Systems Engineer - Testing & Quality Assurance - Contingent

Job Description

About Aretum

Aretum is a mission-driven organization committed to delivering innovative, technology-enabled solutions to our customers across defense, civilian, and homeland security sectors. Our teams work at the intersection of strategy, technology, and transformation, helping agencies solve their most critical challenges. We believe in investing in our people and creating a culture where collaboration, inclusion, and professional growth are at the forefront. 

Job Summary

Lead comprehensive testing, validation, and quality assurance activities for a complex Federal cloud integration solution serving millions of clients. Our delivery is for a polypharmacy solution in a complex, multi-system cloud integration solution for Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system that services millions of veterans. You are responsible for developing and executing test strategies across infrastructure, integration, security, and performance domains to ensure the solution meets functional requirements, security controls, and compliance standards necessary for RMF/ATO approval within a 6-month timeline.

Due to the nature of our work as a federal consulting organization, employees may be expected to handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and must adhere to applicable safeguarding and compliance requirements. 

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive test strategy covering functional, integration, performance, security, and compliance testing
• Create detailed test plans aligned with RMF/ATO requirements and federal security control validation
• Define test environments, test data requirements, and testing infrastructure needs
• Establish test schedules, milestones, and success criteria for pilot deployment across 10 systems
• Identify testing tools, frameworks, and automation opportunities to meet aggressive timeline
• Coordinate testing dependencies across development, infrastructure, and security teams
• Test container platform deployments (ECS/OpenShift) including orchestration, scaling, and failover capabilities
• Validate infrastructure-as-code deployments for consistency, repeatability, and compliance with baselines
• Test application load balancer configurations including health checks, routing rules, and SSL/TLS termination
• Verify network segmentation, security group rules, and multi-AZ high availability configurations
• Validate backup and disaster recovery procedures including RTO/RPO compliance
• Test auto-scaling behaviors under various load conditions and failure scenarios
• Design and execute integration test cases for data flows across 10+ disparate source systems
• Test API interfaces, data orchestration workflows, and error handling/retry logic
• Validate data transformation accuracy, completeness, and consistency across integration points
• Test vendor container integration with custom infrastructure and security controls
• Verify Databricks pipeline processing and PowerBI report accuracy against expected outcomes
• Execute end-to-end business process testing for risk analysis and service coordination workflows
• Validate implementation of NIST 800-53 security controls required for ATO
• Coordinate and support security assessment testing activities with ISSO/ISSM
• Test authentication, authorization, and access control mechanisms across all system components
• Validate encryption implementation (at-rest and in-transit) for sensitive client data and PII
• Execute vulnerability scanning and verify remediation of identified security findings
• Test audit logging completeness, accuracy, and compliance with federal requirements
• Validate container hardening against CIS benchmarks and DSTI STIGs
• Support penetration testing activities and coordinate remediation verification
• Design and execute performance tests simulating millions of client records and concurrent users
• Test system performance under peak load, sustained load, and stress conditions
• Validate horizontal scaling effectiveness and resource utilization efficiency
• Identify performance bottlenecks in integration workflows, database queries, and API endpoints
• Test monitoring and alerting thresholds under various load scenarios
• Measure and validate response times, throughput, and latency against defined SLAs
• Develop automated test suites for regression testing of infrastructure and application components
• Integrate automated testing into CI/CD pipelines for continuous validation
• Create reusable test scripts and frameworks for scaling to 130+ system instances
• Automate security compliance checks and configuration validation
• Build synthetic monitoring and health check automation for production readiness
• Document test cases, test results, and defect findings with clear reproduction steps
• Track defects through resolution and verify fixes through regression testing
• Maintain traceability matrix linking requirements to test cases and security controls
• Create test summary reports for stakeholder reviews and compliance evidence
• Document test environments, configurations, and procedures for audit and knowledge transfer
• Provide testing evidence and artifacts for RMF/ATO security assessment package

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology, or related technical field (relevant certifications and experience may supplement)
• 5-7 years in quality assurance, testing, or systems engineering roles
• 3+ years testing complex cloud-based systems, preferably in AWS environments
• 2+ years experience with automated testing frameworks and tools

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with meticulous attention to detail
• Excellent written communication for test documentation, defect reports, and status updates
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple concurrent testing workstreams
• Systematic and methodical approach to test execution and defect investigation
• Adaptable to fast-paced, deadline-driven environment with changing requirements
• Proactive identification of quality risks and testing gaps

Preferred Requirements

• ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) certification
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate or Cloud Practitioner
• Security+ or similar security certification
• Experience with Databricks or PowerBI testing
• Federal government contracting or DoD testing experience
• Experience with test data generation and data masking for PII protection
• Experience testing systems in federal, DoD, or highly regulated environments
• Prior involvement in RMF/ATO processes with security control testing

Travel Requirements

This is a remote position; however, occasional travel may be required based on project needs, client meetings, team collaboration events, or training sessions. Travel is expected to be less than 10% and will be communicated in advance whenever possible. 

EEO Statement

Aretum is committed to fostering a workplace rooted in excellence, integrity, and equal opportunity for all. We adhere to merit-based hiring practices, ensuring that all employment decisions are made based on qualifications, skills, and ability to perform the job, without preference or consideration of factors unrelated to job performance. 

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, Aretum complies with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws. 

We are proud to support our nation’s veterans and military families, providing career opportunities that honor their service and experience. 

If you require reasonable accommodation during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact [email protected] for assistance. 

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled 

U.S. Work Authorization

Due to federal contract requirements, only U.S. citizens are eligible for this position. This position supports a federal government contract and requires the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust or Suitability Determination, depending on the agency’s background investigation requirements.  

Benefits

Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)  

Retirement Plan (401k) 

Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)  

Paid Time Off 

Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)  

Short Term & Long-Term Disability  

Training & Development