Our client is looking for a detail-oriented and technically capable QA Engineer to join a fast-paced, product-driven team building next-generation AI-powered desktop applications. This role focuses on manual functional testing of desktop software across both Windows and macOS environments, ensuring a seamless and reliable user experience for productivity and AI-driven workflows.

The ideal candidate has strong experience testing desktop applications, writing and refining test plans, identifying edge cases, and producing high-quality bug reports. You will collaborate closely with product managers, developers, and designers in a highly iterative environment where quality directly impacts product success.

Schedule

• Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM PST, with 1 hour paid break (40 work hours per week)

Responsibilities

• Perform comprehensive manual functional testing for desktop applications on both Windows 10/11 and macOS.
• Validate product behavior across Intel-based and Apple Silicon (ARM) Mac devices.
• Execute regression, exploratory, UI/UX, compatibility, and installer testing.
• Develop detailed test plans and test cases from product specifications, feature walkthroughs, and hands-on exploration.
• Refine AI-generated test plans by removing redundant scenarios, adding edge cases, improving expected outcomes, and restructuring test coverage for clarity and efficiency.
• Document defects with clear reproduction steps, severity and priority classification, screenshots and logs, and environment details.
• Test complex desktop application workflows including multi-window interactions, drag-and-drop functionality, modal dialogs, system tray/menu bar behavior, and installer and update flows.
• Validate platform-specific integrations and behaviors on Windows and macOS.
• Collaborate with engineering and product teams through Microsoft Teams and GitLab.
• Participate in product feedback discussions and quality improvement initiatives.

Requirements

• Minimum 3 years of manual QA testing experience for desktop applications
• Hands-on testing experience on both Windows 10/11 and macOS
• Access to Windows testing machine, Intel-based Mac, and Apple Silicon (ARM) Mac
• Strong understanding of desktop application testing methodologies
• Experience creating structured test plans and test cases using spreadsheets or CSV formats
• Proven ability to refine and improve AI-generated testing documentation
• Strong experience writing detailed and actionable bug reports
• Familiarity with Windows Shell Extensions, Windows Registry, NSIS installers, macOS .app bundles, Info.plist configurations, and native macOS title-bar behaviors
• Experience testing productivity or business applications
• Familiarity with Microsoft 365 and Outlook environments
• Strong written English communication skills
• Experience using Microsoft Teams and GitLab
• Close attention to detail and strong analytical problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently in a remote setup

Qualifications

• Experience testing Microsoft Entra or OAuth authentication workflows
• Experience testing AI or LLM-based chat applications
• Knowledge of installer validation for NSIS on Windows and .app and .dmg packages on macOS
• Exposure to cross-platform desktop frameworks and runtime environments

Preferred Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate thrives in highly collaborative and fast-moving environments, takes ownership of product quality, and is comfortable working with evolving AI-driven applications. This role is best suited for someone who combines strong technical QA discipline with curiosity, initiative, and exceptional attention to detail.

Independent Contractor Perks

• Health Insurance Coverage for eligible locations
• Permanent work from home
• Immediate hiring