senior systems testing/qa specialist.

We are seeking an experienced and analytical Senior Systems Testing/QA Specialist specializing in performance engineering and automated test architecture. In this role, you will take technical ownership over designing, building, and scaling advanced performance and non-functional test frameworks. Operating across distributed web applications, cloud environments, and microservices architectures, you will execute load, stress, endurance, and failover scenarios to pinpoint system bottlenecks, memory leaks, and thread contentions, ensuring critical digital platforms maintain maximum scalability, reliability, and speed.

Location: Toronto, ON (Hybrid – 1 day per week in office)

Duration: 12-month contract

Public Sector Experience: Preferred

Advantages
Lead Technical Ownership: Architect high-impact JMeter testing frameworks and non-functional validation strategies for enterprise web applications.

Advanced Tooling & Cloud Stack: Leverage APM tools (Grafana, Dynatrace, New Relic), cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure), and distributed caching environments.

Flexible Hybrid Model: Enjoy a balanced work environment requiring only one day per week in the Toronto office.

End-to-End Pipeline Automation: Embed automated performance test gates directly into modern DevOps CI/CD pipelines.

Responsibilities
Framework Architecture: Architect and scale modular, reusable JMeter test automation frameworks across complex enterprise workflows and web services.

Performance Scenario Engineering: Design and execute advanced load, stress, endurance, and failover test scenarios that accurately simulate peak production traffic volumes.

Deep Bottleneck Analysis: Utilize Application Performance Monitoring (APM) platforms to diagnose complex system bottlenecks, memory leaks, slow-running database queries, and thread contentions.

Optimization & Code Tuning: Partner with senior developers and DevOps leads to deliver actionable recommendations for infrastructure scaling, database query optimization, and application code-level tuning.

CI/CD Pipeline Integration: Embed automated non-functional testing gates into CI/CD pipelines to achieve continuous performance validation throughout the software development lifecycle.

GUI & Non-GUI Validation: Plan and organize comprehensive testing efforts across Graphical User Interface (GUI) and non-GUI environments, including Systems Integration Testing (SIT), UAT support, and specialised stress testing.

Database & ETL Verification: Perform data validation by writing complex SQL queries to inspect relational and non-relational database behavior and verify data transformation integrity.

Test Documentation & Artifact Creation: Develop master test plans, requirements traceability matrices, defect logs, and test results summary reports.

Mentorship & Quality Standards: Establish performance testing best practices, document QA runbooks, and mentor junior and mid-level quality assurance engineers.

Qualifications
Senior QA & Performance Seniority: 5 to 7 years of progressive experience in IT, specifically in web-based applications, performance testing, and QA automation, including 3+ years in a senior or lead capacity (Strictly Required).

JMeter Mastery: Expert-level proficiency with JMeter, including custom plugins, BeanShell/Groovy scripting, and distributed load testing (Strictly Required).

APM Diagnostic Expertise: Strong experience utilizing APM platforms (Grafana, Dynatrace, New Relic, or similar) to perform root-cause analysis on system performance issues (Strictly Required).

Cloud & Distributed Infrastructure: Deep technical understanding of cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure), microservices, caching layers (Redis/Memcached), and load balancers (Strictly Required).

Database Query Analysis: Advanced knowledge of SQL/NoSQL databases with the proven ability to analyze and troubleshoot slow-running queries under heavy load (Strictly Required).

Backend Code Literacy: Ability to read and understand backend code (such as Java, Python, Go, or .NET) to assist engineering teams in debugging performance defects.

Scripting & Automation Framework Design: Proven track record designing, building, and maintaining test automation frameworks for UI, non-UI, and web services, including modifying legacy scripts without documentation.

Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience (Strictly Required).

Nice to Have:
Hands-on experience executing ETL jobs using UNIX shell scripts or basic Linux command-line operations.

Technical familiarity with CRM systems (such as Siebel/Dynamics).

Summary
If you're interested in the "Senior Systems Testing/QA Specialist" role based in Toronto, we encourage you to apply online at
Only qualified candidates will be contacted for the next steps. We look forward to hearing from you!

Randstad Canada is committed to fostering a workforce reflective of all peoples of Canada. As a result, we are committed to developing and implementing strategies to increase the equity, diversity and inclusion within the workplace by examining our internal policies, practices, and systems throughout the entire lifecycle of our workforce, including its recruitment, retention and advancement for all employees. In addition to our deep commitment to respecting human rights, we are dedicated to positive actions to affect change to ensure everyone has full participation in the workforce free from any barriers, systemic or otherwise, especially equity-seeking groups who are usually underrepresented in Canada's workforce, including those who identify as women or non-binary/gender non-conforming; Indigenous or Aboriginal Peoples; persons with disabilities (visible or invisible) and; members of visible minorities, racialized groups and the LGBTQ2+ community.

Randstad Canada is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive and accessible workplace for all its candidates and employees by supporting their accessibility and accommodation needs throughout the employment lifecycle. We ask that all job applications please identify any accommodation requirements by sending an email to View email address on randstad.com to ensure their ability to fully participate in the interview process.

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