Senior Quality Analyst - Manual Testing

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

About The Role

Kernel is scaling fast, and we are looking for a Senior Quality Analyst to help us deliver reliable, high quality experiences as our engineering team grows. This is an opportunity to invest your expertise in a purpose-led fintech helping thousands of Kiwis invest in their future.

About The Role

Kernel is scaling fast, and we are looking for a Senior Quality Analyst to help us deliver reliable, high quality experiences as our engineering team grows. This is an opportunity to invest your expertise in a purpose-led fintech helping thousands of Kiwis invest in their future.

This is a senior, hands on manual testing role with impact well beyond ticket execution. You will shape test approaches early, investigate complex customer and system issues, and focus on the risks, integrations and edge cases that need specialist judgement. You will also help shift quality from something QA owns at the end to something the whole engineering team builds in from the start. That means coaching engineers, mentoring a developing QA team member, and becoming a trusted partner to Customer Success Team.

Automation experience is welcome, but this role is strictly focused on manual testing.

About Kernel

We’re a 100% Kiwi owned and operated fintech on a mission to make wealth accessible for every Kiwi. Our investment platform brings together KiwiSaver, Managed Funds, US shares and ETFs, and Smart Saver accounts, with some of the lowest fees in the market.

We’re scaling fast and building the foundations for what’s next. Our culture is collaborative, hands on and ambitious, built on trust, innovation and saying it like it is.

What You’ll Do

• Shape risk based test plans during discovery, refinement, requirements and design reviews.
• Lead hands on manual, exploratory, regression and edge case testing across our web, mobile and internal products.
• Investigate complex issues across data, databases, integrations and third party providers.
• Translate technical findings into clear explanations the Customer Success Team can use to support customers.
• 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.

You’ll be great if you bring

• 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. Wealth, funds, investment platform or KiwiSaver experience would be especially valuable.
• 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.

Bonus things you could bring along to the role

• Mobile, API or complex integration testing experience.
• Working knowledge of SQL or data led issue investigation.
• Curiosity about AI assisted testing and thoughtful automation that supports strong manual testing craft.

Why You’ll Love it at Kernel

• Shape how quality works as Kernel grows and build shared ownership across engineering.
• Work across customer web and mobile experiences, internal systems, data and third party integrations.
• Invest your expertise in a purpose-led fintech helping New Zealanders invest in their future.
• Join a team built on trust, collaboration and flexibility, where feedback is constructive and everyone has a voice.
• Competitive compensation including bonus, health insurance, parental leave top-up and professional development support.
• Enjoy the best of both worlds with a flexible hybrid setup, connect in person while keeping the freedom to work from home up to couple of days each week (minimum 3 days/week in the office)
• Extra staff holidays, office snacks, coffee and a dog friendly environment.