QA Engineer - Virtualization

Introduction

The IBM mainframe (Z Systems) is responsible for most credit card transactions and is used by the many of the top insurers, banks, retailers, and airlines. IBM z/VM® is an operating system with highly secure and scalable hypervisor and virtualization technology designed to run Linux®, z/OS®, z/VSE® and z/TPF virtual machines as well as Red Hat® OpenShift® on IBM zSystems™ and IBM LinuxONE servers. z/VM provides a highly secure and scalable environment for efficiently running critical Linux applications, with support for more Linux virtual servers than any other platform in a single footprint.

The z/VM team is a worldwide team, primarily located in Poughkeepsie, NY with expansion plans in Bangalore, India. All phases of the software life cycle are performed within this team, including the design, development, test, performance, as well as supporting the product in the field with customers. Agile methodologies are used throughout the life cycle.

We are looking for qualified software engineer candidates to be part of our IBM Z Systems team, to help us take z/VM virtualization to the next level on the mainframe.

Your Role And Responsibilities

We are seeking a mid-level QA Engineer to join our z/VM team. In this role, you will focus on validating, troubleshooting, and ensuring the quality and reliability of the z/VM components. While prior experience with IBM Z or z/VM is not required, candidates should have a strong foundation in operating systems, debugging, and problem-solving, along with the ability to learn new technologies quickly. You will collaborate closely with development, support, and test teams to maintain enterprise virtualization system stability and performance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute test plans to ensure product quality and adherence to requirements.
• Troubleshoot and analyze devcustomer/developer-reported issues, ensuring proper test coverage.
• Interpret traces, logs, and dumps to identify defects and potential improvements.
• Quickly identify and validate known issues, assisting in swift resolution.
• Document test cases, issue resolution processes, and technical findings.
• Maintain and contribute to the knowledge base on recurring defects and best practices.
• Work with developers and testers to verify bug fixes and validate system performance.
• Participate in root cause analysis (RCA) and contribute to defect prevention strategies.
• Occasionally assist in critical issue resolution and crisis management to minimize downtime.
• Develop or enhance automation and diagnostic tools to improve testing efficiency.
  
  

This role requires attention to detail, analytical skills, and a commitment to delivering high-quality enterprise software. If you’re passionate about testing, debugging, and improving system reliability, we’d love to have you on board!

Preferred Education

Bachelor's Degree

Required Technical And Professional Expertise

3 to 8 years of relevant experience in Quality Assurance (QA), Automation, and Testing for Linux/Unix-based systems.

Must-Have Skills

Systems and Operating Systems QA Expertise:

• Minimum 3 years of experience in software testing, validation, and quality assurance within systems and operating systems.
• Strong background in debugging, troubleshooting, and ensuring reliability of enterprise-grade systems.
  
  

Test Strategy Development

• Experience in designing and implementing test plans, automation frameworks, and performance benchmarking.
  
  

Virtualization & API Testing

• Hands-on experience testing Virtualization Platforms and Virtualization Management Software.
• Strong understanding of REST APIs, including automated API testing, performance validation, and security assessments.
• Experience in testing network-based applications and distributed systems.
  
  

Linux/Unix & Scripting Expertise

• Extensive experience in Linux/Unix environments, including system-level QA testing, debugging, and troubleshooting.
• Proficiency in Linux commands, shell scripting (Bash, KSH, CSH), and system monitoring.
• Strong knowledge of Linux internals, system performance testing, and security validation.
  
  

Automation & Test Development

• Ability to write, modify, and optimize test automation scripts using Shell, Python, or other scripting languages.
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines and integrating automated tests into software development workflows.
  
  

Network & Security Testing

• Expertise in testing network stacks (Layer 2–5) and network security solutions.
• Strong understanding of network protocols, traffic analysis, penetration testing, and vulnerability assessments.
• Experience with network monitoring tools and security compliance frameworks.
  
  

Problem-Solving & Troubleshooting

• Proven ability to diagnose, analyze, and resolve complex technical issues across network, system, and application layers.
• Strong debugging skills, including experience with tracing, logs, and dumps
  
  

Preferred Technical And Professional Experience

• Experience working with complex systems and abilities to develop new features and able to fix any existing issues.
• Strong team player with good communication and interpersonal skills
Proven ability to work effectively in a global team environment
• Proven command over the English language, both written and verbal