The 15 best sites to hire QA Engineers in 2025

Jobs throughout the tech field remain in high demand. In fact, the top challenge for recruiters looking for developers is finding qualified candidates. Also, an estimated 40 million coding jobs remain unfulfilled due to a lack of talent. Therefore, hiring QA engineers can be a struggle.

Furthermore, the pace of hiring is only increasing. A CoderPad survey reports that 30% of companies planned to hire over 50 developers in 2024.

This makes sense as businesses need skilled programmers to create internal and customer-facing apps. These programs can boost efficiency and productivity for workers. They are also a powerful sales and marketing tool to provide to customers.

However, you cannot just have someone develop and design your software. Quality assurance is a key role that makes sure programs function correctly in the real world. Therefore, you must hire a QA engineer.

A bug in a program that handles important company operations could wreck productivity and harm revenue. Customer apps that do not perform well can harm your brand image. A QA tester helps you avoid worst-case scenarios and quickly corrects any bumps in the road that arise.

Testing such apps is even more critical because of emerging technologies. Of particular note is the rise of artificial intelligence. AI tools permit easier interactions with software and quicker access to information.

At the same time, AI presents new challenges for a smooth user experience and compliant data privacy. QA engineers can ensure such tools are working correctly before launch and help resolve any problems after launch.

With this guide, you will be able to understand more about what QA engineers do and how to find top QA talent. This resource also shares what you should expect to pay a QA engineer, as well as how to create a solid job description and conduct an effective interview.

Hiring a Freelance QA Engineer

If you are looking to hire a QA engineer, it is not necessary to only consider full-time or part-time candidates. The right person could easily be a freelancer.

Using a platform such as Toptal to find talent puts you in a position to leverage the best people from around the globe. This allows you to find someone with the exact mix of skills you need. Plus, hiring someone from outside of your immediate locale lets you harness diverse viewpoints for even higher-quality projects.

What QA Engineers Do

QA engineers and analysts ensure that software development projects meet your organization’s standards and satisfy users. The job involves much more than product testing at the end of the development lifecycle.

Your QA engineer creates strategies and plans to evaluate all aspects of an application throughout the project. This keeps small issues from ballooning into uncontrollable problems.

Even after you bring the product to market or put it into use, your QA engineer’s assistance is invaluable. They resolve additional issues and enhance features as feedback pours in. Their help is also vital as you update or expand software as new user needs arise. These coders can continually point out ways to optimize existing software for greater efficiency.

This work ultimately allows you to save time and resources. Your brand becomes stronger among clients and employees when you hire QA engineers.

All of this means that QA engineers for hire must have a more robust technical skill set than a basic coder or programmer. The whole role of the QA specialist is to find out what could be wrong, even when the problem lies deep below the surface. Hence, the job requires creativity and the inquisitive nature of an explorer.

Kate Falanga, a well-respected QA engineer, puts it this way in an interview with QA Lead:

“I think that the most fun question is how do I test this? And I love that, and I have that in front of my face every day. It's how do I test this, and given these circumstances, what do I do? And that kind of goes into a little bit of flexibility, but you do need to have a certain element of skill, of exploratory testing in order to be able to answer those questions. And it's not easy to do.”

QA engineers have to be strong problem solvers and analytical thinkers to do their job well. At the same time, they need a balanced approach that lets them know when a project is satisfactory and ready for release despite not being absolutely perfect.

What does a QA engineer do besides writing and correcting code? Beyond technical proficiency, they must be skilled communicators and collaborators to convince others about what requires improvement and the direction to head in. Thus, they have to be able to move seamlessly between developer teams and other departments.

Consider hiring a QA engineer for any of the following projects:

• Web and mobile applications

• Enterprise software

• E-commerce platforms

• API integrations

Always hire dedicated QA experts to ensure you get the best out of your software projects.

Why Hire QA Engineers?

If you already have excellent programmers, why hire QA engineers? Remember, top professionals across all fields benefit from a second set of eyes. A robust QA process leads to:

• Improving product quality

• Mitigating risks

• Speeding up the time to market

• Enhancing the user experience

• Increasing cost efficiency

Keep in mind that your most successful competitors likely already have QA programmers on their teams. That is a top reason why you should not hesitate to hire QA engineers as part of your crew.

How To Hire QA Engineers

Every good hiring process starts with defining the job requirements. It is often best to consult stakeholders, including existing developers, about the skills and qualifications an incoming QA coder will need.

Another key factor will be your budget. Of course, you have some limitations on what you can spend. However, you should measure the cost of the hiring process and a QA engineer’s salary in long-term return on investment.

Calculate how much you will lose in revenue, time, brand equity, and employee engagement from not hiring a QA expert. Compare that to the value a QA engineer can bring to your team.

Other helpful questions that prepare you to hire a QA engineer include:

• Does the upcoming project have any niche or specialized skills the QA programmer must have?

• How long do we need a QA coder?

• Will the project be ongoing or short-term?

• Is one expert enough, or do we need a team on deck?

• How much time do we have to go through the hiring process?

If determining when and how to hire QA engineers is going to be overwhelming, use a firm that handles the vetting and interviewing for you. Our list offers various companies that help you find elite developers in no time. With a trusted brand such as Toptal, you can count on only connecting with QA engineers in the top 3% of their industry.

