Performance Test Lead

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) works to build on strengths of families and communities to keep children and vulnerable adults safe, so they thrive. We do this through investigations, services, and referrals.  

What You Get Beyond Your Paycheck

When you join the State of Texas, your monthly paycheck is just one part of your real income. Our benefits provide extra value that many private employers simply don’t match—often adding hundreds of dollars each month to what you take home or save.

Here’s what you get as a full-time employee:

• 100% paid health insurance for you, and 50% paid for eligible family members—saving you hundreds every month in out-of-pocket medical costs
• Retirement plans with lifetime monthly payments after five years of state service, plus options to save even more with 401(k) and 457 plans
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick leave so you can recharge and take care of life outside work (that’s time off you’re actually paid for)
• Optional dental, vision, and life insurance—at rates much lower than most private plans
• Flexible spending accounts for added tax savings on health and dependent care
• Employee discounts on things like gym memberships, electronics, and entertainment

You also might qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness, which could help you pay off federal student loans faster.

You can see all the details here: ERS recruitment brochure

Functional Title: Performance Test Lead 
Job Title: IRM Developer Sys Analyst V 
Agency: Dept of Family & Protectve Svc 
Department: Software Development Res-Op 
Posting Number: 12020 
Closing Date: 12/25/2025 
Posting Audience: Internal and External 
Occupational Category: Computer and Mathematical 
Salary Group: TEXAS-B-25 
Salary Range: $5,797.66 - $9,508.25 
Pay Frequency: Monthly
Shift: Day 
Additional Shift:  
Telework: Eligible for Telework 
Travel: Up to 10% 
Regular/Temporary: Regular 
Full Time/Part Time: Full time 
FLSA Exempt/Non-Exempt: Exempt 
Facility Location:  
Job Location City: AUSTIN 
Job Location Address: 4900 N LAMAR BLVD 
Other Locations:  
MOS Codes: 0171,8848,8858,181X,182X,1D7X1,255A,255S,25B,25D,25H,26B,62E,681X,682X,781X,CTI,CTM,CTR,CYB10,CYB11 
ISM,IT,Z Prefix 
 
 

Brief Job Description:

This position functions as a technical team member in the IT Application Development team and reports to AppDev Test Manager. This position coordinates the activities of performance testing, in support of release activities. This includes but is not limited to application testing and setup and support regular performance test. This role will require a proactive individual whose aim is to find the system limitations through a defined, efficient, and repeatable process to enhance the performance, capacity and resilience of the applications and their infrastructure. This individual must have a technical background and understand the levers that impact the performance of application as well as being able to interpret and analyze performance metrics across the solution stack (i.e. network, database, application servers, etc.).

This position works closely with stake holders from Project Managers, Product Development, and QA Teams to coordinate the on-time and quality release of software to Production. The Performance Test Lead is expected to completely own the test cycles, including verification, testing, documentation, and communications. They will be agile, collaborative, and focused with an extremely deep technical understanding of the software and will be committed to delivering a quality product. This position works with minimal supervision and considerable latitude for use of initiative and independent judgment.  

Essential Job Functions:

• Develops and maintains performance management plans for business applications
• Develops and maintains performance management scripts for business applications
• Installs and configures enterprise performance tools
• Ensures that performance management tools software lifecycle is current
• Configures and maintains performance management scripts using agency approved tools
• Sets up and automates development, testing, staging, and production systems for new performance related services
• Performs maintenance tasks and procedures
• Utilizes and maintains technologies and applications as required for business operations
• Analyzes and troubleshoots systems issues
• Performs proof of concept studies around new technologies
• Maintains performance environment site availability
• Performs scalability estimates and implementation
• Performs analysis, research, and interpretation of business requirements to document technical requirements and develop technical specifications.
• Works with trainers, technical support staff, network specialists and contract staff to perform modifications and/or updates to existing systems or to implement new systems.
• Demonstrates acceptable level of technical proficiency and quality of work.
• Assists in the development and maintenance of systems documentation and assures that content of documentation is well organized, complete, and appropriate to the audience.
• Ensures project schedules are met, and/or re-negotiated, and approved by customer and Team Manager prior to target dates.
• Communicates progress and issues effecting work assignments to the Team Manager and/or Project Manager as soon as possible.
• Assists in defining disaster recovery responsibilities and procedures related to the application application/system.
• Performs disaster recovery activities including but not limited to, participating in disaster recovery hot site exercises and updating documentation.
• Manages work activities for short- and long-range performance assignments, communicating with management and other team members in a timely and effective manner.
• Reviews and analyzes legislative bills related to the application/system and when applicable, provides a cost estimate and potential impact analysis.
• Communicates and/or collaborates with the functional/technical team members to coordinate testing efforts in support of one or more application/system within the DFPS enterprise.

• Work independently to establish a performance testing schedule based on the current projects that are in progress and when Performance testing is going to start and finish.

• Develop and maintain a suite of priority performance test cases to run before all releases.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Skill in using Unix Operating System, LoadRunner, JMeter, Knowledgeable in Automated Testing

• Performance Testing

• Problem Management methodologies

• Understanding of complex architectures and derivation of key performance indicators for performance tests with Oracle database backend

• Understand the relationship between load and response time to predict the system’s maximum capacity

• Ability to lead other tester to complete tasks and accomplish reasonable deadlines

• Knowledge of high-level system design methodologies and techniques such as the entity/relationship model and data/process flow diagrams.

• Skill in communicating both verbally and in writing with customers and peers

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications:

N/A

Initial Screening Criteria:

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in computer science, information systems, computer engineering or a related field. Work experience may be substituted for education.

• Two (2) Years full-time experience using JMeter.

• Experience in the software development life cycle

Additional Information:

Work outside of regular hours, including occasional weekends, may be required. Applicants selected for interview may be required to complete a written exercise to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Review our Tips for Success when applying for jobs at DFPS, DSHS and HHSC.

Military occupation(s) that relate to the initial selection criteria and registration or licensure requirements for this position may include, but not limited to those listed in this posting. All active-duty military, reservists, guardsmen, and veterans are encouraged to apply if qualified to fill this position. For more information please see the Texas State Auditor’s Job Descriptions, Military Crosswalk and Military Crosswalk Guide at Texas State Auditor's Office - Job Descriptions. You may also contact the DFPS Military Liaison at dfpsmilvets@dfps.texas.gov with additional questions.

Applicants selected for hire must pass a background check and if applicable a driver’s record check.

State of Texas employees are required to maintain the security and integrity of critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2), State of Texas Business and Commerce Code. Applicants selected for hire comply with this code by completing related training and abiding by agency cybersecurity and communications system usage policies.

As a state agency, DFPS is required by Texas Administrative Code (TAC 206 and 213) to ensure all Electronic Information Resources (EIR) follow accessibility standards. The staff must be familiar with the WCAG 2.1 AA and Section 508 to create accessible content including but not limited to; Microsoft Office documents, Adobe PDFs, webpages, software, training guides, video, and audio files. 

DFPS uses E-Verify. You must bring your I-9 documentation with you on your first day of work. Employees must provide documentation to DFPS to show their identity and authorization to work in the US. Please review the following link for authorized documents: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents .

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), HHS/DFPS agencies will provide reasonable accommodation during the hiring and selection process for qualified individuals with a disability. If you need assistance completing the on-line application, contact the HHS/DFPS Employee Service Center at 1-888-894-4747. If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodation to participate in the interview process, please notify the person scheduling the interview.