Job Description: QA Engineer

Location: Boston, MA (Hybrid)
Department: Quality
Reports To: Kerstin Kearney

Position Summary

Grand Circle Corporation is the leader in international travel, adventure, and discovery for Americans aged 50 . Headquartered in Boston, MA, and with more than 35 offices globally, more than two million Americans have traveled with our award-winning travel brands: Grand Circle Cruise Line, Overseas Adventure Travel, and Grand Circle Travel.

We’re looking for a detail-oriented QA Engineer to support our Core Services organization through hands-on API and backend testing, with a strong focus on validating services using Postman and ensuring the reliability of critical systems.

In this role, you’ll be responsible for designing and executing API test plans, validating request and response data, and ensuring quality, performance, and data integrity across backend services and integrations. You’ll partner closely with Engineering, Platform, and Database teams to validate system-to-system interactions, assess downstream impacts, and support high-quality releases throughout the development lifecycle.

This is an opportunity to play a critical role in helping modernize and strengthen systems that directly impact both our internal teams and traveler experience. The ideal candidate enjoys working deep in APIs and data, communicates effectively across technical teams, and brings a proactive quality mindset to complex platform environments.

With trips in nearly 100 countries, you'll never run out of new places, people, and cultures to feed your wanderlust. From the Maasai warriors of Kenya to the tranquil temples of Japan, your work will touch a broad range of systems and experiences — so it’s fair to say "bored" is not in our lexicon.

What You'll Do

Core Services & API Testing

• Design, execute, and maintain API test plans and test cases supporting Core Services applications and integrations.

• Validate RESTful and GraphQL APIs using Postman, including positive, negative, and edge-case scenarios.

• Verify request and response payloads, authentication, headers, status codes, and error handling behavior.

• Identify, document, and communicate defects, risks, inconsistencies, and quality concerns.

• Support regression testing efforts for API updates and new service deployments.

Platform & Database Validation

• Partner closely with Platform and Database teams to validate backend changes and integrations.

• Perform data validation activities using SQL and database queries.

• Validate system-to-system integrations and assess downstream impacts across connected services.

• Support production issue investigations and validate fixes related to services and data integrity.

Quality Process & Collaboration

• Create reusable test documentation, maintain traceability to requirements, and support test coverage initiatives.

• Bridge frontend functionality and backend systems by validating API contracts, payloads, and database states to ensure end-to-end reliability.

• Participate in Agile ceremonies and collaborate with Developers, Product Owners, and QA teammates.

• Participate in design reviews to provide early quality and testability feedback.

• Contribute to continuous improvements in QA processes, tooling, and best practices.

What Success Looks Like in This Role

• Core Services APIs are thoroughly validated with minimal production defect escapes.

• Platform and database changes are tested early, reducing downstream impacts and risk.

• Defects are documented clearly, reproducibly, and in a way that supports efficient resolution.

• QA is viewed as a trusted partner across Engineering, Platform, and Data teams.

• Quality practices continue to evolve and improve as systems scale.

Qualifications

Experience & Technical Skills

• 2 years of Quality Assurance experience with a focus on backend systems and API testing.

• Strong hands-on experience using Postman for API validation and testing.

• Solid understanding of RESTful APIs, GraphQL, HTTP methods, status codes, and JSON.

• Experience writing SQL queries and validating backend data.

• Proven ability to create test plans, test cases, and defect documentation.

Technical & Analytical Capabilities

• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

• Comfortable testing across multiple systems, platforms, and technical domains.

• Familiarity with Jira, Confluence, or similar defect tracking and documentation tools.

• Exposure to test automation concepts or API automation frameworks.

• Understanding of CI/CD pipelines and service deployment workflows.

• Experience supporting production issue analysis and root cause validation.

Ways of Working

• Comfortable collaborating across technical teams in fast-paced environments.

• Experience working in Agile environments such as Scrum or Kanban.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to translate findings clearly and effectively.

We bring together human insight and digital expertise to anticipate the needs of our customers. Our team members are innovative, technologically sophisticated, and motivated to achieve.

Total Rewards

The base salary range for this role is $90,000–$100,000 annually for employees based in Boston, MA. Final compensation may vary and will be determined based on factors such as relevant experience, skills, internal equity, and geographic location. In addition to base pay, this role is eligible for an annual incentive bonus and first-class benefits, which include:

Health & wellness: Comprehensive and heavily subsidized medical, dental, and vision plans, plus on-site gym access, holistic wellness sessions, and group fitness classes

Time for you: Substantial Paid Time Off (PTO), and 11 paid holidays—including Juneteenth, Memorial Day, and Labor Day—and Summer Fridays. Plus extensive parental leave with up to 12–16 weeks paid leave at 100% base salary

Travel more, spend less: 50% off our trips for you and a companion, 25% for additional immediate family members, and exclusive quarterly associate travel deals

Your future, secured: 401(k) with company match, life insurance, and disability coverage

Continuous growth: Tuition assistance for both professional and personal development, opportunities for professional development through overseas travel, and direct access to Pinnacle Leadership & Team Development

Extra perks: Commuter benefits, FSA options, pet insurance, home & auto discounts, and paid volunteer time off to give back to the community

To learn more, please visit our websites at www.gct.com, www.oattravel.com and www.grandcirclefoundation.com.

Salary : $90,000 - $100,000