Post job

What does a software quality engineer do?

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted expert
Frank McCown Ph.D.
What does a software quality engineer do

A Software Quality Engineer ensures that the software of a company meets all quality standards. They are responsible for software development, inspection, implementation, testing, and verification.

On this page

Software quality engineer responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real software quality engineer resumes:

  • Manage logging issues, defects in JIRA and provide status reports to the management in status meetings and weekly status report.
  • Work with scrum master and developer leads to optimize resource allocation for accelerating user story delivery process.
  • Perform backend testing and write SQL queries for the validation purpose.
  • Perform test for functionality, GUI, end-to-end, system, configuration and backend utilizing web server.
  • Install, remove, configure, and maintain UNIX, LINUX, AIX operating system software on servers.
  • Create, edit and maintain functional regression test script for Java portal systems and successfully execute manually.
  • Create unit tests for python scripts.
  • Used JSON and HTTP base python modules.
  • Assist in documenting screen mock-ups in HTML and designing of applications.
  • Utilize testing tool TestNG extensively for the integration testing and unit testing.
  • Perform numerous bug fixes and maintenance development of data storage tools and UI applications.
  • Prioritize and automate main business flows with selenium and execute scripts on multiple builds.
  • Ensure UI and non-UI user stories meet requirement, capture process documentation for each sprint.
  • Identify various areas in the overall project that can be automate using automation tools like QTP.
  • Perform testing on industry leading BSD UNIX base NAS product using both manual and automate test methods.

Software quality engineer skills and personality traits

We calculated that 7% of Software Quality Engineers are proficient in Software Quality, Java, and Python.

We break down the percentage of Software Quality Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Software Quality, 7%

    Established software development processes, reviewed and evaluated software products, established software quality procedures, and monitored software testing.

  • Java, 7%

    Created, edited and maintained functional regression test script for Java portal systems and successfully executed manually.

  • Python, 6%

    Learned rudimentary Python on fly, to support existing automation, including corporate LATEST up and down merges by many groups.

  • Software Development, 6%

    Partnered with Electrical Engineering Division manager and Software Development Group lead engineer to assess and improve peer review performance metrics.

  • Test Cases, 5%

    Reviewed requirements and technical specifications to define specific test criteria and expected results, and develop test cases for multiple applications.

  • C++, 5%

    Worked on Engine Core Systems C++ and Tools C# development in teams of sizes ranging from 2 to 8.

"software quality," "java," and "python" are among the most common skills that software quality engineers use at work. You can find even more software quality engineer responsibilities below, including:

See the full list of software quality engineer skills

Choose from 10+ customizable software quality engineer resume templates

Build a professional software quality engineer resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your software quality engineer resume.
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume
Software Quality Engineer Resume

Compare different software quality engineers

Software quality engineer vs. Engineer lead quality assurance lead

Engineer Lead Quality Assurance Leads are responsible for managing the designing and operations of hardware or software testing. Their duties include developing testing plans, implement risk mitigation strategies, communicate process improvements to cross-teams such as marketing and engineering, resolve the conflict between teams, and ensures product or software adheres to the organization and industry standards. They are also involved in reviewing technical design and specification, setting performance targets, and writing progress reports for management updates.

The annual salary of engineers lead quality assurance lead is $10,105 higher than the average salary of software quality engineers.While the two careers have a salary gap, they share some of the same responsibilities. Employees in both software quality engineer and engineer lead quality assurance lead positions are skilled in java, c++, and c #.

These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a software quality engineer are more likely to require skills like "software quality," "python," "software development," and "test cases." On the other hand, a job as an engineer lead quality assurance lead requires skills like "manual test cases," "jmeter," "dev," and "pl/sql." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.

Engineers lead quality assurance lead earn the highest salaries when working in the hospitality industry, with an average yearly salary of $114,398. On the other hand, software quality engineers are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $98,831.On average, engineers lead quality assurance lead reach similar levels of education than software quality engineers. Engineers lead quality assurance lead are 3.3% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Software quality engineer vs. Test engineer

Test engineers are professionals who observe and record the quality of products, which includes functionality, durability, speed, and safety. They are responsible for checking the materials and procedures thoroughly throughout the production cycle. It is their duty to run tests on different criteria to identify and fix technical issues. They analyze reactions to determine the causes of malfunctions and recommend potential improvements. Moreover, they test products before they are launched to ensure customers get high-quality and functional products.

On average, test engineers earn a $20,070 lower salary than software quality engineers a year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Software quality engineers and test engineers both require similar skills like "java," "python," and "c++" to carry out their responsibilities.

Each career also uses different skills, according to real software quality engineer resumes. While software quality engineer responsibilities can utilize skills like "software quality," "software development," "test cases," and "test automation," test engineers use skills like "test equipment," "troubleshoot," "data analysis," and "rf."

On average, test engineers earn a lower salary than software quality engineers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, test engineers earn the most pay in the telecommunication industry with an average salary of $88,414. Whereas software quality engineers have higher pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $98,831.In general, test engineers achieve lower levels of education than software quality engineers. They're 5.3% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.4% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for software quality engineers in the next 3-5 years?

Frank McCown Ph.D.Frank McCown Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Harding University

Software continues to move to mobile devices and the web and away from desktop applications. The pandemic has encouraged growth in applications that make in-person transactions go away, and that trend will likely continue. Obviously AI-enabled or assisted applications will continue to grow.

Software quality engineer vs. Senior systems software engineer

A senior systems software engineer is an individual responsible for managing a firm's computer network systems. The professional's roles include resolving complex application and network issues through the development of new solutions, overseeing systems developers and other information technology (IT) personnel, and integrating new technology. The job requires proficiency in the MySQL, Python, and Linux programming languages and excellent skills in organizational and time management and communication. The education requirements for the job include a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer science, or a related field.

An average senior systems software engineer eans a higher salary compared to the average salary of software quality engineers. The difference in salaries amounts to senior systems software engineers earning a $22,373 higher average salary than software quality engineers.By looking over several software quality engineers and senior systems software engineers resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "java," "python," and "software development." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, software quality engineers are more likely to have skills like "software quality," "c #," "test automation," and "git." But a senior systems software engineer is more likely to have skills like "architecture," "c," "code reviews," and "software design."

Senior systems software engineers earn the best pay in the technology industry, where they command an average salary of $125,048. Software quality engineers earn the highest pay from the technology industry, with an average salary of $98,831.When it comes to education, senior systems software engineers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to software quality engineers. In fact, they're 0.6% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Software quality engineer vs. Software tester

The responsibility of software testers involves the quality assurance of software development and deployment. Software testers conduct manual and automated tests to make sure that the software is developed for its purpose. They remove the issues and bugs within a product before deployment to users. Their responsibilities include software and systems analysis, risk mitigation, and software-related issue prevention. They should have skills in automation, programming, social networking, logical thinking, and mobile and web technology.

Software testers tend to earn a lower pay than software quality engineers by an average of $21,322 per year.While their salaries may vary, software quality engineers and software testers both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "java," "c++," and "c #. "While some skills are required in each professionacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities, there are some differences to note. "software quality," "python," "software development," and "test cases" are skills that commonly show up on software quality engineer resumes. On the other hand, software testers use skills like manual test cases, selenium, data integrity, and status reports on their resumes.In general, software testers earn the most working in the technology industry, with an average salary of $85,662. The highest-paying industry for a software quality engineer is the technology industry.software testers reach lower levels of education compared to software quality engineers, in general. The difference is that they're 5.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.7% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of software quality engineer

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.

Browse computer and mathematical jobs