Junior Tech Lead / QA Tester / Developer & R&D Assistant

Upwork Job Posting #3 Junior Tech Lead / QA Tester / Developer / R&D Assistant Job Title Junior Tech Lead / QA Tester / Developer & R&D Assistant — Web Application, Admin Panel, Backend & Phone System Testing (Stay Connected Plus) Project Overview Stay Connected Plus, LLC is seeking a technically capable QA tester and junior developer to help test our platform, document issues, perform small bug fixes, support our lead developer, and assist with research and development for future features. This is not a constant full-time development role. It is a flexible, ongoing engagement for someone who is organized, detail-oriented, technically capable, and able to work independently within a defined scope. You will test the system, document what you find, reproduce issues, write clear bug reports, and assist with small fixes and feature planning. You will work directly with me — the business owner — and alongside our primary developer. Clear communication is essential. I need someone who can explain what they are testing, what they found, and what it means, without requiring me to interpret technical jargon. About Stay Connected Plus Stay Connected Plus, LLC is a communications platform that helps incarcerated individuals stay connected with approved outside users including friends, family members, supporters, and other approved contacts. The platform includes: Web application for outside users (React frontend) Admin panel for business operations Backend API (Node.js) Phone-based IVR voice system (Twilio, Deepgram) Messaging and wallet/payment features Inmate profile management User registration, login, subscription, and invitation flows AWS infrastructure, GitHub repositories, and CI/CD deployment This is a live production platform serving real users. Testing must be thorough, responsible, and clearly documented. Responsibilities QA Testing Test the web application end-to-end across supported browsers and devices Test the admin panel for functionality, data accuracy, and usability Test user registration and login flows Test inmate profile creation and renewal flows Test messaging features — sending, receiving, viewing, and managing messages Test wallet and payment-related flows — adding funds, transaction history, billing Test subscription and plan management flows Test invitation link flows — generation, delivery, redemption Test mobile responsiveness across common device sizes Test desktop layout and responsiveness Test phone-system-related workflows where applicable and accessible Identify and document bugs, broken flows, UI issues, and unexpected behavior Bug Reporting Write clear, structured bug reports for every issue found Include: steps to reproduce, expected behavior, actual behavior, severity, environment, and screenshots or screen recordings where applicable Reproduce each bug consistently before reporting it Track issues in GitHub or another agreed issue-tracking system Verify that reported bugs have been resolved after developer fixes are applied Small Bug Fixes Perform minor frontend or backend bug fixes within your skill level Coordinate with the primary developer on fixes that require deeper changes Submit all code changes through GitHub following established workflow Document all changes made Research and Development Research mobile app options and strategies (Capacitor, React Native, or other frameworks) Research better admin tools, analytics, and reporting capabilities Research UI/UX improvements for key user flows Research messaging, voice, and AI assistant feature improvements Research payment and wallet improvements Research automation and user onboarding improvements Summarize findings in plain language with specific recommendations Assist with planning and specification for future features Documentation Maintain QA test plans and test case checklists Document all testing sessions with clear summaries Maintain developer handoff notes for issues requiring primary developer attention Provide weekly or per-task progress summaries Required Skills Web application QA testing — systematic, thorough, and documented Bug reporting — clear, structured, reproducible Basic frontend development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) Basic backend understanding (APIs, databases, server responses) GitHub — issue tracking, pull requests, basic workflow Ability to test user flows from end to end Ability to write clearly and communicate technical findings to a non-technical person Ability to work collaboratively with a primary developer Ability to perform small bug fixes independently Fluent English — written and spoken Available by phone during Pacific Time business hours Nice-to-Have Skills React or similar frontend framework Node.js or similar backend experience AWS familiarity Twilio or telecom API experience Stripe or PayPal integration experience Admin dashboard testing Mobile app research or development experience (Capacitor, React Native) Technical documentation Startup or early-stage platform experience Expected Deliverables Completed QA test plans for each major user flow Test case checklists for ongoing regression testing Clear bug reports for every issue found — with steps, screenshots, and severity Verified bug closure confirmation after developer fixes Small bug fix implementations submitted via GitHub R&D research notes and recommendations Feature planning summaries and specifications Developer handoff notes Weekly or per-task progress summaries Work Style Requirements You must be hands-on and thorough — partial testing is not acceptable You must document everything you do and everything you find You must be comfortable testing the same flow repeatedly after changes You must be able to describe what you see on screen clearly and specifically You must be comfortable on phone calls and able to explain issues in plain language You must be available during Pacific Time business hours You must have a quiet workspace and reliable high-speed internet You must be comfortable working on a platform that serves incarcerated individuals and their approved outside contacts Timeline and Availability This is a flexible, ongoing engagement — work volume will vary You must be available during Pacific Time business hours for calls and coordination When I call during agreed working hours, I expect you to answer or respond promptly Turnaround on testing tasks and bug reports should be within agreed timelines You must not disappear between tasks or delay without communication Communication Requirements Fluent spoken and written English is required You must be available by phone during Pacific Time business hours You must be able to screen share and walk me through what you found You must be comfortable explaining technical issues to a non-technical business owner You must communicate proactively — if you find something unexpected, tell me immediately Contractor Standards All work must be documented clearly All changes to the codebase must be made through GitHub following established workflow You must not make changes beyond the agreed scope without prior approval You must treat all system information, user data, and business information as strictly confidential You must be willing to sign an NDA if required You must not disappear, delay, or make excuses Screening Questions All applicants must answer the following questions. Incomplete or vague answers will disqualify your proposal. Describe your QA testing process for a web application. How do you approach a new platform you have never tested before? Walk me through how you write a bug report. What does a complete bug report include in your process? Give an example of a bug you found that was difficult to reproduce. How did you isolate and document it? How do you test a payment or wallet flow without using real money? What do you look for? How do you test a messaging or communication feature? What edge cases do you check? Describe your experience working alongside a primary developer. How do you coordinate on bug fixes and feature changes? Have you performed small bug fixes independently? What languages or frameworks are you comfortable making changes in? Are you available by phone during Pacific Time business hours? How quickly can you respond to a call during agreed working hours? What Your Proposal Must Include Your QA testing experience and what platforms or applications you have tested Your development experience and what technologies you are comfortable with An example of a bug report you have written — either pasted directly or described in detail Whether you can perform small bug fixes and in what languages or frameworks Whether you have experience working alongside a primary developer Confirmation that you are available by phone during Pacific Time business hours Confirmation that you have fluent English, a quiet workspace, and high-speed internet Confirmation that you are comfortable working on a platform that serves incarcerated users and communication services Disqualifiers No demonstrable QA testing experience on web applications Cannot write clear, structured bug reports Cannot reproduce bugs consistently before reporting them Unable or unwilling to be available by phone during Pacific Time business hours Cannot explain technical findings to a non-technical person No GitHub experience Generic or copy-paste proposals Closing Statement Stay Connected Plus is a live production platform serving real users in a sensitive and important environment. I need a QA tester and junior developer who takes their work seriously, documents everything, and communicates clearly. This is not a role for someone who does a quick sweep and moves on. This is a role for someone who is methodical, thorough, and genuinely invested in helping build a reliable platform. If that describes you, I want to hear from you. Submit a proposal that demonstrates you have read and understood this posting, answer the screening questions completely, and tell me specifically what you bring to this role. The quality of your proposal is the first test.