Quality Assurance Specialist

This program is required to provide ongoing support for the agencies Network Operations Center (NOC) and Wireless Network Operations Center (WNOC), which are critical components within the Office of Information and Technology (OIT), Enterprise Infrastructure and Operations Directorate (EIOD), and Network Operations Division (NOD). These centers perform real-time monitoring, proactive maintenance, incident detection and response, problem resolution, and network performance reporting across the agency's nationwide enterprise. They ensure network stability, availability, and the rapid escalation and resolution of technical issues. Position Description: The Quality Assurance (QA) Specialist is responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of operational changes, releases, and service implementations. This is a hands-on role that also oversees the planning, configuration, testing, and deployment of release packages, manages the end-to-end release process, and ensures compliance with organizational policies and procedures. The QA Specialist works closely with build, test, and release teams to coordinate activities, support audits, and provide progress reporting, ensuring smooth service rollouts in alignment with the agency Change Operational Process. This program is required to provide ongoing support for the agencies Network Operations Center (NOC) and Wireless Network Operations Center (WNOC), which are critical components within the Office of Information and Technology (OIT), Enterprise Infrastructure and Operations Directorate (EIOD), and Network Operations Division (NOD). These centers perform real-time monitoring, proactive maintenance, incident detection and response, problem resolution, and network performance reporting across the agency's nationwide enterprise. They ensure network stability, availability, and the rapid escalation and resolution of technical issues. Position Description: The Quality Assurance (QA) Specialist is responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of operational changes, releases, and service implementations. This is a hands-on role that also oversees the planning, configuration, testing, and deployment of release packages, manages the end-to-end release process, and ensures compliance with organizational policies and procedures. The QA Specialist works closely with build, test, and release teams to coordinate activities, support audits, and provide progress reporting, ensuring smooth service rollouts in alignment with the agency Change Operational Process. * Responsible for the planning, configuration, testing, and implementation of all operational changes to create the release package for the delivery of, or changes to, the designated service. * Manages all aspects of the end-to-end release process. * Ensures coordination of build and test environments teams and release teams (as applicable). * Ensure teams follow the organization's established policies and procedures. * Provides configuration management planning. * Provides support to the configuration change Operational and approval process. * Supports the quality assurance process audits. * Provide management reports on release progress. * Responsible for service roll out planning including method of deployment and plans communication implementation in coordination with the agency Change Operational Process. Required Skills: * A minimum eight (8) Plus years of experience in equivalent technical field * Bachelors degree in related technical fields such as Management Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering, IT, Networking, and Communication. * Experience with the following tools: Solarwinds (Datadog, LogicMonitor), NetScout, RiverBed SteelCentral (Citrix ADC, NGINX Plus), CISCO ISE (Okta, Ping Identity), and ServiceNow (BMC Helix, Cherwell) * Knowledge of release management, configuration management, and QA processes. * Experience with software testing, operational change management, and service rollout. * Understanding of ITIL or similar IT service management frameworks. * Ability to coordinate cross-functional teams and manage multiple concurrent releases. * Strong documentation, reporting, and analytical skills. * Experience preparing management reports and progress dashboards. Knowledge of change control and audit procedures. * Knowledge of network and system operations to support service rollouts. Preferred Skills: * Preferred and Relevant Certifications: Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA) or equivalent, CCNA, CCNP, CompTIA, Change Management and ITILv3 or ITILv4 Foundation * Experience supporting federal or large-scale enterprise IT environments. * Familiarity with automated testing tools and release management platforms. * Experience with risk assessment and mitigation in release or deployment processes. Soft Skills: * Attention to Detail: Ensures accuracy and completeness in configuration, testing, and release documentation. * Communication: Clearly conveys release status, issues, and recommendations to technical and non-technical stakeholders. * Collaboration: Works effectively with cross-functional teams to ensure successful service delivery. * Problem Solving: Identifies potential issues and recommends corrective actions proactively. * Customer Focus: Ensures releases meet quality standards and minimize impact on business operations. * Adaptability: Responds effectively to changes in priorities or release schedules. * Accountability: Takes ownership of release quality and process compliance. SES provides a competitive salary and the following benefits: Medical Dental Vision AD&D STD LTD Company paid Life Insurance 401k with employer contribution Paid Time Off Pet Insurance