Senior QA Analyst — Fintech, Manual Testing & Mentorship

Kernel; Auckland; Hybrid; NZD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Mobile testing

API testing

SQL knowledge

AI-assisted testing curiosity

Job summary

Kernel is seeking a Senior Quality Analyst to deliver reliable, high-quality experiences as our engineering team grows. This is a hands-on, senior role focused on manual testing across web and mobile, shaping test approaches early and coaching engineers.

You will investigate complex issues spanning data, integrations and third-party providers, and partner with Customer Success to ensure customer outcomes. The role offers a flexible hybrid setup in New Zealand.

Qualifications

• Seven or more years of QA experience, with deep and recent hands on manual testing expertise.
• Recent experience in financial services, fintech or another relevant regulated environment.
• Strong risk based, exploratory, regression, smoke and defect management practices.
• Experience investigating issues that cross systems, data sources, integrations or external providers.
• A practical shift-left mindset and experience improving requirements or designs before development begins.
• Experience with BDD/Gherkin and high quality test design.
• Evidence of mentoring QA professionals and influencing engineers without formal authority.
• Clear communication, sound judgement and a calm, constructive approach to challenge.

Responsibilities

• Shape risk based test plans during discovery, refinement, requirements and design reviews.
• Lead hands on manual, exploratory, regression and edge case testing across web, mobile and internal products.
• Investigate complex issues across data, databases, integrations and third party providers.
• Translate technical findings into clear explanations for the Customer Success Team.
• Coach engineers to own more routine testing and mentor a developing QA team member.
• Assess release readiness and challenge decisions when the quality evidence does not support a safe release.
• Work across three engineering squads, with a strong focus on customer experience and mobile.

Skills

QA testing

Manual testing

Exploratory testing

Regression testing

Risk-based testing

Edge case testing

Mentoring

Communication

Shift-left

Test design

Tools

BDD/Gherkin

SQL

Job description

Kernel is seeking a Senior Quality Analyst to deliver reliable, high-quality experiences as our engineering team grows. This is a hands-on, senior role focused on manual testing across web and mobile, shaping test approaches early and coaching engineers.

You will investigate complex issues spanning data, integrations and third-party providers, and partner with Customer Success to ensure customer outcomes. The role offers a flexible hybrid setup in New Zealand.