Principal Quality Engineer 2

What You ll Do

1. Design and Implement Test Automation Strategy:

   Develop and own a comprehensive test automation strategy covering all levels of testing

   unit, component, integration, and end-to-end

   across the platform s microservices and user interfaces. Ensure that each layer of the tech stack has appropriate automated test coverage for fast, high-quality releases.

2. Drive Full-Stack Test Coverage:

   Proactively identify functional coverage gaps and under-tested areas especially in the

   UI

   ,

   API

   , and caching layers (e.g.

   Redis

   ) and address them with improved automated tests. Continuously raise the bar on test effectiveness by expanding coverage and improving test scenarios for edge cases and failure conditions.

3. Build & Enhance Automation Frameworks:

   Architect and implement robust

   test automation frameworks

   for different domains of testing as required. This includes improving our

   UI automation

   (using

   Cypress

   or similar), strengthening

   API testing

   frameworks (using

   K6 or similar)

   , and establishing

   performance testing

   to simulate load and stress. You will ensure these frameworks are scalable, maintainable, and aligned with a modern JVM/Spring Boot & Angular tech stack.

4. Select and Integrate Testing Tools:

   Evaluate and implement or enhance the right set of

   automation tools

   and libraries that best fit our stack (Java/Kotlin, Spring Boot backend, Angular frontend). If needed, introduce new tools or testing approaches (e.g. BDD, contract testing) to improve quality. Ensure that our choice of tools (testing frameworks, assertion libraries, reporting tools) maximizes efficiency and developer friendliness.

5. Embed Testing in CI/CD Pipelines:

   Integrate automated tests into our

   GitLab CI/CD pipelines

   as quality gates. Implement continuous testing practices so that every code commit triggers automated test suites (unit, API, UI, performance), providing rapid feedback on failures. You will

   lead the evolution of our continuous testing strategy within the CI/CD pipeline

   , ensuring that no code reaches production without passing the necessary checks.

6. Manage Test Environments & Data:

   Oversee test environment provisioning and test data management. Use

   AWS

   cloud infrastructure and

   Infrastructure-as-Code (Terraform)

   to set up and tear down test environments on demand, automate test data creation/seeding, and ensure test environments mimic production for reliable results. Maintain data integrity and compliance (GDPR, PCI DSS, etc.) in test datasets given the regulatory environment.

7. Collaborate and Champion Quality:

   Work closely with developers, DevOps engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders to instill an

   automation-first mindset

   . Through design reviews, code reviews, and regular sync-ups, ensure testing considerations are part of planning and development. Act as a

   quality evangelist

   , coaching teams on best practices and helping to troubleshoot testing challenges. Influence and improve the overall

   engineering quality culture

   , making sure that quality is a shared responsibility across the team.

8. Ensure Compliance and Reliability:

   In a

   SaaS, cloud-native

   environment with rapid sprint cycles, ensure our test processes and frameworks account for

   strict regulatory constraints

   and security requirements of the banking domain. Design test scenarios for regulatory compliance (e.g. PSD2, GDPR, PCI) and fail-safes for sensitive financial workflows, so that our platform remains compliant and reliable under all conditions.

9. Monitor, Report, and Improve:

   Define and track quality KPIs such as automated test coverage, test pass rates, defect leakage, and performance benchmarks. Regularly report on quality status to stakeholders. Use these insights to continually

   improve test strategies

   optimize test execution time, enhance CI/CD feedback loops, and ensure that automation delivers tangible value in catching issues early.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualification

1. Extensive QA & Automation Experience:

   Bachelor s/Master s degree in Computer Science or related field (or equivalent experience).

   18 to 25 years

   in software testing/QA, with at least a few years in a

   test automation architect or lead

   role for complex software products. You have a track record of designing automation solutions for large-scale, distributed systems.

2. Hands-on Automation Skills:

   Proven experience

   in building and maintaining automated test frameworks for web applications and APIs. You are a hands-on coder with

   deep programming skills

   in languages like

   Java

   or other JVM languages, and comfortable scripting in JavaScript/TypeScript or Python when needed. You write clean, maintainable test code and are familiar with design patterns for test automation.

3. Testing Framework Expertise:

   In-depth knowledge of modern testing tools and frameworks. You have worked with

   UI automation

   (e.g. Cypress, Selenium, or Playwright),

   API testing

   (e.g. K6, RestAssured, Postman/Newman, or similar), and

   performance testing

   tools (e.g. k6, JMeter, Gatling). You understand testing across different layers including contract testing of microservices, database validation, and can even script tests around caching layers like Redis if required.

4. CI/CD and DevOps Know-how:

   Solid experience integrating test automation into

   CI/CD pipelines

   . You are familiar with Git-based workflows and tools like

   GitLab CI

   (or Jenkins/Azure DevOps etc.), and can write pipeline scripts/jobs to run tests, handle artifacts, and report results. Knowledge of Docker/Kubernetes for containerized test execution is a plus.

5. Cloud and Infrastructure Skills:

   Experience working in

   cloud environments (AWS)

   and using

   Terraform or other IaC tools

   to manage infrastructure. You understand how to set up test environments in the cloud, manage configurations (perhaps using Docker compose or Kubernetes manifests), and utilize cloud services for testing (S3, databases, etc.).

6. Quality Mindset & Soft Skills:

   An

   automation-first mindset

   you consistently look to automate repetitive testing tasks and reduce manual effort. Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities to debug test failures and pinpoint issues across complex systems.

   Strong collaboration and communication skills

   to work with cross-functional teams and to advocate for quality practices. You are comfortable leading discussions on testing strategy, providing constructive feedback, and influencing without authority when necessary.

7. Attention to Detail and Accountability:

   A keen eye for detail in identifying edge cases, race conditions, and potential failure points that others might miss. High sense of ownership and

   accountability for product quality

   you take pride in catching issues early and ensuring the customer experience is flawless.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Domain Expertise:

   Experience in

   banking, fintech, or financial services

   domains, especially in core banking, payments, or digital lending. Understanding of banking workflows and regulations helps you design better test scenarios and compliance checks.

2. Performance & Security Testing:

   Advanced experience with performance testing (analyzing throughput, latency, bottlenecks) and exposure to

   security testing

   in financial applications. Familiarity with tools for security scanning or vulnerability testing in CI/CD is a plus.

3. Leadership & Certifications:

   Prior experience

   leading a QA/Automation team

   or mentoring other QA engineers. Relevant certifications (e.g. ISTQB Advanced Test Manager/Architect, Certified Agile Testing, AWS Cloud Practitioner) can be a plus, but proven skills matter more.

4. Additional Tools:

   Exposure to

   monitoring/observability tools

   (e.g. Grafana, Kibana) to correlate test results with system metrics. Experience with

   contract testing

   (e.g. Pact) or

   service virtualization

   in complex integrations. Any experience in using AI/ML tools for testing or predictive quality analytics would be an extra bonus (showing you stay on the cutting edge).