Hybrid QA Engineer (Manual + Automation). Chicago Time Zone, ASAP Start

About the Company
A custom software development team specializing in the professional trading industry. The company builds in-house software used by retail and professional traders to access the capital markets. Its products manage real transactional volume for thousands of active traders, where quality is mission-critical.
Start Date: ASAP. Candidates available to onboard quickly will be prioritized.
The Role
The company is looking for a Middle Hybrid QA Engineer to join its Medellín team, combining manual testing expertise with automation skills. The selected candidate will work directly under the Senior QA Engineer and collaborate with the core engineering and trading operations teams.
This is a hands-on role where the engineer will not simply follow a checklist. The candidate will be expected to think critically about how software breaks and is built, design and maintain automated test suites, document risks clearly, and help build a more resilient ecosystem in financial trading.
Career Track: Middle QA Engineer → Senior QA Engineer → QA Lead (Technical) or QA Manager
What the Engineer Will Work On
• A core web-based trading execution platform
• A native mobile trading application (iOS & Android)
• A trading performance analytics dashboard
• A member portal and customer hub
• Whitelabeled versions of the above for significant partners
• A brand-new risk management and market surveillance middle-layer (involvement from the ground up)
Key Responsibilities
• Design, execute, and maintain manual test cases across web, mobile, and API layers
• Build and maintain automated test suites (UI, API, and regression)
• Identify, document, and track defects with clear reproduction steps and risk assessment
• Participate in code reviews, sprint planning, and release readiness sessions
• Collaborate with developers, product managers, and the Chicago-based team
• Contribute to test strategy, coverage analysis, and QA best practices as the team scales
Candidate Requirements
• At least 2.5 years of hands-on QA experience with a solid manual testing background
• Initial commercial experience with test automation frameworks (Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, Appium, or similar)
• Working knowledge of API testing (Postman, REST Assured, or equivalent)
• Familiarity with SQL, Git, and CI/CD pipelines
• Sharp analytical thinking and an obsessive eye for detail
• Willingness to grow technical skills and take on increasing automation ownership
• Strong Intermediate English (B1+ / B2) with confident spoken communication for daily meetings and stand-ups
Nice to Have
• Experience in fintech, trading platforms, or financial systems
• Knowledge of performance testing tools (JMeter, k6)
• Experience with mobile automation
• Understanding of trading workflows, order management, or market data