Zach Howard

Quality Engineer | Test Automation, API Testing & AI-Assisted Development

Oshawa, Ontario, Canada | zach.d.howard@gmail.com | github.com/zdhoward | tools.zachtech.ca

Summary

Quality Engineer focused on test automation and quality processes. Built testing workflows for web platforms, game engine tools and software development teams, working directly with engineers.

Skills

Experience

Owner / IT Services

March 2026 - present

ZachTech | Oshawa, ON area

  • Founded ZachTech and build custom software solutions and websites for small businesses.
  • Provide IT support for small businesses and set up and maintain their networks.

QC Lead

March 2025 - March 2026

Eterio Realities | Victoria, BC

  • Built an automated Playwright test suite for the company's web application: 153 tests in 22 files (118 UI, 28 API, 7 visual) with 10 page objects, as of March 2026.
  • Wrote multiple test plans for the engineering team, covering the web portal.
  • Created repeatable testing workflows to improve consistency across releases.
  • Developed internal tooling using Claude Code to improve product knowledge access and debugging workflows.
  • Worked directly with developers to integrate testing and quality practices throughout development.

Associate Quality Designer

March 2024 - June 2024

Electronic Arts | Vancouver, BC

  • Created and maintained QA test passes for Frostbite engine changes and validated new features and workflow changes.
  • Triaged defects, investigated issues with software engineers, and communicated technical findings across teams, including coordinating QA requests with Central QA.

QA Specialist, embedded at Electronic Arts

April 2020 - March 2024

Keywords Studios | Vancouver, BC

  • Embedded QA on the Frostbite Build Tools team, working directly with software engineers on internal developer tools and workflows used across AAA game projects.
  • Validated changes to internal build systems and developer workflows and created testing strategies for complex engineering systems.

IT Coordinator

September 2018 - April 2020

Mountain West Studios | Vancouver, BC

  • Developed backend systems for automated video rendering and delivery, and automation for business workflows.

Product Specialist

January 2016 - August 2018

Saved By Technology (now Long & McQuade Pro) | Toronto, ON

  • Tripled the company's Amazon sales in one year, from about $500K to $1.5M, by automating listings and order processing; fully in charge of the Amazon sales channel.
  • Automated product listing and order-processing workflows and managed online sales systems and integrations.

Earlier roles

  • Technical Analyst / Server Specialist at Aireus POS (2015): 24/7 emergency database contact for 400+ restaurants, QA testing and deployments.
  • Freelance since 2013: server deployment, database migrations, and custom Max/MSP audio tools for musicians.

Projects

Education