI autonomy: 3.08
SAFI positioning
Top skill: Reading Comprehension
Score: 45.5 / 100
Quadrant: Q2_ai_augmented
precision: exact
WEF cluster
Artificial Intelligence
artificial_intelligence
Sources:Anthropic Economic IndexAnthropic Economic Index — release_2026_03_24. Opens in new tab.Jadhav & Danve, 2026Skill Automation Feasibility Index — Jadhav & Danve, 2026 (arXiv:2604.06906). Opens in new tab.WEF Skills TaxonomyWEF Skills Taxonomy 2021 — Building a Common Language for Skills at Work. Opens in new tab.

Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework

Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Subscriber feature

Ten durable-skill domains mapped to four proficiency/role levels for each occupation. Each statement is aligned to the Pathsmith taxonomy, derived from trusted grounding data and mapped to occupation-specific O*NET tasks and skills.

1Communication11 statements
Emerging
  1. Bug report drafts — documents basic defects with steps to reproduce using a bug tracking system under supervisor guidance Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Test status updates — conveys simple test progress verbally to immediate team members during stand-up meetings Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Defect documentation — writes clear, structured bug reports including expected versus actual behavior, environment details, and severity ratings in a tracking system Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Developer feedback — communicates usability and functionality observations to developers using precise technical language and reproducible examples Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Test procedure write-ups — drafts documented test procedures that enable other testers to replicate scenarios consistently O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Cross-functional defect briefings — presents defect trends, test coverage summaries, and risk assessments to developers, product managers, and stakeholders in written and verbal formats Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Test plan documentation — authors comprehensive test plans, scenarios, and scripts that communicate scope, objectives, and acceptance criteria to all project stakeholders Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Regression findings reports — synthesizes regression test results into structured reports that distinguish new regressions from known issues for development teams O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. QA communication standards — establishes and enforces defect reporting templates, escalation protocols, and test summary formats adopted organization-wide Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Executive quality briefings — translates complex testing data, defect density metrics, and release readiness assessments into executive-level summaries that drive go/no-go decisions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Cross-team knowledge transfer — authors and delivers training materials on defect writing standards and testing communication practices for new QA analysts Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
2Leadership10 statements
Emerging
  1. Test task ownership — takes responsibility for completing assigned test cases on schedule without requiring repeated follow-up from senior testers Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Peer defect review — volunteers to review a colleague's bug reports for clarity and completeness when workload permits Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Test cycle coordination — organizes personal and shared test execution schedules to ensure coverage milestones are met within a sprint or release cycle Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Junior tester guidance — mentors entry-level QA colleagues on writing reproducible defect reports and navigating the bug tracking system Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. QA workstream leadership — leads end-to-end test planning and execution for a feature or release, coordinating activities across testers, developers, and product owners Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Quality advocacy — proactively champions quality standards in sprint planning and design review meetings, influencing development priorities before coding begins Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Defect triage facilitation — chairs defect triage meetings, prioritizes bug resolution order, and negotiates acceptance criteria with development leads Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. QA practice leadership — defines the testing strategy, tool selection, and quality metrics framework for an entire product line or engineering organization Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-functional quality culture — builds a culture of quality beyond QA by establishing developer self-testing practices, shift-left initiatives, and shared ownership of defect prevention Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. QA team development — designs career growth paths, skill assessment rubrics, and mentorship programs for a team of QA analysts and testers Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
3Metacognition9 statements
Emerging
  1. Testing gap awareness — recognizes when personal test coverage has missed an area and seeks guidance on improving test case design Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Learning reflection — identifies specific programming or scripting concepts to study after encountering automation challenges during test development Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Test strategy self-assessment — evaluates personal test planning decisions after release to identify patterns in missed defects and adjust future coverage strategies Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Tool proficiency monitoring — tracks personal growth in testing tools and scripting languages, setting targeted learning goals aligned with team automation needs Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Defect pattern analysis — reflects on recurring categories of missed bugs across test cycles to recalibrate test design assumptions and boundary condition coverage Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cognitive bias recognition — identifies and corrects confirmation bias in test case selection, ensuring negative and edge-case scenarios receive equal attention Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Process retrospective contribution — leads personal and team retrospectives to surface inefficiencies in testing workflows and implement targeted improvements Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Systemic quality thinking — models metacognitive practices across the QA team by institutionalizing post-release defect escape reviews and root cause learning sessions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Testing philosophy evolution — continuously evaluates and refines the team's overall testing philosophy in response to new technologies, methodologies, and product complexity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