Honestly assess your project to determine the experience level of the QA engineer you need. You should not look for the cheapest option just to save a buck.

For basic projects, a junior QA programmer may suffice. These individuals often have less than two years of experience, usually in entry-level projects and internships. They do well working under a supervisor on large projects. They can competently handle test case creation and execute predefined test scripts.

Your mid-level QA specialist has been in the field for three to five years. These pros are proficient in automated and manual testing. They often have an array of certifications in different software and testing tools. Mid-level engineers can work well independently and even lead small teams on projects of moderate size.

Senior QA experts have a firm grasp of QA methodologies and can manage large-scale projects. Beyond advanced certifications, many have or are pursuing master’s degrees. When you require someone to steer a team or serve as an expert consultant, hire a QA engineer at the senior level.

What Skills To Look For When Hiring a QA Engineer

A QA engineer needs intensive technical detective skills that complement general coding expertise. When you hire a QA engineer, look for the following competencies:

• Coding expertise in the language for your project

• Understanding of the software development life cycle (SDLC)

• Knowledge of continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes

• Capabilities in manual testing techniques

• Experience with performance and load testing

• Knowledge of API testing

• Version control systems, such as Git

• Comprehension of security testing principles

• Use of automated testing tools and frameworks

• Database management and SQL

Soft skills and specific personality traits are also a must-have. This is especially true for engineers who will lead a team. You need definite ways of testing for these fundamentals in the application and interview process.

Top applicants will have:

• Clear and effective communication

• Attention to detail

• Insatiable curiosity that keeps them current on the latest trends and threats

• Critical thinking and analytical skills

• Prioritization and time management

• Patience and emotional intelligence

• Flexibility and adaptability

• Collaboration and teamwork

It is a tall order for any hiring manager or recruiter to find this mix of QA engineer skills. Create a thorough and organized process for evaluating QA engineers who meet these criteria.

How Much It Costs To Hire QA Engineers

As of May 2024, Glassdoor puts the U.S. average annual pay range for a QA engineer at $115,000 . On an hourly basis, that figure equates to about $55 an hour.

Top QA engineers earn as much as $155,000 annually, or almost $75 an hour. (Those totals include any performance bonuses or incentives when you hire a QA expert.)

Tips for Writing a QA Engineer Job Description

A solid QA job description will be about the same length as the ideal resume. Aim for 300-700 words . The more concise you can be, the better.

Optimize job titles to be clear about what the assignment is. Avoid internal jargon or vague terms in an attempt to be creative.

Create a short and catchy paragraph that summarizes the assignment. Also, reference how the worker will interact with the team and any perks you offer.

Dedicate a few paragraphs to explaining the assignment in more detail. Call out exciting projects or unique aspects of your culture that would attract someone who is a good match.

Finally, break down responsibilities and skills into separate sections with their own bullet points for quick reference. Make sure to include anything that is relevant. However, distinguish between skills that are essential and those that are merely a bonus.

Common Interview Questions To Ask When You Are Looking To Hire a QA Engineer

Interviewing a QA engineer can be rather intensive. Choose an effective process that helps you see how the applicant would operate while working with your company.

For example, the panel interview process can be effective in saving time and gathering diverse perspectives on how the candidate responds to questions. On the other hand, behavioral interviewing techniques can give you greater insights into a person’s soft skills.

You also need keen technical questions to get a better look at the candidate's skills in practice before you hire a QA engineer. Examples of effective questions and good answers include:

• When is test automation not desirable? Good answer: “Manual testing is preferable to automation when validation depends on the user. Other situations could be when automation wastes resources or deeper insights are necessary.”

• How do you decide on exit criteria? Good answer: “By drafting an exit criteria document in the test planning phase, we can create an efficient QA process. We can use deadlines, business requirements, test case coverage, feature coverage, and the priority and severity of remaining issues to set exit criteria.”

• How do verification and validation differ? Good answer: “Verification comes first and ensures we are building the specified system properly. Validation refers to making sure that the system meets or exceeds the expectations and needs of the end user.”

Whichever techniques you choose, discuss how to remove unconscious biases from the process so you can hire QA engineers who are the best fit. Outsourcing the work to skilled interviewers can assist with this.

A well-rounded initial interview saves you from expending resources on multiple rounds. It also ensures you hire a QA engineer who complements your team.

How To Find Freelance QA Engineers For Hire

Freelance marketplaces, job boards, and outsourcing agencies are all helpful resources when you need to find QA engineers. Others have been successful with online networking and in-person events. If you determine that you only require a junior-level coder, partnering with coding boot camps may be a solution.

However, if you want the quickest and surest option for where to find QA specialists for hire, take another look at our list of the best sites to hire QA engineers. Consider your needs and evaluate each choice by:

• Speed of hiring

• Flexibility for remote work

• Quality of the candidates

• How much work the platform does for vetting and talent matching

• Compatibility with your budget

The platform we have consistently found to deliver on all fronts is Toptal. Their team connects you with exceptional talent in record time, leaving zero work for you.

Remember: Without a QA specialist, your development team’s hard work could be in vain. Get a good understanding of how to bring on the right person by learning about the industry and how to evaluate and retain top talent. When you hire a QA engineer with elite skills, you can ensure your software projects propel your brand and operations forward.