Quality Assurance Tester (with Customer Support)
About the Role
We're looking for a detail-oriented QA Tester with Customer Support experience to join our team as an independent contractor. This is a hybrid role that combines hands-on software quality assurance with frontline customer support — perfect for someone who enjoys variety and can comfortably switch between structured testing cycles and reactive customer service. As our Quality Assurance Tester, you'll be a critical gatekeeper who ensures our applications are stable and reliable before they reach end users. You'll also serve as a friendly, capable point of contact for customers, translating technical issues into plain, easy-to-understand language.You'll work closely with developers, product managers, and the customer support team to keep releases stable, protect critical user flows from regressions, and make sure customer-reported issues are captured, triaged, and resolved efficiently.
Key Responsibilities
Smoke Testing & Release Validation- Execute smoke test cycles on new builds and releases to confirm core functionality before deeper QA or sign-off
- Run structured test cases across web and/or mobile applications to catch critical bugs, crashes, and broken user flows
- Log, prioritize, and track defects with clear reproduction steps (Jira, TestRail, Bugzilla, or similar)
- Re-test resolved issues and run regression passes to confirm fixes haven't introduced new problems
- Collaborate with developers and product managers to clarify requirements and validate acceptance criteria
- Perform focused testing passes on RC builds to confirm they meet the defined quality bar
- Provide clear go/no-go recommendations to the QA Lead or Product Manager ahead of launch
- Prioritize testing of high-impact user flows and known risk areas
- Classify defects by severity, distinguishing release blockers from deferrable issues
- Maintain a clear audit trail of RC test results and sign-off status
- Support light post-release smoke checks in production
- Maintain and update smoke test checklists and test cases as the product evolves
- Flag release-blocking or high-severity issues promptly with clear risk assessments
- Validate application behavior across relevant devices, browsers, and operating systems
- Respond to customer inquiries via email, chat, or ticketing systems (Zendesk, Intercom, Freshdesk, etc.) with timely, friendly communication
- Diagnose and resolve routine customer issues; escalate confirmed bugs to QA/engineering with proper documentation
- Identify recurring patterns in customer-reported issues and relay insights to QA and product teams
- Maintain accurate records of customer interactions, resolutions, and escalations
What We're Looking For
- Verified experience in software QA, testing, or a related quality-focused role
- Basic customer service knowledge (no prior CSR experience required)
- Working knowledge of bug-tracking/test management tools such as Jira or TestRail
- Solid understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and Agile/Scrum workflows
- Familiarity with release management concepts (Release Candidates, staged rollouts, go/no-go criteria)
- Sharp, methodical attention to detail — you catch inconsistencies and edge cases others miss
- Excellent verbal and written English communication skills
- Ability to comfortably juggle structured testing cycles with reactive support needs in the same workday
Nice to Have
- Prior experience in a customer-facing support or helpdesk role (software/SaaS environment)
- Familiarity with API testing tools or basic SQL for backend data verification
- Exposure to automated testing frameworks
- Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines (e.g., GitHub Actions) and how RC builds move through staging to production
Why Join Us?
- 100% remote - work from anywhere
- Fixed schedule
- Exposure to the full release lifecycle, from smoke testing through RC sign-off
- Great opportunity to grow into automation and DevOps-adjacent work
