Quality assurance test analyst
Find out what a quality assurance test analyst in government does and the skills you need to do the role at each level.
Last updated 29 August 2025 — See all updates
Contents
- — What a quality assurance test analyst does
- — Quality assurance test analyst role levels
- — 1. Associate quality assurance test analyst
- — 2. Quality assurance test analyst
- — 3. Senior quality assurance test analyst
- — 4. Lead quality assurance test analyst
- — Roles that share quality assurance test analyst skills
What a quality assurance test analyst does
A quality assurance test analyst interprets testing needs, creating and executing appropriate tests to ensure quality and alignment with requirements.
In this role, you will:
- plan, design and execute tests
- apply testing techniques and standards to learn about systems and mitigate risk
- analyse artefacts and prototypes
- test outcomes and record defects
- seek to improve testing practices to enhance quality and reliability
- recommend testing approaches
Quality assurance test analyst role levels
There are 4 quality assurance test analyst role levels, from associate quality assurance test analyst to lead quality assurance test analyst.
The typical responsibilities and skills for each role level are described in the sections below. You can use this to identify the skills you need to progress in your career, or simply to learn more about each role in the Government Digital and Data profession.
1. Associate quality assurance test analyst
An associate quality assurance test analyst works with other test professionals to learn quality assurance testing and analysis techniques.
At this role level, you will:
- follow and apply test approaches, plans and strategies, under supervision
- analyse artefacts, such as user stories, prototypes, processes and designs, with support
- use basic functional and non-functional testing techniques
- increase your understanding of how to design and execute basic tests, develop reports, record outcomes and support the resolution of defects
This role level is most often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- EO (Executive Officer)
- HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
Skill | Description |
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Communicating between the technical and non-technical Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Managing, reporting and resolving defects Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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2. Quality assurance test analyst
A quality assurance test analyst designs and executes appropriate functional and non-functional tests. They apply multiple testing techniques to inform the approach to mitigate risk.
At this role level, you will:
- apply the most appropriate test approaches and plans based on risk
- analyse artefacts, such as user stories, prototypes, processes and designs
- determine what to test following an agreed approach
- ensure test coverage aligns with business risk
- follow appropriate standards to mitigate risk early
- execute tests, develop reports, record outcomes and support the resolution of defects
This role level is most often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
- SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
Skill | Description |
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Communicating between the technical and non-technical Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Managing, reporting and resolving defects Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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3. Senior quality assurance test analyst
A senior quality assurance test analyst influences and guides others in test analysis, coordinating quality assurance activities in a defined area. They assess the business impact of testing outcomes and use insights to improve quality assurance processes.
At this role level, you will:
- use the most appropriate tools and techniques to analyse artefacts such as products, services, processes and change, to identify risks early
- work with others to support teams in developing approaches, plans and strategy, considering environments, data, tools and resources
- communicate chosen approaches, tools, techniques and outcomes to stakeholders
- guide others in quality assurance tools and techniques
- contribute to, and enable others to follow, quality assurance and testing standards
This role level is most often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
- G7 (Grade 7)
Skill | Description |
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Communicating between the technical and non-technical Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Managing, reporting and resolving defects Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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4. Lead quality assurance test analyst
A lead quality assurance test analyst sets the strategy for test analysis and influences test analysis practices across a broad area. They develop, monitor and evaluate test analysis standards and methods, and make strategic decisions that improve test analysis in the organisation.
At this role level, you will:
- lead on setting standards and good practices across the test analysis community
- lead and guide teams across the organisation in test analysis
- define and implement test strategies
- mentor and coach other quality assurance test analysts
- negotiate and escalate major risks, issues and defects
This role level is most often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:
- G7 (Grade 7)
- G6 (Grade 6)
Skill | Description |
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Communicating between the technical and non-technical Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Managing, reporting and resolving defects Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels |
You can:
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Roles that share quality assurance test analyst skills
Updates
Published 7 January 2020
Last updated 29 August 2025
29 August 2025
The quality assurance test analyst role has a new role description and new role level descriptions.
30 May 2025
The quality assurance testing (QAT) analyst role has been renamed quality assurance test analyst. All 4 role levels have been updated: associate quality assurance testing analyst, quality assurance test analyst, senior quality assurance test analyst and lead quality assurance test analyst.
The role has been refreshed with updated skills. The role now includes the new skills ‘communicating between the technical and non-technical’, ‘designing and executing tests’, ‘managing, reporting and resolving defects’, ‘test and quality planning’ and ‘test engineering’, and the updated skill ‘test analysis’.
These skills have been removed from the role: 'functional testing’, ‘non-functional testing’ and ‘technical breadth’.
7 January 2020
First published.