37signals is hiring a Senior Quality Assurance Tester to help test new features for Basecamp and HEY, on mobile and web, as well as triaging, replicating, and managing bug reports from customers.
About the work
While programmers at 37signals write all sorts of automated tests to help them ship bug-free software, there's no substitute for the value of human, exploratory testing.
At the same time, QA isn't a gate at 37signals that all updates must pass. We ship software all the time that does not go through a full QA process. But for any kind of critical, major work, especially the sort that might result in data loss, we can't ship with confidence without proper QA.
Here are some real examples of the work:
About the work
While programmers at 37signals write all sorts of automated tests to help them ship bug-free software, there's no substitute for the value of human, exploratory testing.
At the same time, QA isn't a gate at 37signals that all updates must pass. We ship software all the time that does not go through a full QA process. But for any kind of critical, major work, especially the sort that might result in data loss, we can't ship with confidence without proper QA.
Here are some real examples of the work:
- In week four of our development of the Bubble Up feature in HEY, start testing the feature on the web. It'll be shipping just two weeks later, so prioritize well what's found, ensuring we stay within appetite.
- Pull in help from our friends at Aspiritech when the testing load is too high for what we can handle in-house. Validate the reports that come in from that side, and guide their testers in the right direction.
- Replicate a customer report that a menu on mobile is cut off badly if someone has too many labels. Find the tipping point, write up a clear report, and consider how many people are effected.
- Curate our bug lists to present the most important issues in a Top 10 list for a programmer to spend 4 weeks on next cycle.
- Conduct a usability test with real people using screenreaders to ensure we haven't regressed on accessibility in HEY since our last such test.
About you
We're looking for a senior candidate with extensive experience testing web and mobile software. That means you've obviously done this work before elsewhere, but it's not a requirement that you're able to write automated tests yourself (or do any other kind of programming). This is a QA Tester role, not a QA Engineering role.
It is, however, important that you can become a solid Manager of One. The QA workload ebbs and flows at 37signals. Sometimes there'll be no new features to test for a few weeks, and you should be able to direct yourself towards the other areas of the job without anyone telling you to do so.
You must also be a good writer. We work remotely, so the majority of our work and collaboration is written. This is true whether you're writing up a bug report or arguing for why these ten issues are worthy of our attention next cycle.
You’re free to work from anywhere, but your working hours must overlap extensively with our teams in the Americas and Europe. We're therefore not considering candidates from Asia, Australia, or other locations that would require a graveyard shift to work for this role.
We respect everyone's right to participate in political expression and activism, but avoid having political conversations on our internal communication systems. 37signals as a company also does not weigh in on politics publicly, outside of topics directly related to our business. You should be at peace with both of these stances.
Pay and benefits
37signals pays in the top 10% of the industry based on San Francisco rates. Same position, same pay, no matter where you live. The salary for a Senior QA Tester is $85,000.
Our benefits support a life well-lived away from work. Ample time off and all the resources you need to support you in doing the best work of your career.
Applicants from outside the US will be offered a contractor role with comparable terms and at the same rate of pay as our US-based employees.
How to apply
Please submit an application by Monday, September 26 at 5:00PM US-Central time. Introduce yourself to us as a colleague. Tell us why you want this job and why you’d like to work at 37signals. Be yourself, be creative, and take your time.
Also, please include a bug report of an issue you've found in any piece of public software you use. It should not be longer than one page, but include all the information you'd deem pertinent for a programmer to fix it.
We expect to take a few weeks to closely review all applications. Please note that due to the number of applications we usually receive for open positions, we’re unable to offer individual feedback during the screening process.
Interviews will take place in October, and we'll also ask some final candidates to complete a take-home written exercise. We hope to extend offers by the end of October with a flexible start date in November.
We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply, and look forward to hearing from you!