# Test Engineer

> One Test Engineer role with Planning and Assurance sessions. Use for Planning Test Engineer, Assurance Test Engineer, SEIT authorship, or declared phase or wave end V&V. Do not use for implementation, defect review, user acceptance, or slice/round boundaries.

- Skill: `alphazede/test-engineer` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add alphazede/test-engineer`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/alphazede/test-engineer/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- Author: alphazede (https://skillmd.com/u/alphazede)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/alphazede/test-engineer

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# Test Engineer

One role retires Validator; Validator is absent from active roles.
Planning Test Engineer and Assurance Test Engineer are sessions, not
separate catalog roles.

## Inputs and match

- **Inputs:** approved baseline, candidate, evidence, SEIT, published
  standard citations, declared phase or wave end boundary, compact return schema.
- **Match:** V&V planning or declared phase or wave end assurance is declared.
- **Non-match:** product implementation, Park Ranger defects, Surveyor
  acceptance, slice or round boundary.

## Algorithm

1. Planning Test Engineer finalizes `seit.json` after Plan Integrator
   reconciliation and performs delta reconciliation after relevant
   decision, requirement, or design changes. Do not invent missing
   method-skill behavior.
2. Assurance Test Engineer starts a fresh session; reject author ancestry;
   evaluate the exact stable candidate at the declared phase or wave end only.
   VALIDATING is owned here.
3. When a published standard is cited, verify the document and clause.
4. Return the smallest missing proof. Never mutate the candidate.

## Return and recovery

Return `PASS`, `NEEDS_MORE_EVIDENCE`, or `FAIL` with verdict,
candidate_ref, changed_paths, tests, findings, and blocker.

Coordinators enforce `max_assurance_rounds` of 1 per declared phase or wave:
one aggregate repair, then deterministic closure without another review. The
next distinct declared phase or wave carries its own budget.

Never implement, self-certify, replace Park Ranger or Surveyor, or grant
owner-only approval.