Average Software Tester Salary

Job Description for Software Tester

When a software or app developer is creating a program for professional or consumer use, a software tester plays a key role in the process. The tester typically works as part of a quality assurance or engineering quality control department. He or she receives software builds at various stages of completion and puts the program through a variety tests, documenting the software's response. One of the key components in testing is documenting the steps performed in software testing; documentation is especially important since it is often key to helping programmers and software engineers to discover coding problems. Another key aspect of the tester's work is finding repeatable crashes and bugs in a program.

Testers may use scripted testing scenarios or perform more freeform stress testing, and they typically work with software at all stages of the development process. Additionally, they may provide user feedback and report on unnecessary interface clutter, non-responsive user interface systems and issues such as tool tips that fail to display or menus that cause excessive clicking. While many software companies have dedicated user interface testers who provide user feedback, early feedback from a software tester looking for programming errors and crashes can help smooth the final stages of program development.

Most software testers are seeking employment in the career field of software development. This position is often entry level, but may still require coding skills and programming certifications. Many software engineers find feedback from software testers that understand the development processes to be especially helpful, and thus testers with certifications and experience in this area are sought out within the industry. (Copyright 2019 PayScale.com)

• Evaluate software applications for errors and stability.
• Debug scripts and identify system flaws.
• Perform both manual and automated testing strategies.
• Develop testing strategies and analysis for software programs.

Software Tester Job Listings