ci(dev-node): added a job to verify against the version in the .nvmrc intended for development

to help ensure all verification passes before deciding to update the development version (partly to
help automate this process with renovate)

.github/workflows/test.yml

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ env:
   NPM_CONFIG_COLOR: always
 
 jobs:
+  # verify against ranges defined as supported in engines.node
   test_matrix:
     strategy:
       matrix:
@@ -44,11 +45,31 @@ jobs:
       - run: npm audit signatures
       - run: npm test
 
+  # verify against the node version defined for development in the .nvmrc
+  test_dev:
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    timeout-minutes: 5
+
+    steps:
+      - uses: actions/checkout@3df4ab11eba7bda6032a0b82a6bb43b11571feac # v4
+      - run: git config --global user.name github-actions
+      - run: git config --global user.email github-actions@github.com
+      - name: Use Node.js from .nvmrc
+        uses: actions/setup-node@5e21ff4d9bc1a8cf6de233a3057d20ec6b3fb69d # v3
+        with:
+          node-version-file: .nvmrc
+          cache: npm
+      - run: npm clean-install
+      - run: npm audit signatures
+      - run: npm test
+
   # separate job to set as required in branch protection,
   # as the build names above change each time Node versions change
   test:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-    needs: test_matrix
+    needs:
+      - test_dev
+      - test_matrix
     if: always()
     steps:
       - uses: actions/checkout@8ade135a41bc03ea155e62e844d188df1ea18608 # v4