QA Tester, IoT (Contract)

Key Responsibilities

• Test Execution: Perform manual smoke, regression, and functional testing to support Hub firmware releases.
• Hardware Setup & Onboarding: Responsible for the physical setup, pairing, and configuration of a wide variety of IoT devices (sensors, lights, locks, etc.) to create diverse testing environments.
• Connectivity Testing: Validate discovery, pairing, and control for devices connecting over LAN (Wi-Fi/Ethernet) as well as wireless standards like Matter, Thread, Zigbee, and Z-Wave.
• Cloud & Client Integration: Conduct end-to-end (E2E) testing to ensure the Hub correctly synchronizes state with the SmartThings Cloud and reflects accurately across mobile and web clients.
• Network Resilience: Test Hub behavior across different home network setups (Ethernet vs. Wi-Fi), including "offline mode" performance and the local execution of smart home routines.
• Feature Validation: Partner with Hub and Edge engineers to validate new system-level features, from low-level driver updates to high-level cloud API integrations.
• Test Management: Use test management software to execute test runs, document results, and maintain an organized repository of test cases for both firmware and software services.
• Bug Reporting: Identify and track software defects in Jira, providing clear steps to reproduce and attaching relevant logs (serial, system, or cloud logs) to help engineers diagnose root causes.
• Lab Management: Maintain the physical testing environment, ensuring Hub hardware versions are updated and test rigs are organized for efficient execution.
• OTA (Over-the-Air) Testing: Validate the firmware update lifecycle to ensure the Hub and its hosted software services update safely without data loss or service interruption.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Experience: 2+ years of experience in Software Quality Assurance with a focus on hardware-software integration or consumer electronics.
• Networking Basics: Familiarity with home networking concepts (Wi-Fi vs. Ethernet, router setup) and a basic understanding of how devices communicate on a local network.
• Systems Thinking: Ability to debug issues that may involve hardware, local network connectivity, or remote cloud services.
• Communication: Excellent written communication skills for writing detailed bug reports and documenting edge-case scenarios.
• On-site Availability: Ability to work daily from our Minneapolis office to manage physical test benches and collaborate with local engineering teams.

• Automation: Basic experience with or interest in test automation (e.g., Python, JavaScript, or Shell scripting).
• IoT Ecosystems: Experience testing smart home devices or gadgets that interact with mobile apps and cloud services.
• Test Tools: Experience with test management platforms (TestMo, TestRail, Zephyr).
• General Tools: Familiarity with Jira, Confluence, and GitHub.
• Technical Debugging: Comfortable using command-line tools (Linux/macOS) for log analysis, network diagnosis (e.g. using ping, traceroute, or Wireshark), and retrieving system/serial logs.
• Mindset: A genuine interest in smart home technology, curious by nature and a commitment to thoroughness and product quality.

SmartThings Benefits