QA Engineer - Remote
About The Company Red Cell Partners is a dynamic incubation and investment firm dedicated to building and scaling innovative, technology-led companies. Focused on revolutionary advancements across three critical sectors—healthcare, cyber security, and national security—Red Cell Partners aims to develop impactful solutions that address some of the most pressing challenges faced by our nation. Driven by a shared sense of duty and a deep belief in the power of innovation, the company invests in and nurtures startups and emerging ventures that have the potential to transform markets and enhance national resilience. Red Cell Partners emphasizes a results-oriented environment, fostering collaboration among talented professionals committed to delivering high-impact technological solutions that align with government and industry needs. About The Role The QA Engineer at DEFCON AI will play a vital role in ensuring the quality and reliability of an AI-enabled decision-support system designed for resilient optimization of complex systems. This position involves developing comprehensive test plans, creating automated test coverage, and providing evidence that the delivered software meets specified requirements. Unlike traditional testing roles embedded within engineering teams, this role sits on the product side, reporting to the Product Lead and working closely with engineering and platform teams. The QA Engineer will be responsible for translating acceptance criteria into executable tests, establishing testing standards, and maintaining automated test suites integrated into CI/CD pipelines. The role requires a proactive approach to build test automation infrastructure, define performance and load testing protocols, and independently validate system outputs through sampling audits and measurement strategies. This is a fully remote position with occasional travel to DEFCON AI HQ, customer sites, and vendor facilities, up to 25% of the time. The ideal candidate will bring a strong point of view on testing practices, a solid background in automation, and experience working within secure government cloud environments. Qualifications 5+ years of experience in software quality engineering, test automation, or related fields with significant ownership of testing processes Proven expertise in building automated test suites and integrating them into CI/CD pipelines as release gates Strong experience in owning and reviewing comprehensive test plans and acceptance criteria Demonstrated ability to test against requirements rather than implementation, working directly with product owners or end users Experience with performance and load testing tools such as JMeter, k6, Locust, or similar Solid understanding of sampling design, statistical analysis, and measurement confidence Ability to measure system misses and verify automated decision accuracy through sampling audits Excellent documentation skills for producing audit-ready reports and evidence Active US Secret security clearance, with willingness to travel as needed Proficiency in AI-assisted testing practices and familiarity with modern testing tooling Experience working in government DevSecOps, RMF, or ATO environments is preferred Strong judgment in testing practices and the ability to establish and uphold testing standards
Responsibilities
Develop and maintain a comprehensive system test plan covering functional, integration, performance, and load testing Translate product acceptance criteria into executable tests and review them with stakeholders prior to development Hold engineering, platform, and partner teams accountable to the defined acceptance criteria and evidence requirements Collaborate closely with engineering teams to validate their work and independently verify compliance with specifications Design, build, and maintain automated test suites, integrating them into CI/CD pipelines as critical release gates Establish and monitor automated coverage standards, ensuring comprehensive testing across releases Implement performance and load testing to validate system resilience under expected user loads Construct and maintain evaluation sets with subject-matter experts, conducting sampled audits to confirm system accuracy Measure and report on the system’s misses, overrides, and decision accuracy independently of model development teams Maintain version inventories and produce detailed test reports, evaluation records, and rollback criteria for each release Coordinate user acceptance testing with customers and track findings through resolution Ensure test environments closely mirror production for meaningful results and compliance with security standards Document all testing processes, evidence, and outcomes in an audit-ready manner Participate in release gating, ensuring all evidence and testing standards are met before deployment
Benefits
Fully remote work environment with flexible scheduling Competitive salary ranging from $135,000 to $170,000, commensurate with experience Performance-based bonus and equity options 100% employer-paid comprehensive health insurance including medical, dental, and vision for employee and family Unlimited paid time off with managerial approval 14 weeks of fully paid parental leave Opportunities for professional growth, development, and career advancement Optional 401(k), FSA, and additional incentive programs Access to mental health benefits and wellness programs Equal Opportunity Red Cell Partners is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. We value diversity and are dedicated to creating a workplace that reflects the communities we serve. All employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs.