Jobs in Cape Town, South Africa

A leading Financial Services Provider is undergoing significant modernization of its core insurance platform and is seeking a skilled Python/Django QA Tester to support this transformation. They are looking for an experienced and passionate Python Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) or Automation Engineer to join their growing technology team. In this critical role, you will play a key part in ensuring the quality, performance, reliability, and security of systems and applications developed using Python and Django. As an SDET, you will be fully integrated into the development process—designing and developing robust, scalable automation frameworks and tools. You will lead the test automation strategy, enhance the CI/CD pipeline, and champion a culture of quality throughout the software development lifecycle, leveraging a range of open-source tools.

• Design and Develop Automation Frameworks: Architect, build, and maintain scalable, robust, and reusable test automation frameworks using Python for their Django-based applications.
• Implement Comprehensive Test Automation: Develop and execute automated tests for functional, API integration, regression, performance, and security testing.
• Code Quality & Collaboration: Participate actively in code reviews, advocating for testability, quality, and maintainable code from the outset.
• Defect Management: Identify, document, and track software defects in Jira (using Kanban boards), collaborating closely with developers for efficient resolution.
• Performance Engineering: Conduct performance testing, analyse results, and identify bottlenecks to ensure their systems meet stringent performance requirements in a financial context.
• CI/CD Integration: Integrate automated tests into their Bitbucket-driven CI/CD pipelines to enable continuous testing and faster feedback loops.
• Tooling & Innovation: Research, evaluate, and implement new free and open-source testing tools and technologies to enhance their automation capabilities.
• Strategic Contribution: Contribute to the overall QA strategy, defining best practices, metrics, and reporting to ensure a high standard of quality across all releases.
• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: Potentially mentor junior QA engineers and contribute to a culture of shared learning and continuous improvement within the team.
• Risk Mitigation: Proactively identify potential risks and vulnerabilities within the system and work with development to implement preventative measures.

• Proven experience (3-5 years) as a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET), Test Automation Engineer, or a similar role with a strong development background.
• Exceptional proficiency in Python programming, with a deep understanding of object-oriented design principles and data structures, specifically for building test automation solutions.
• Strong hands-on experience with the Django framework, including its testing utilities and ORM.
• Solid experience in designing, developing, and executing API integration tests.
• Expertise with free and open-source testing tools and frameworks, such as: Unit/Integration Testing: Pytest, Django's built-in Testcase
• Web UI Automation: Selenium WebDriver, Playwright
• API Testing: Requests library (Python), Postman (for scripting/automation)
• Performance Testing: Locust (Python-based load testing tool)
• Containerization: Docker
• Proficiency in using Jira for agile project management (Kanban specifically).
• Experience with Bitbucket or similar Git-based version control systems for code management.
• Strong understanding of CI/CD concepts and experience integrating automation into pipelines.
• Solid understanding of relational databases (SQL) and ability to write complex queries for data validation and test setup.
• Deep understanding of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and agile methodologies (Scrum, Kanban).
• Demonstrable understanding of financial services concepts, with a keen awareness of the criticality of data accuracy, security, compliance, and performance in this industry.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and debugging skills, with an ability to deep-dive into code.
• Strong communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.

• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Familiarity with security testing tools and methodologies.
• Experience with build tools and package managers relevant to Python (e.g., Poetry, pipenv).
• Certifications in software testing.

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent extensive practical experience.

• Experience with insurance or financial systems is advantageous
• Knowledge of modern JavaScript frameworks
• Familiarity with containerisation and development automation
• Experience with system modernisation and legacy code improvement

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Excellent communication skills with ability to mentor others
• Self-motivated with a passion for clean, maintainable code
• Proven ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Strong focus on code quality and system reliability
• Commitment to continuous learning and improvement