4Critical Thinking11 statements
Emerging
  1. Defect reproduction — applies logical step-by-step reasoning to reproduce reported bugs consistently and isolate the conditions under which failures occur Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Requirement interpretation — reads software specifications and identifies ambiguous or incomplete acceptance criteria before beginning test case design Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Root cause analysis — investigates defect symptoms beyond surface-level behavior to identify underlying causes in code paths, data states, or configuration errors Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Test coverage logic — analyzes requirements, user stories, and design documents to derive equivalence classes, boundary values, and decision table test cases Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Risk-based test prioritization — evaluates feature complexity and business impact to prioritize test execution order when time constraints limit full coverage Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Regression risk assessment — analyzes code change scope and system architecture to determine which existing test areas require regression coverage after each build Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Usability evaluation — systematically assesses software interfaces against usability heuristics and user workflow logic to surface functional and experiential defects Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Test scenario completeness audit — evaluates test plans for logical gaps, redundant coverage, and unstated assumptions before test execution begins Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Testing strategy inference — derives optimal testing approaches for novel system architectures or technologies by applying first-principles reasoning when established frameworks are insufficient Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Organizational defect reasoning — analyzes defect data across multiple releases to infer systemic development process failures and recommend targeted process interventions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Acceptance criteria arbitration — resolves contested interpretations of requirements between QA, development, and product stakeholders through structured evidence-based reasoning Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
5Collaboration10 statements
Emerging
  1. Developer pairing — works alongside developers during defect investigation sessions to share test environment context and reproduce failures collaboratively Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Team test asset sharing — contributes test cases and scripts to shared repositories in a format that teammates can access and execute independently Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Agile ceremony participation — actively contributes to sprint planning, backlog grooming, and retrospectives by surfacing testability concerns and quality risks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-role defect collaboration — partners with developers, business analysts, and product owners during defect triage to align on severity, priority, and resolution criteria Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Shared automation contribution — collaborates with automation engineers and developers to build and maintain shared test frameworks and continuous integration pipelines Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Multi-team release coordination — coordinates testing activities across multiple QA and development teams during complex, integrated release cycles to prevent coverage gaps and scheduling conflicts Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. UAT facilitation support — partners with business stakeholders during user acceptance testing to translate technical defect details and facilitate productive testing sessions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Diverse perspective integration — incorporates accessibility, localization, and security testing perspectives from specialized team members into a unified test strategy Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Organization-wide quality collaboration — builds collaborative quality partnerships across engineering, product, design, and operations to embed testing considerations into every phase of the software development lifecycle Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. External stakeholder alignment — leads collaborative sessions with external clients or vendors to define acceptance criteria, coordinate testing environments, and resolve cross-organizational quality disputes Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
6Character10 statements
Emerging
