Senior Systems Testing and QA Specialist

Client: Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement Work Location: 5700 Yonge St. 49 Places D'Armes, Kingston, Toronto, Ontario – Onsite Estimated Start Date: September 15, 2026 Estimated End Date: March 31, 2027 Business Days: 133 Extension: Probable after the initial mandate Hours: 7.25 hours per day Security Level: No Clearance Required Role Overview We are seeking a Senior Systems Testing/QA Specialist with strong experience in system testing, test automation, test planning, defect management, test data creation, and quality assurance methodologies. The successful candidate will be responsible for planning and executing functional, integration, regression, system, performance, and user acceptance testing across complex applications. The role requires hands-on experience with automated testing tools, API testing, SQL/database validation, defect tracking, test data management, and collaboration with technical and business stakeholders throughout the software development lifecycle. The ideal candidate will have strong analytical and troubleshooting skills, excellent communication abilities, and experience working in Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall environments. Key Responsibilities Testing Strategy & Quality Assurance — 40%Provide advice and recommendations on testing strategies, test plans, testing tools, and resources required for testing initiatives.Follow and contribute to clearly defined test strategies.Assist with the analysis and definition of testing scope during project iterations.Provide input into project-level test strategies.Plan, organize, and lead testing efforts for large and complex systems.Develop and maintain comprehensive test plans, test scripts, test cases, and test data.Plan and lead peer reviews for testing artifacts.Execute functional, integration, system, regression, and acceptance testing.Report test results and coordinate defects throughout the complete testing lifecycle.Lead and/or participate in regular defect review processes.Review test results prepared by both technical and non-technical stakeholders.Support the IT Project Manager and Testing Lead with testing issues and scope management.Ensure testing activities comply with applicable accessibility regulations and standards, including AODA. Technical Testing & Automation — 40%Perform functional, integration, and regression testing of web application components and reports.Plan and execute system testing in both GUI and non-GUI environments.Create appropriate entry and exit criteria for system testing activities.Develop and execute test plans for assigned testing areas and maintain test cases throughout the project lifecycle.Create a variety of test data using automated testing and API tools such as SOAP UI, Swagger, and Postman.Develop and maintain automated test scripts using tools such as Micro Focus, OpenText UFT, Selenium, TestComplete, Postman, or similar technologies.Integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines where applicable.Perform database verification and backend testing using SQL in an Oracle environment.Create, document, prioritize, and manage software defects based on priority and severity.Track defects using industry-standard tools such as Azure DevOps, ALM, JIRA, Bugzilla, TestRail, or Zephyr.Work closely with developers to reproduce, troubleshoot, and resolve defects.Assist with User Acceptance Testing, including test data creation and test execution.Conduct performance, stress, and load testing to validate system scalability and reliability.Develop and execute performance test scripts using tools such as JMeter or LoadRunner.Analyze performance bottlenecks and identify scalability issues.Validate data integrity, consistency, and accuracy across applications, databases, and system components.Perform data migration and transformation testing where required.Support basic security testing and collaborate with security specialists on advanced security and penetration testing activities.Apply knowledge of healthcare data exchange standards, particularly Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR). General & Project Team Responsibilities — 20%Work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary project team.Collaborate with developers, business analysts, project managers, testing leads, and other stakeholders.Participate in Agile ceremonies, including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives.Demonstrate strong troubleshooting, analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.Maintain detailed documentation of test results, test coverage, defects, and quality metrics.Provide input into user manuals and release notes.Ensure testing processes align with applicable industry standards and regulatory requirements.Demonstrate strong verbal and written communication skills.Apply strong interpersonal, negotiation, and consulting skills when working with stakeholders.Consistently meet project deadlines and deliverables. Required Skills & Experience Skill / Experience Requirement System Testing & QA Demonstrated expertise in system testing, test planning, test execution, and defect lifecycle management Test Automation Experience developing automated test scripts and automated test cases Test Planning Experience creating and executing complex test plans, test cases, test scripts, and test data API Testing Expertise with SOAP UI, Swagger, Postman, or similar API testing tools Functional & Regression Testing Strong experience executing functional, integration, system, and regression testing Defect Management Experience creating, prioritizing, tracking, and managing defects based on severity and priority Database Testing Experience using SQL for database verification and backend testing, preferably in an Oracle environment Performance Testing Experience with performance, stress, and load testing using tools such as JMeter or LoadRunner UAT Experience supporting User Acceptance Testing, including test data preparation and test execution Testing Tools Experience with tools such as Azure DevOps, ALM, JIRA, Bugzilla, TestRail, or Zephyr Automation Tools Experience with Selenium, Cypress, Postman, Micro Focus, OpenText UFT, TestComplete, or similar tools Scripting Understanding of Python, JavaScript, Bash, or another scripting language for automation/test data setup SDLC Strong understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle and Testing Life Cycle Methodologies Familiarity with Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall methodologies Test Data Management Experience developing and managing robust test data strategies and test environments Data Validation Experience validating data integrity, consistency, and accuracy across systems and databases Accessibility Knowledge and understanding of AODA and related regulations and standards Security Testing Experience conducting basic security testing and working with security specialists Communication Strong written, verbal, interpersonal, consulting, and negotiation skills General Skills Experience planning, organizing, and implementing testing efforts at a senior level.Knowledge of structured methodologies for application development, design, implementation, and maintenance.Experience using Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tools and data query tools to support test case development.Experience using automated testing tools and version control systems.Experience executing functional, non-functional, and system-level integration testing.Experience supporting UAT activities.Strong knowledge of quality assurance principles, practices, tools, and structured methodologies.Experience creating testing strategy documentation, test plans, test cases, and test data for technical and business-functional validation.Experience across multiple testing phases, including unit, integration, load, and performance testing.Knowledge of all phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle.Ability to write clear, comprehensive test cases and execute them effectively.Ability to write SQL queries for data validation and backend testing.Strong analytical, organizational, creative, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.Demonstrated ability to work effectively within project teams and consistently meet deadlines. Desirable Skills Knowledge and experience with at least one programming language.Experience using information retrieval packages.Knowledge and understanding of testing methods in an object-oriented environment.Knowledge of Information Management principles, concepts, policies, and practices.Knowledge and understanding of AODA and related regulations and standards.Experience planning and organizing testing efforts for both large and small systems.Experience coding automated test scripts and producing automated test cases.Experience testing Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) applications.Experience with healthcare data exchange standards such as FHIR. Mandatory Requirements Candidates Must Demonstrate Strong Experience In System testing and QA.Automated test script development.Complex test plan creation and execution.Functional, integration, regression, and system testing.API testing using tools such as SOAP UI, Swagger, and Postman.Defect creation and lifecycle management.Test data creation and management.SQL/database validation, preferably with Oracle.Performance, stress, and load testing.User Acceptance Testing.Agile, Scrum, and Waterfall methodologies.Working effectively with technical and business stakeholders. How to Apply If you are interested and your profile matches the requirements, please send the following documents to hrsmss@smsoftconsulting.com by Monday, September 14, 2026, at 11:00 AM EST. Mandatory Submission Documents Updated Resume in Word format – MandatoryReferences – MandatoryExpected Hourly Rate – MandatoryVisa Status – MandatoryLinkedIn ID – Mandatory Important: Applications submitted without all mandatory documents cannot be processed. If this opportunity is not suitable for you, please feel free to forward it to qualified Senior Systems Testing/QA Specialists with strong experience in test automation, functional/integration/regression testing, API testing, SQL/Oracle, defect management, performance testing, UAT, and Agile/Scrum/Waterfall methodologies.