Sr. Tester

Description Employment Type: Full-time, W2 position with Cogent People Inc. This is a direct hire position with full benefits.

Location: Hybrid Columbia MD 3 times a week OR Remote (as applicable to role)

Work Authorization Requirements To comply with government contracting requirements, candidates must meet all of the following:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen, Permanent Resident, or valid EAD holder
• Must have lived in the United States for at least 3 of the past 5 years
• Must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship

Sponsorship (H-1B) is not available for this position (now or in the future). Candidates who do not meet these requirements will not be considered.

Clearance Requirement Public Trust required or ability to obtain, depending on assignment.

About Cogent People Inc. Cogent People Inc. is a government consulting and technology services firm supporting mission-critical federal and commercial programs. We deliver secure, scalable, and modern digital solutions across complex IT environments.

Our teams thrive at the intersection of engineering excellence and mission impact, building systems that matter.

Job Overview Cogent People Inc. is seeking a Sr. Tester to lead end-to-end testing activities supporting CMS program delivery.

This role is responsible for ensuring comprehensive validation across functional, integration, and workflow scenarios, while overseeing defect management, test coverage, and quality assurance processes.

The ideal candidate will bring strong QA leadership experience in enterprise or regulated environments, with the ability to support release readiness and continuous improvement of testing practices.

This position may be contingent upon contract award.

Requirements What You'll Do Test Leadership & Execution

• Lead end-to-end testing activities across functional, integration, and workflow areas.
• Develop and execute test strategies to ensure comprehensive coverage.
• Coordinate testing efforts across cross-functional teams.

Defect Management & Quality Assurance

• Oversee defect identification, tracking, prioritization, and resolution.
• Ensure test coverage aligns with requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Support quality assurance processes throughout the delivery lifecycle.

Release Support & Continuous Improvement

• Support release readiness activities and validation of production deployments.
• Identify opportunities to improve testing practices, coverage, and efficiency.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of QA processes and standards.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of experience in software testing, QA, or related roles.
• Experience leading functional, integration, and workflow testing efforts.
• Strong understanding of QA methodologies, test planning, and defect management.
• Experience working in enterprise or regulated environments.
• Strong analytical, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

What Will Set You Apart

• Relevant certifications
• Experience supporting federal programs
• Knowledge of Agile and DevSecOps
• Experience with CMS or healthcare environments

Why Cogent People Inc.? At Cogent People, we combine technical excellence with a mission-driven culture. Our teams work on meaningful, high-impact projects that support government and enterprise transformation initiatives.

We Offer

• Competitive compensation
• Career growth and professional development opportunities
• Exposure to complex, mission-critical systems
• A collaborative and supportive team environment
• Long-term client engagements with stability and continuity

We are a Certified Great Place to Work, committed to building an inclusive and high-performance culture.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance (comprehensive coverage)
• 401(k) with company match
• Company-paid life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage
• Paid Time Off: 3 weeks annually + 10 paid holidays
• Employee assistance and wellness resources (as applicable)

Compliance Notice Cogent People Inc. conducts employment verification for all candidates. Misrepresentation of work authorization, residency history, or professional experience will result in disqualification.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO) and evaluate all applicants based on qualifications, experience, and role requirements.

We do not engage third-party recruiters for this role unless explicitly stated.