QA Automation Specialist in Belfast

QA Automation Specialist (Exchange & Clearing Systems) Hybrid role At a Glance Individual contributor QA role at a high-growth prediction markets trading firm Core stack: Java, Python, FIX, SQL, Cucumber, Playwright, JUnit Salary: £45,000 - £60,000 plus discretionary annual bonus 3+ years experience required, financial services testing background preferred Central role in quality for a CFTC regulated exchange and clearing platform About the Company Our client is a specialist prediction markets trading firm, operating at the frontier of financial markets in partnership with major institutional players. They are building the premier prediction market platform, empowering traders to take positions on real-world events and generating market-driven forecasts for decision makers. The platform sits behind a CFTC regulated exchange and clearing business, and the engineering team is lean, highly skilled, and building infrastructure that operates at genuine exchange scale. The Role As QA Automation Specialist you will drive quality across the firm's Exchange, Clearing and Instrument Management systems, working closely with Product and Engineering to extend the Java based QA automation framework and build out comprehensive front-end and back-end test coverage. This is a hands-on, detail-focused role suited to an engineer who takes genuine ownership of quality across a regulated, high-stakes trading platform. You will test everything from FIX protocol and proprietary binary message interfaces through to Admin and Customer facing UIs, ensuring the platform performs reliably under real exchange conditions. Key Responsibilities Extend and maintain the Java based QA automation framework supporting the exchange, clearing and instrument management platforms Design and execute manual and automated test cases across new products and features Test FIX protocol, proprietary binary message formats and file based interfaces for both internal and external consumption Automate Admin and Customer UI testing using Playwright alongside targeted manual test cases Validate data integrity, security compliance and performance under expected load Partner with Product and Engineering to review, triage and resolve bugs Define and enforce rigorous quality standards across the platform in collaboration with Product and Engineering Monitor test platform performance and reliability to meet the demands of a regulated exchange Maintain up to date knowledge of current testing methodologies and tooling What You'll Need Essential: 3+ years experience in a QA or software testing role, ideally within financial services Strong proficiency in Java, Python, FIX and SQL Hands-on experience with Cucumber, Playwright and JUnit, plus test reporting and analysis Excellent communication skills, able to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or a related discipline Right to work in the UK on a permanent, indefinite basis (no visa sponsorship available) Desirable / Nice to Have: Experience with derivative contracts (futures, options) and financial markets Exposure to testing regulated exchange or clearing infrastructure Why Apply? £45,000 - £60,000 salary plus discretionary annual bonus Central role in quality for a CFTC regulated exchange and clearing platform, not a ticket-driven testing role Genuine ownership of automation strategy across exchange, clearing and instrument management systems Full-time, in-person hybrid working model Pension scheme, plus health, dental and vision cover Generous paid time off and wellbeing support Join a high-growth prediction markets trading firm working alongside major institutional partners Inclusive, values-led workplace that invests in career development How to Apply If you believe you meet the criteria for this role and are excited about the opportunity, please apply via the link. Alternatively, reach out to Phil Gamble directly for an informal chat via LinkedIn or WhatsApp. About Phil Gamble: Phil Gamble has over 21 years of experience recruiting in global software engineering markets, delivering high-quality technical hires for scaling organisations. His relationship-driven approach ensures candidates are supported throughout the entire process. Recent LinkedIn Testimonials: "I cannot recommend Phil and Ocho enoughPhil is a professional who does not treat his candidates as resources" "Phil was by far the best recruiter I have ever dealt withI wouldn't hesitate to recommend Phil to my friends or colleagues." "Phil has helped me find new roles more than oncehe takes the time to understand what I'm looking for" TPBN1_NI