Overview - Software Test Engineer
A Software Test Engineer is involved in the testing of software and is generally a member of the software quality assurance team. Software QA Engineers may test software, but are not always expert Test Engineers.
There are two main types of testing, which are white box testing and black box testing. The differences between the two are based on the assumptions and the view points taken by the testers while performing the tests. White box testing assumes an internal view of the software and black box testing basically assumes an external view of the software.
Testing is done at different phases of the software development life cycle (SDLC) and includes unit testing, integration testing, functional testing, system testing, acceptance testing (often performed by the internal or external client) and regression testing (which is often automated).
Education – Software Test Engineers
Software Testers do not always have Computer Science degree. There are several notable certifications for Software Testing. The top ones are:
- American Society for Quality
- Quality Assurance International
- International Institute for Software Testing
Becoming a Software Test Engineer
Analytical thinking skills are a key to becoming a successful Test Engineer. Communication and documentation skills are also important. There are often internships and entry level positions available in larger companies. Check out the entry level job boards for the best leads.
Software Test Engineer Career Path
There are different level of Test Engineers. At an entry level, a testing engineer may set up and document simple test cases. As they become more experienced, Software Test Engineers may set up very complex test case scenarios, write test scripts and perform white box
