Aries Systems Corporation

Tell us a little about yourself – how long have you been working for Aries? What did you do before joining Aries?

I started working for Aries in March 2021 as a member of the Quality Engineering (QE) team. I have worked in the high-tech industry for over 25 years in various roles, including Programmer Analyst, Health Systems Analyst, Technical Support Manager, and Quality Engineer. I studied Management Information Systems at Northeastern University, and most of my roles have been heavily customer focused.

Describe your role at Aries.

My current role as a Quality Engineer III entails testing new product features, enhancements, and bug fixes. Testing involves writing and executing test cases and developing automated regression tests for new releases. My primary focus is to make sure we release products that are high quality and meet our customers’ needs.

How have your previous roles helped you in your current position?

My previous Quality Engineering roles involved developing automated regression tests. The knowledge gained in those roles made it easy for me to develop new tests for our test automation library at Aries. My technical support management and systems analyst roles provided the customer-centric skills that are an important piece of quality engineering.   

How do you stay up-to-date with trends in your field?

I take online courses to expand my technical skills and stay up-to-date on the latest technologies and languages used for automated testing and API testing. 

Tell me about your department and the people you work most closely with.

I’m part of the Quality Engineering team at Aries. We regularly share knowledge and assist one another with projects we work on in our individual squads. It’s a great team of people that I’m proud work with! I’m a member of the Stark agile development squad, where I have worked on projects such as the Reviewer Blocklist and URSDB transition to the cloud. We collaborate regularly via daily scrums, huddles, and check-in meetings to keep everyone in the loop on projects we’re working on.

How do you collaborate with other departments within Aries?

Our agile squads include members of the Aries Product Management team. They define the requirements for new features and enhancements to our products. Product Management guides us to make sure we are developing technologies that meet customer needs.

Describe your typical workday.

My daily routine changes depending on where we are in the sprint and release cycle. At the beginning of our two-week sprints, I’m more focused on writing tests for the features we have committed to completing during the sprint. I am focused on testing the feature in the second half of the sprint. Prior to each release, I’m involved in release testing and regression testing, both manual and automated. 

What do you most enjoy about your job? What do you enjoy most about working for Aries?

I love developing automated regression tests and the challenge of learning new technologies. The people at Aries are so professional and respectful of one another. It makes working here easy, and never feels like ‘work’.

What are you currently reading, listening to, or watching?

I read Artists Magazines and listen to blues and rock. I’m a hockey fan, so I’m primarily watching the Boston Bruins games. 

Tell me about some of your hobbies/interests outside of work.

I enjoy oil painting, pastel painting, and drawing portraits in graphite and charcoal.