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What does a senior tester do?

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read

Senior testers are professionals who supervise junior-level testers that conduct testing for computer software for errors or any problems faced by end-users. These testers must attend discussion meetings to review and analyze business requirements and technical specifications with developers and business users. They must work with the quality assurance (QA) team to identify discrepancies and test the new application. Senior testers must also gather test results and document all defects to create the test completion document as per the requirement of end-users.

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Senior tester responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior tester resumes:

  • Participate in retrospective meetings actively suggesting great ideas to improve the scrum process to achieve better results.
  • Manage departmental inventory and troubleshoot testing, reporting and inventory issues.
  • Execute UNIX /LINUX commands to check error logs files.
  • Prepare test cases for other UI screens/modules of the application.
  • Work with end users to generate UAT scripts and to successful completion of UAT testing.
  • Test the UNIX scripts that are developed for moving the used source files into archive location.
  • Validate SITECORE input elements in different modules and country sites of ExxonMobil's web UI pages.
  • Develop a program in Java that reads log files and generates a CSV file with the requested messages.
  • Test various ETL SSIS transformation rules base on log files, data movement and with help of SQL.
  • Develop training materials, system maintenance and operating manuals for the QA environment and used the same to train the users.
  • Generate complex reports using Cognos application.
  • Follow agile methodology and attend scrum meetings.
  • Execute and monitor automated regression tests using QTP.
  • Test functionality and non-functionality of reports develop by Cognos.
  • Perform functionality and regression testing on new builds using WinRunner.

Senior tester skills and personality traits

We calculated that 10% of Senior Testers are proficient in Java, Test Results, and Linux.

We break down the percentage of Senior Testers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Java, 10%

    Developed automated scripts for angular JS application using protractor and Java scripts.

  • Test Results, 8%

    Validated test results, recorded defects and generated defect reports using Test Director and tracked bugs using quality center 8.2.

  • Linux, 5%

    Worked on Windows and Linux platforms for validating services and Testing of Infrastructure Services.

  • Jira, 4%

    Identified and reported system defects via HP ALM, JIRA and Team Foundation Server (TFS).

  • Ruby, 3%

    Created a Ruby gem which provides an easier way to automate interface file validation.

  • Regression, 3%

    Designed and Developed UAT Regression automation script and automation of functional testing framework for all modules using Selenium and WebDriver.

"java," "test results," and "linux" are among the most common skills that senior testers use at work. You can find even more senior tester responsibilities below, including:

All senior tester skills

The three companies that hire the most senior testers are:

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Compare different senior testers

Senior tester vs. Quality assurance consultant

A quality assurance consultant specializes in recommending and optimizing quality-control procedures ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. They typically conduct research and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of current quality control operations, implement solutions on problem areas, review policies and regulations, and coordinate with other staff to gather necessary data, analyzing them to find new opportunities for improvement. Furthermore, as a quality assurance consultant, it is essential to recommend solutions in adherence to the company's policies and regulations, including its mission and vision.

If we compare the average senior tester annual salary with that of a quality assurance consultant, we find that quality assurance consultants typically earn a $1,826 higher salary than senior testers make annually.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between senior testers and quality assurance consultants are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like java, test results, and linux.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a senior tester are more likely to require skills like "ruby," "test plan," "regression test cases," and "selenium web." On the other hand, a job as a quality assurance consultant requires skills like "test scripts," "selenium webdriver," "home health," and "data integrity." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Quality assurance consultants earn the highest salaries when working in the finance industry, with an average yearly salary of $98,723. On the other hand, senior testers are paid more in the telecommunication industry with an average salary of $93,416.quality assurance consultants tend to reach similar levels of education than senior testers. In fact, quality assurance consultants are 3.3% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.0% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Senior tester vs. Quality assurance analyst

Quality Administrators are responsible for managing the quality processes of an organization. Their duties include creating data collection processes, conducting data cleansing, tracks quality milestones, and develop training programs for internal teams. They undertake daily audits, work with the quality coordinator to determine root cause, and assist with feedback and complaints. Quality administrators also write daily reports for purchase orders that are overdue, open service jobs, quotations needing to follow up, unconfirmed hires, and processed sales orders.

On average, quality assurance analysts earn a $11,128 lower salary than senior testers a year.A few skills overlap for senior testers and quality assurance analysts. Resumes from both professions show that the duties of each career rely on skills like "java," "test results," and "linux. "

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, senior tester responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "ruby," "test plan," "regression test cases," and "selenium web." Meanwhile, a quality assurance analyst has duties that require skills in areas such as "test scripts," "selenium webdriver," "back-end," and "c #." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Quality assurance analysts earn a lower average salary than senior testers. But quality assurance analysts earn the highest pay in the retail industry, with an average salary of $82,227. Additionally, senior testers earn the highest salaries in the telecommunication with average pay of $93,416 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Quality assurance analysts tend to reach similar levels of education than senior testers. In fact, they're 2.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Senior tester vs. Quality analyst

Pumpers are individuals who take responsibility for setting the pumping system controls for product maximization. Their job requires them to set density, concentration, rate, and pressure. They do the operation and maintenance of the auxiliary equipment pumping oil. It is their duty to set the wells so they will function based on the production schedules and switch the oil flow between tanks. They even install the pumping systems.

An average quality analyst eans a lower salary compared to the average salary of senior testers. The difference in salaries amounts to quality analysts earning a $12,703 lower average salary than senior testers.Using the responsibilities included on senior testers and quality analysts resumes, we found that both professions have similar skill requirements, such as "java," "test results," and "jira.rdquo;

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from senior tester resumes include skills like "linux," "ruby," "test plan," and "regression test cases," whereas a quality analyst is more likely to list skills in "customer service," "patients," "data analysis," and "corrective action. "

Quality analysts earn the highest salary when working in the finance industry, where they receive an average salary of $77,710. Comparatively, senior testers have the highest earning potential in the telecommunication industry, with an average salary of $93,416.Most quality analysts achieve a similar degree level compared to senior testers. For example, they're 3.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.6% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Senior tester vs. Quality assurance team leader

A quality assurance (QA) team leader is an individual who is responsible for managing a team of engineers from the quality assurance department of an organization to participate in the overall QA planning and activities. QA team leaders are required to play the key role as a member of the project management team to ensure that the product exceeded user expectations. They must develop and implement QA processes and supervise daily QA activities to maximize quality and productivity. QA team leaders must also prepare and report audited results to the organization's site senior management.

Quality assurance team leaders tend to earn a higher pay than senior testers by an average of $12,816 per year.While their salaries may vary, senior testers and quality assurance team leaders both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "java," "test results," and "linux. "Each job also requires different skills to carry out their responsibilities. A senior tester uses "ruby," "test plan," "regression test cases," and "selenium web." Quality assurance team leaders are more likely to have duties that require skills in "test scripts," "selenium," "test procedures," and "dev. "In general, quality assurance team leaders earn the most working in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $105,602. The highest-paying industry for a senior tester is the telecommunication industry.In general, quality assurance team leaders hold similar degree levels compared to senior testers. Quality assurance team leaders are 2.2% less likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.4% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of senior tester

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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