At a Glance
- Tasks: Ensure top-notch quality in software releases for high-stakes energy trading systems.
- Company: Leading international energy trading business with a focus on innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid work model, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team driving quality in real-time trading operations.
- Why this job: Shape the future of QA in a fast-paced, impactful environment.
- Qualifications: Experience with Playwright, TypeScript, and distributed systems testing.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
This organisation is a leading international energy trading business, specialising in the trading and optimisation of Oil, Natural Gas, Power, and LNG across global markets. Its technology function is responsible for developing and supporting the platforms, applications, infrastructure, and distributed systems that enable front-to-back trading operations, ensuring systems are secure, resilient, and capable of supporting high-volume, real-time trading activity. This includes supporting event-driven architectures and technologies such as Kafka that underpin business-critical data flows across the organisation.
Within this environment, a QA Engineer plays a key role in maintaining the quality of software releases by working closely with Product, Development, and Business teams to identify defects, and ensure critical trading applications and distributed systems perform reliably. Acting as a key quality gate throughout the software delivery lifecycle, you will help minimise operational risk, improve system stability, and ensure technology solutions meet the high standards required within a fast-paced, business-critical energy trading environment.
As a Senior QA Engineer, you will take ownership of building proof-of-concepts (POCs), developing automation frameworks from scratch, and introducing a Shift Left mindset across teams. It's a hands-on position where you’ll shape the QA function and play a key part in improving quality and delivery across the business, with exposure to testing Kafka-based integrations and complex distributed systems.
Location: London (Hybrid - 3 days onsite) 2 - 3 days a week in London Victoria
Key Responsibilities for the QA Engineer:
- Build and maintain automation frameworks using Playwright with TypeScript
- Design and deliver POCs to validate and enhance testing tools and practices
- Drive a Shift Left approach, embedding testing early in the development lifecycle
- Lead improvements in regression and performance testing coverage across applications, distributed systems, and Kafka-driven services
- Collaborate with developers, analysts, and stakeholders in an Agile / Kanban environment
- Contribute to overall QA strategy, helping to define best practices and continuous improvement initiatives
- Support the testing of event-driven architectures and integrations leveraging Kafka
What We’re Looking For:
- Proven experience using Playwright and TypeScript for automation testing
- Strong understanding of manual, automated, and performance testing principles
- Ability to build automation frameworks and POCs from scratch
- Experience testing distributed systems, APIs, or event-driven architectures, including exposure to technologies such as Kafka, would be highly advantageous
- Confident communicator who can challenge developers and promote quality-first practices
- A proactive mindset with a focus on Shift Left and continuous improvement
- Previous experience in financial services or trading environments preferred
This is a great opportunity for a Senior QA Engineer to take real ownership, influence testing strategy, and help shape how automation and quality are delivered across a global financial organisation, working on modern platforms that leverage distributed systems and Kafka to support real-time trading operations.
Senior QA Engineer | Distributed Systems |TypeScript | Energy and Commodities Trading | £110,000 employer: VirtueTech Recruitment Group
At VirtueTech Recruitment Group, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. Our team members enjoy flexible working arrangements, opportunities for professional growth, and the chance to make a significant impact through their work on large-scale applications. Located near Manchester, our office provides a vibrant environment where creativity thrives, making it an ideal place for passionate Mobile Engineers to advance their careers.
Contact Details:
VirtueTech Recruitment Group Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior QA Engineer | Distributed Systems |TypeScript | Energy and Commodities Trading | £110,000
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at VirtueTech Recruitment Group or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
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✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like VirtueTech Recruitment Group.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like VirtueTech Recruitment Group that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior QA Engineer | Distributed Systems |TypeScript | Energy and Commodities Trading | £110,000
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at VirtueTech Recruitment Group.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at VirtueTech Recruitment Group and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at VirtueTech Recruitment Group
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If VirtueTech Recruitment Group uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