  1. Honest defect reporting — documents all discovered defects accurately, including those that may delay a release, without minimizing severity to meet schedule pressure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Standards adherence — follows established test documentation templates and naming conventions consistently, even on low-visibility tasks Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Accountable test coverage — acknowledges gaps in personal test coverage discovered after release and takes corrective action without deflecting responsibility Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Confidential data handling — maintains strict protocols for handling personally identifiable or sensitive data encountered in test environments Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Ethical defect escalation — escalates critical defects with security, privacy, or safety implications through appropriate channels regardless of project timeline pressure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Objective defect advocacy — maintains impartial, evidence-based positions on defect severity and release readiness even when facing developer or management pushback Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Professional conduct modeling — demonstrates consistent professionalism in defect reporting language, avoiding blame-framing and maintaining constructive tone in all developer interactions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Compliance integrity — ensures test procedures and documentation meet regulatory, audit, and organizational compliance requirements without shortcuts under deadline pressure Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Quality ethics leadership — establishes and champions ethical standards for QA practice, including honest risk communication to leadership when software is not release-ready Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Trust-based quality culture — builds an environment where testers feel safe reporting difficult findings and developers trust QA as a professional, impartial quality partner Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
7Creativity9 statements
Emerging
  1. Exploratory test improvisation — deviates from scripted test cases to explore unexpected application behaviors, generating ad-hoc test scenarios based on intuition and curiosity Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Alternative input generation — invents unusual data combinations and edge-case inputs beyond specification examples to probe application boundaries Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Novel test scenario design — develops creative negative testing, boundary, and error-path scenarios that go beyond happy-path coverage specified in requirements Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Automation framework innovation — experiments with new scripting patterns or test data generation techniques to improve the efficiency and coverage of automated test suites Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Testing approach invention — designs original testing methodologies for new feature types or technical architectures where no established test patterns exist Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Heuristic test model creation — develops custom testing heuristics and mnemonics tailored to a specific product domain that guide exploratory testing sessions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Performance scenario engineering — constructs creative load and stress scenarios that simulate realistic and extreme usage patterns beyond what product teams anticipate Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. QA methodology innovation — invents new testing frameworks, hybrid strategies, or AI-assisted testing approaches that advance the organization's quality assurance capabilities beyond industry norms Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Cross-domain solution transfer — applies testing concepts from adjacent disciplines such as chaos engineering, security red-teaming, or cognitive psychology to create novel QA practices Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
8Growth Mindset9 statements
Emerging
  1. Feedback receptivity — receives critique on defect reports and test plans from senior testers and implements suggested improvements without defensiveness Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. New tool exploration — voluntarily learns unfamiliar testing tools or scripting languages assigned to a project, treating the learning curve as expected rather than discouraging Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Defect escape learning — analyzes defects that escaped to production as learning opportunities, updating test strategies rather than dismissing escapes as inevitable Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Skill stretch acceptance — takes on testing assignments in unfamiliar technical domains such as APIs, databases, or performance testing to deliberately expand technical range Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Iterative test process improvement — treats each sprint retrospective as a structured opportunity to identify and trial one concrete improvement to the testing process Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Certification and continuing education — pursues relevant QA certifications, automation training, or software engineering coursework to stay current with evolving testing practices Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Failure normalization — models a team norm where test failures and production escapes are treated as diagnostic data rather than personal failures, enabling open post-mortems Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Organizational learning architecture — designs systematic feedback loops, knowledge-sharing forums, and post-release review processes that embed continuous learning into the QA team's operating rhythm Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Emerging technology adoption — leads organizational adoption of emerging testing methodologies such as AI-assisted test generation or shift-left security testing, persisting through initial resistance and implementation challenges Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
9Mindfulness9 statements
Emerging
  1. Attention management during test execution — maintains focused, methodical attention while executing repetitive test scripts to avoid overlooking subtle defect indicators Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Stress recognition — notices personal signs of cognitive overload during high-pressure release cycles and applies basic attention-restoration strategies before resuming testing Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Intentional defect investigation — approaches ambiguous defect symptoms with deliberate, non-reactive inquiry rather than jumping to premature conclusions about root cause Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Presence in review sessions — maintains active, distraction-free engagement during defect triage and sprint review meetings, processing feedback before formulating responses Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. Deadline pressure regulation — maintains methodical test thoroughness