The role of a quality assurance engineer is to ensure that software products meet established quality standards before release. This involves creating and executing detailed test plans to identify defects and areas for improvement. QA engineers work closely with development teams to establish testing protocols, conduct automated and manual testing, and report issues. They also analyze test results and provide feedback to inform continuous improvement in development processes. By proactively identifying potential problems, quality assurance engineers help ensure that the final product is reliable, functional, and user-friendly.