| Group | L1 · QA Engineer | L2 · QA Engineer II | L3 · Senior QA | L4 · Senior QA II |
|---|
Trunk-Based Release - What It Means for QA at Each Level
In trunk-based development, code merges to main and releases ship daily or multiple times daily. The traditional "wait until sprint end, then test everything" model breaks down. Each QA level needs to adapt differently to keep up with this pace without sacrificing quality.
Execute smoke tests and automated regression reliably under tight time windows. Know which subset of tests to run for each release type.
Practice impact-based test selection - test only what changed. Read PR diffs fluently to scope testing efficiently per release.
Design risk-driven quality gates: block risky changes, fast-track safe ones. Own the trunk-based test strategy for the entire squad.
Architect the company-wide trunk-based QA model. Define what "production-ready within 24 hours" means and the criteria to enforce it.
Self-Assessment — Find Your Current Level
Rate yourself honestly on a 1–5 scale for each item. Scores are weighted by skill priority: Core skills count fully, Recommended skills count at 70%, and Project-dependent skills count at 50%. After submitting, you will see your suggested level, a per-group breakdown, and concrete next actions.
| Condition | L1 | L2 | L3 | L4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted overall score | ≥ 1.0 | ≥ 2.5 50% |
≥ 3.5 70% |
≥ 4.2 84% |
| Testing Core avg | — | ≥ 2.5 | ≥ 3.5 | ≥ 4.2 |
| Risk & Strategy avg | — | ≥ 2.2 | ≥ 3.2 | ≥ 4.0 |
| AI avg | — | ≥ 2.0 | ≥ 3.0 | ≥ 4.0 |
| Automation avg | — | ≥ 1.8 | ≥ 2.8 | ≥ 3.5 |
| API Testing avg | — | ≥ 2.5 | ≥ 3.0 | ≥ 3.8 |
| SDLC & Process avg | — | ≥ 2.0 | ≥ 3.0 | ≥ 3.5 |
| Problem Solving avg | — | ≥ 2.0 | ≥ 3.0 | ≥ 4.0 |
| Communication avg | — | ≥ 2.5 | ≥ 3.2 | ≥ 4.0 |
| Ownership & Leadership avg | — | ≥ 2.5 | ≥ 3.0 | ≥ 4.0 |
| SQL / Database avg | — | — | ≥ 2.5 | ≥ 3.2 |
| Performance avg | — | — | — | ≥ 2.5 |
| Security avg | — | — | — | ≥ 2.5 |
| Tools & DevOps avg | — | — | — | ≥ 2.5 |
| No Core-skill group below | — | 1.8 | 2.5 | 3.5 |