Tester Application

Exploratory Tester — Job Description

Testers at Atomic don’t have to waste time finding the same stupid bugs over and over again. Our development process eliminates those with test-driven development and automated tests. We highly value an exploratory tester who can find integration issues, subtle bugs and usability issues. You’ll be a hero on your team.

Everything but the Kitchen Sink

Exploratory testers at Atomic interact with teams and clients across many technologies. During the course of one week you may test a web application, mobile application, or embedded instrument. You’ll need to be a strong verbal and written communicator. You’ll also need to be highly organized and good at managing your time. Scripting skills are a plus.

A Broader Mindset

Atomic is a consultancy. As such, you’ll be empowered and expected to interact directly with clients to make an impact on a daily basis. You’ll need to become comfortable and effective at understanding and discussing business goals, budgets and timelines with clients. Additionally, you’ll help market our services in a variety of ways including presenting at conferences, contributing to our shared company blog, networking within our client’s organizations and among your peers, and expending your creative energies in ways we will not attempt to predict.

We’ll expect you to be (or become) an active member of the testing community and be a champion for exploratory testing internally. Human testing in an agile development process is something that’s still being figured out. You’ll be part of that conversation. If you’re an experienced tester, you probably consider yourself a member of the Context-Driven School of testing.

How to Apply

1. Pick one question from the list below. Compose a thoughtful response. (We doubt anyone could provide a thoughtful response to these questions in less than a page.) And, yes, spelling, grammar, and punctuation most definitely count.
2. Mail the following to jobs AT atomicobject.com
   • Your contact info
   • Your resume
   • Your response to one of the questions

You’ll hear a response soon after you contact us. If we are delighted, intrigued, or otherwise impressed with your submissions, we’ll go from there. Please note that we may at that time ask for additional information like references as part of our selection process.

Pick a question:

1. Discuss a situation where you were given too much to do, in too short of a time frame. How did you organize your work? What kind of work habits did you adopt? How did you manage the expectations of others?
2. Recount a time when you realized a closely held belief on how to approach your work was wrong. How did you respond?
3. What is the most difficult aspect of creating software products? What is the best way to address this reality of product development?
4. Tell us about a situation where you tried to change an organization or introduce an innovation. This doesn’t have to be a situation where you necessarily succeeded.