Melbourne is the capital of Victoria state and the most populous city in this region of Australia. The IT jobs market in Melbourne is expanding rapidly and the demand for qualified IT specialists is growing every year. This results in a vast range of opportunities for professionals in different fields of the IT-sphere. One of these fields is Software Testing. In this article, I will overview the Software Testing positions which are advertised by employers in Melbourne.
First of all, it is worth mentioning the types of employment, offered for Software Testers. They can be divided into 3 major categories – permanent position, contract, and casual. Permanent and contract types are the most popular and casual is rare but still can be met in the advertisements. Contracts also can be separated into 2 categories – fixed term and with the possibility of extension. Another feature of the contract type jobs is hourly rates, whilst permanent positions usually based on monthly or annual rates.
Besides the employment types, opportunities can be categorized by the position title. The analysis shows that the most popular position titles in Melbourne are the following:
- Test Manager or Test Lead. These professionals are responsible for managing the testing activities on assigned projects, ensure that all assigned technology solutions are delivered to agreed quality standards and within the allocated time frame. Requirements for such positions usually are high: from 5 to 10 years experience as Test Manager or Test Lead; strong people management skills; Knowledge of all aspects of the SDLC – analysis, development, testing; Solid experience in understanding of systems architecture, deployment, and security; ability to transfer the knowledge to team members; Solid understanding of all aspects of software testing; perfect interpersonal skills and experience with a specific domain.
- Test Analyst. The mission of this role usually partially covers the responsibilities of Test Lead and Test Engineer. The main difference is that Test Analysts not only responsible for testing the software but also for improving the test process, guiding the team to the worldwide industry-recognized standards. The average requirements in Melbourne for this item are as follows: 5-7 years of experience in Test Analyst role; Solid manual or/and automation testing experience; strong documentation, communication, and presentation skills; knowledge in test planning, design, reporting; good analytical skills; a proven record of ability to negotiate resolutions to complex issues and define project scope; Agile environment; and again – domain-specific experience.
- (Manual) Test Engineer, QA Engineer, or Software Tester. These specialists are responsible for the product quality and improve it by performing the testing activities. Moderate requirements for such positions are the following: 4+ years of experience in software testing; solid understanding of all aspects of testing the software; knowledge of databases; some minor scripting experience; ability to work in teams and autonomously; great communication skills; keen eye for details and good problem-solving skills; Agile environment; defect management skills; strong customer focus; and once more – domain-specific experience.
- (Automation) Test Engineer, QA Engineer, or Software Tester, Developer in Test. Same as for manual, automation testers are responsible for software quality. Here are some common requirements for these opportunities: 5+ years of experience as an automation tester; strong understanding of software development (sometimes employers require previous development experience); a proven record of creating automation frameworks from the scratch; knowledge of continuous integration systems; defect management skills; keen eye for details. Also, they require knowledge of development patterns, OOP principles, one or more programming languages – C#, Java, Python, Ruby, VBS. In addition to this, knowledge in one or more automation frameworks and tools – Selenium WebDriver, HP UF, Ranorex, TestComplete, Tosca. And finally – domain-specific experience!
To conclude it is worth mentioning the moderate seniority requirements for Software Testing positions in Melbourne. My research demonstrates that approx 70% of advertised opportunities are based on the Senior level of employee, 25% – for a Mid-level, and only 5% is left for the Junior.
