Senior QA Analyst

First Canadian Financial Group; Sherwood Park; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

On-site gym

Educational assistance & career dev

Health & Wellness spending acct.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Employee discount programs

Diversity & inclusion programs

Job summary

First Canadian Financial Group in Sherwood Park is seeking a Senior QA Analyst to lead automation efforts and improve software quality. The role involves hands-on testing, API automation, and collaboration with development and product teams in an on-site setting.

You will develop robust testing strategies, drive framework improvements, and ensure release readiness while communicating risks and progress to stakeholders. This is a full-time, on-site opportunity with career growth potential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of software quality assurance experience, including hands-on test automation.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field; equivalent experience accepted.
• Experience building and maintaining automated tests for web and mobile apps.
• Proficiency with SQL for data validation and debugging test results.
• Experience integrating tests within CI/CD pipelines is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Assess and enhance existing automation frameworks and establish reusable automation foundations.
• Develop and maintain automated API tests and use SQL to validate data.
• Plan and deliver testing activities aligned with project priorities and timelines.
• Identify, document, and track defects; communicate risks and mitigation recommendations.
• Collaborate with developers, BA, and PM to understand requirements and testing needs.
• Contribute QA expertise to project planning and technical discussions.

Skills

QA experience

Test automation

Analytical skills

English communication

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IT

ISTQB/CSTE (asset)

Tools

GitHub

Jira

HP ALM

TestRail

Job description

• On-site
• BUSINESS SYSTEMS
• Full-Time
• Requisition #: SENIO002391

Description

First Canadian is a national organization and we are experiencing unprecedented growth!

We aim to hire bright, hard-working people who share our values. We seek employees who are committed to learning, career growth, and opportunity. We take pride in being an organization that our employees support long-term. We believe in our employees and celebrate their success by asking for employee opinions and feedback so that we continue to be a Great Place to Work.

We award our team with the following:

• Off work 1 hour early on Fridays.
• Earned Time-Off Program and vacation.
• Group Retirement Savings Plan with employer match.
• On-site gym including free weekly classes with a qualified trainer.
• Newly renovated facility with ergonomic desks/chairs.
• Educational assistance and career development.
• Employee benefits.
• Health and Wellness spending account.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Employee discount programs.
• A Culture Team dedicated to diversity, inclusion, and employee programs.
• Employee recognition and appreciation events.
• French is not required for this role but is an asset, an uplift of 5% is applied after the probationary period for qualified professional level French bilingualism (both spoken and written).

Check out our company page for all the information on why we believe First Canadian is an employer of choice!

If you are motivated to succeed by helping people, then this is the opportunity for you!

The Senior QA Analyst, reporting to the Quality Assurance Manager, is based in the Sherwood Park location. This hands-on role offers an experienced QA automation professional the opportunity to take on senior-level responsibilities, working independently to develop and enhance automation frameworks and improve software quality.

Testing and Automation

• Assess and enhance existing automation frameworks and establish reusable automation foundations for additional applications.
• Develop and maintain automated API tests and use SQL to validate data and investigate issues.
• Develop risk-based test strategies and plans, identify coverage gaps, and prioritize automation efforts based on business needs.
• Perform targeted exploratory and manual testing where needed to investigate issues and supplement automated coverage.
• Independently plan and deliver testing activities aligned with project priorities and timelines.

Defect Management and Quality Assurance

• Identify, document, prioritize, and track software defects, working with development teams to investigate root causes and validate fixes.
• Analyze test results and communicate quality risks, coverage limitations, and unresolved issues.
• Provide evidence-based recommendations about release readiness, including outstanding risks and proposed mitigation.

Collaboration and Communication

• Work closely with operational management, developers, business analysts, and project managers to understand requirements, system functionality, and user needs.
• Proactively clarify requirements, identify testing needs, and recommend practical solutions.
• Provide clear updates on testing progress, results, blockers, and risks, escalating issues when appropriate.
• Contribute QA expertise to project planning and technical discussions.

Process Improvement and Documentation

• Take ownership of improving automation practices, testing efficiency, and QA processes and standards.
• Identify improvement opportunities, recommend priorities, and drive agreed changes through completion.
• Maintain clear documentation of automation frameworks, test coverage, test procedures, and results.
• Evaluate relevant testing tools and emerging approaches to improve automation effectiveness.
• Evaluate and contribute to the adoption of AI-assisted and agentic testing capabilities, including approaches that translate business requirements into automated tests, with appropriate validation, review, and quality controls.
• Other duties as required.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of software quality assurance experience, including at least 3 years focused on hands-on test automation.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• Demonstrated hands-on experience developing and maintaining automated tests for both web and mobile applications.
• Experience assessing, enhancing, and building test automation frameworks, including reusable components, test configuration, and reporting.
• Hands-on experience developing and maintaining automated API tests.
• Proficiency in SQL for data validation, troubleshooting, and investigating test results.
• Ability to analyze requirements, identify coverage gaps, and develop effective test cases and automation solutions.
• Experience developing test strategies, prioritizing testing based on business risk, and providing evidence-based recommendations about release readiness.
• Demonstrated ability to assess needs, recommend solutions, and deliver work independently with limited day-to-day direction.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the initiative to identify and drive improvements to testing practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, strong collaboration skills, and the ability to clearly document and explain test results, risks, and recommendations to technical and business stakeholders.
• Practical exposure to agentic AI tools or workflows in software testing or development is an asset.
• Experience integrating or running automated tests within CI/CD pipelines is an asset.
• Experience with test management and defect-tracking tools such as GitHub, Jira, HP ALM, or TestRail.
• Familiarity with Agile development practices and DevOps environments is an asset.
• Relevant QA certifications, such as ISTQB or CSTE, are an asset.
• Ability to travel between and work at the Sherwood Park head office and the downtown Group Benefits office as required.
• Successful completion of a credit check, criminal background check, education verification, and employment reference checks is required before employment.

Thank you for considering our organization.

If you are bilingual there will be a French and English assessment as a part of the recruitment process.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons. Accommodations are available upon request.