careers in test

Test Lead

“Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a job where collaboration and direction elevate every member of your testing team? That’s the power of a Test Lead.”

A Test Lead is responsible for guiding and managing the testing activities of a specific project or team. They oversee the execution of tests, ensure quality standards are met, and collaborate with cross-functional teams. Test Leads also play a hands-on role in defining test cases, managing defect resolution processes, and aligning testing activities with project goals.

Knowledge Required
  • Test execution methodologies and tools
  • Defect tracking and management processes
  • Project-specific domain expertise
  • Agile and/or Waterfall testing approaches
  • Cross-team collaboration and communication
Skills Required
  • Test execution and defect tracking expertise
  • Strong communication and leadership abilities
  • Test case design and prioritization
  • Risk identification and mitigation strategies
  • Collaboration with development and QA teams
Typical Responsibilities
  • Leading and coordinating the testing efforts for a project
  • Defining and executing test cases based on requirements
  • Monitoring and reporting testing progress to stakeholders
  • Ensuring timely defect resolution and root cause analysis
  • Collaborating with developers, business analysts, and QA personnel
Common Tools

JIRA, TestRail, HP ALM, Confluence, Microsoft Teams

Connect & Facilitate

This role often overlaps with QA Analysts and Developers in areas of test design, defect resolution, and progress tracking.

Rate Table (National Average)

Please note that rate averages will change slightly by state, and precision of practice can also influence rates (testing for avionics, medical, or safety equipment can require compliance with particularly rigorous government standards etc)

RemunerationValue
Daily Rate (contract)$900 – $1000
FTE Salary (Permanent)$130,000 – $150,000

Project Hiring Cost (average)

These percentages are derived from an annualized amount. Given the costs involved in sourcing, vetting, and correspondence for a role of this type, a recruiter would expect a minimum fixed fee of 15K, although most recruiters operate on percentages nowadays.

Project Hiring CostValue
Internal HR15-20%
Recruiters25%

Interview Questions

Here are some interview questions you will most likely encounter for this role. While we don’t provide answers, we do clarify the intent behind the questions, which makes them a great resource when researching the role in readiness for an interview.

To understand prioritization strategies under tight deadlines.

To evaluate cross-team communication and problem-solving.

To assess defect identification skills and critical thinking.

To gauge consistency and adherence to testing guidelines.

To evaluate adaptability and problem-solving skills.

ATS Keyphrases

These keywords are commonly used by recruiter Application Tracking Systems to determine the relevance of a CV or cover letter to a specific position description. By ensuring at least a few of these key phrases appear throughout your CV and cover letter, you increase your relevance where an ATS is being used.

Test Planning, Test Strategy Development, Team Leadership, Defect Management, Test Execution Management, Quality Assurance (QA), Test Metrics Reporting, Test Estimation, Test Automation Oversight, Requirement Analysis, Agile Testing, Waterfall Testing, Stakeholder Communication, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Test Case Reviews, Risk-Based Testing, Resource Management, Test Status Reporting, Test Environment Setup, Test Data Preparation, Process Improvement, Test Governance, Performance Testing Coordination, Conflict Resolution, Mentoring and Coaching