under release deadline pressure, resisting the impulse to skip edge cases or abbreviate exploratory sessions Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Conflict-aware communication — recognizes emotional escalation in developer-tester disputes about defect validity and applies intentional de-escalation to keep discussions productive Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  3. Bias interruption — pauses before marking a defect as low-priority to examine whether familiarity with the feature is creating a blind spot in severity assessment Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Mindful quality culture facilitation — creates team practices such as structured defect retrospectives and intentional exploratory testing charters that cultivate collective present-moment awareness during testing activities Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Sustained focus under complexity — models and teaches strategies for maintaining precise, methodical attention across extended test campaigns on highly complex, multi-system integration projects Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
10Fortitude9 statements
Emerging
  1. Repetitive task persistence — maintains consistent quality and attention during lengthy regression test cycles even when results are unchanged and the work feels monotonous Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Difficult defect acceptance — continues investigating an elusive intermittent bug after multiple failed reproduction attempts rather than closing it as unreproducible prematurely Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Developing
  1. Schedule pressure endurance — sustains comprehensive test coverage standards during compressed sprint timelines or unexpected release acceleration without abandoning critical test areas Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Pushback navigation — maintains a defect's documented severity level under developer or manager pressure to downgrade it without supporting evidence Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Applying
  1. High-stakes release resilience — executes disciplined, exhaustive testing during critical go-live events or regulatory audits where quality failures carry significant organizational consequences Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  2. Ambiguity tolerance — perseveres through test planning for poorly specified features with incomplete requirements, constructing the most complete test coverage achievable from available information Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
  3. Post-production incident recovery — responds to production defect incidents with methodical investigation and rapid test scenario development rather than reactive panic or blame Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab. O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
Exceeding
  1. Organizational quality courage — persistently advocates for delaying a release when test evidence indicates unacceptable risk, even when facing strong organizational pressure to ship on schedule Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
  2. Long-cycle transformation endurance — sustains energy and commitment across multi-month QA transformation initiatives such as building automation infrastructure or implementing new SDLC quality gates, navigating setbacks without abandoning the initiative Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.
Sources:Pathsmith Durable SkillsPathsmith Durable Skills Framework — America Succeeds + CompTIA. Opens in new tab.O*NET v30.2O*NET Resource Center — Occupational Information Network, v30.2 (Sept 2025). Opens in new tab.
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Source anchors that ground each statement

Related titles
Application Integrator · Applications Analyst · Applications Quality Assurance Specialist (Applications QA Specialist) · Applications Software Engineering Information Technology Specialist (Applications Software Engineering IT Specialist) · Applications System Analyst · Applications Tester · Automation Specialist · Automation Tester · Beta Tester · Bug Bounty Hunter · Computer Consultant · Data Modeler
RAPIDS apprenticeships
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O*NET skills
Reading ComprehensionSpeakingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningWritingProgrammingMonitoringComplex Problem SolvingQuality Control AnalysisSystems EvaluationJudgment and Decision MakingSystems AnalysisActive LearningOperations AnalysisCoordinationOperations MonitoringTime Management
Knowledge domains
Computers and ElectronicsEnglish LanguageMathematicsEngineering and TechnologyDesign
Abilities
Deductive ReasoningProblem SensitivityOral ExpressionWritten ComprehensionOral ComprehensionInductive ReasoningWritten ExpressionInformation OrderingNear VisionSpeech Recognition
Work styles
Attention to DetailDependabilityCautiousnessIntellectual CuriosityAchievement OrientationPerseverance
Technology
Word processing softwareDevelopment environment softwareObject or component oriented development softwareData base user interface and query softwareDocument management softwareVideo creation and editing softwareGraphics or photo imaging softwareWeb page creation and editing softwareWeb platform development softwareDesktop publishing software
Tasks · seed anchors for statements
  1. Identify, analyze, and document problems with program function, output, online screen, or content.
  2. Document software defects, using a bug tracking system, and report defects to software developers.
  3. Develop testing programs that address areas such as database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing, error or bug retests, or usability.
  4. Design test plans, scenarios, scripts, or procedures.
  5. Document test procedures to ensure replicability and compliance with standards.
  6. Provide feedback and recommendations to developers on software usability and functionality.
  7. Install, maintain, or use software testing programs.
  8. Test system modifications to prepare for implementation.
CIP education codes
11.010111.010311.010411.020111.020211.020311.020411.020511.050111.070114.090114.090315.120115.120215.1204

Sources: O*NET v30.2 (CC BY 4.0), SkillsCrosswalk.com, LER.me, Anthropic Economic Index, SAFI (Jadhav & Danve, 2026), WEF Skills Taxonomy 2021, Pathsmith Durable Skills Framework. © 2026 EBSCOed.