Barclays is Hiring QA Engineer (Automation) | Finsplitz

Introduction

Are you an experienced Quality Assurance professional with a strong flair for automation, looking to contribute to the robust and secure digital future of a global financial institution? Barclays, a leading universal bank with a strong presence in investment banking, corporate banking, and wealth management, is actively seeking talented QA Engineers (Automation) across its technology hubs in India, predominantly in Pune and Chennai. At Barclays, technology underpins every aspect of their operations, from seamless customer experiences to complex trading platforms. As a QA Engineer (Automation), you will be pivotal in building and maintaining sophisticated test automation frameworks, ensuring the impeccable quality, reliability, and performance of applications that serve millions of clients and customers worldwide. If you have a solid background in programming, a deep understanding of automation best practices, and a desire to work in a dynamic, high-stakes environment, Barclays offers a challenging and rewarding career path.

Roles and Responsibilities

A QA Engineer (Automation) at Barclays is a hands-on technical role focused on developing and implementing automated testing solutions to ensure software quality. Key responsibilities typically include:

• Test Automation Strategy & Development: Design, develop, and maintain robust, scalable, and reusable test automation frameworks and scripts using programming languages like Java, C#, or Python, and industry-standard tools (e.g., Selenium, Appium, Playwright, Karate BDD).
• Test Case Creation & Execution: Translate business requirements and user stories into comprehensive automated test cases for functional, regression, integration, API, and UI testing. Execute automated tests and analyze results to identify defects and ensure software quality.
• BDD Implementation: Implement Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) practices using frameworks like Cucumber to write test cases in plain language, enabling collaboration between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• CI/CD Integration: Integrate automated tests into Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines (e.g., Jenkins, Azure DevOps) to enable continuous testing and faster feedback loops.
• Defect Management: Identify, log, report, and track defects with detailed information. Collaborate closely with development teams to ensure timely resolution and retesting.
• Performance & Load Testing: Potentially contribute to performance and load testing using tools like JMeter or HP LoadRunner, identifying bottlenecks and ensuring system scalability and resilience.
• Collaboration: Work effectively within agile development teams, collaborating with developers, business analysts, and product owners to understand requirements, participate in design discussions, and define acceptance criteria to ensure testability.
• Technical Troubleshooting: Perform root cause analysis for identified defects, providing detailed information to developers for efficient resolution.
• Process Improvement: Continuously identify opportunities to improve testing processes, methodologies, and tools to enhance efficiency, effectiveness, and overall software quality.
• Code Review & Knowledge Sharing: Participate in code reviews of both application and test automation code, fostering a culture of quality and knowledge sharing within the team and across the organization.

Salary and Benefits

Barclays offers a highly competitive compensation package and a comprehensive suite of benefits for QA Engineers (Automation) in India, reflecting its commitment to attracting and retaining top technology talent in the financial services sector.

• Competitive Base Salary:
  • For a Jr. Automation Engineer / QA Automation Engineer (Freshers to 2 years experience), the average annual CTC (Cost to Company) can range from ₹7.0 lakhs to ₹11.0 lakhs per annum, with some entry-level roles starting around ₹9.0 lakhs per month equivalent for freshers.
  • For an Experienced QA Automation Engineer (2-5 years experience), salaries can range from ₹12.0 lakhs to ₹18.0 lakhs per annum.
  • For a Senior QA Automation Engineer (5+ years experience), compensation can range from ₹18.0 lakhs to ₹25+ lakhs per annum, potentially higher for lead roles (e.g., Assistant Vice President level often starts around ₹20 lakhs+).
• Performance-Based Pay: Annual performance bonuses and increments are a significant part of the compensation, tied to individual, team, and firm performance.
• Comprehensive Health & Wellness: Includes robust medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families. Barclays often provides wellness programs, employee assistance programs (EAP), and access to on-site health facilities.
• Retirement & Financial Security: Provident Fund (PF) and Gratuity are statutory benefits.
• Learning & Development: Barclays strongly invests in employee growth:
  • Access to extensive internal and external training platforms (e.g., Coursera, Udemy), certifications, and educational assistance programs.
  • Opportunities to work on cutting-edge technologies and complex financial applications.
  • Mentorship programs and clear career progression paths to Senior QA Automation Engineer, Lead QA Engineer, Test Manager, or even broader engineering/architect roles (e.g., Assistant Vice President, Vice President).
• Work-Life Effectiveness: Barclays is committed to providing a supportive and inclusive culture. This includes competitive paid time off, parental leave, and increasingly, hybrid working models depending on the role and team.
• Employee Perks: May include discounted banking products, employee recognition programs, and various local benefits.
• Global Exposure: Opportunities to collaborate with global teams across Barclays’ worldwide presence, gaining exposure to international projects and diverse work cultures.

Eligibility Criteria

Barclays looks for technically strong, detail-oriented, and proactive QA Engineers who can drive automation excellence in a fast-paced financial environment.

• Educational Qualification: A Bachelor’s (BE/B.Tech) or Master’s (ME/M.Tech/MCA/MS) degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, or a related technical discipline.
• Relevant Experience:
  • For Jr. Automation Engineer / Entry-level: 0-2 years of experience with a strong foundational understanding of automation concepts and programming.
  • For Experienced QA Automation Engineer: 2+ years of hands-on experience in test automation framework development and script creation.
• Programming Language Proficiency: Expert-level proficiency in at least one, and preferably more, of the following:
  • Java (highly preferred)
  • Python
  • C#/.NET
  • JavaScript (for web automation)
• Test Automation Tools & Frameworks: Proven experience with:
  • UI Automation: Selenium WebDriver, Playwright, Cypress, Appium (for mobile).
  • API Automation: Rest Assured, Karate BDD, Postman, SoapUI.
  • BDD Frameworks: Cucumber.
  • Unit/Integration Testing Frameworks: JUnit, TestNG, NUnit.
• CI/CD Integration: Strong knowledge and hands-on experience with CI/CD tools like Jenkins, Azure DevOps, GitLab CI, or TeamCity for integrating automated tests.
• Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) & Agile: Strong understanding of SDLC and extensive experience working in Agile (Scrum/Kanban) and DevOps environments.
• Database Knowledge: Hands-on experience with SQL for database validation and backend testing.
• Version Control: Proficiency with Git/SVN.
• Problem-Solving & Analytical Skills: Excellent analytical, debugging, and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• Communication & Collaboration: Strong written and verbal communication skills to effectively collaborate with development, business, and other QA teams globally.
• Domain Knowledge (Desirable): Functional/domain experience in financial services, especially Investment Banking, Markets, or Retail Banking applications, is a significant advantage.

Application Process

Ready to ensure quality at the heart of finance? Here’s a general overview of the application process for a QA Engineer (Automation) role at Barclays:

1. Online Application: Visit the official Barclays Careers website (home.barclays/careers) or major job portals (LinkedIn, Naukri). Search for “QA Engineer Automation” or “Automation Test Engineer” roles in India.
2. Resume Submission: Submit a detailed resume highlighting your technical skills, automation framework experience, programming expertise, relevant projects, and any financial domain knowledge.
3. Initial Screening: A recruiter will review your application. If shortlisted, you will typically receive an invitation for an initial phone or virtual screening.
4. Online Assessment (Common): Depending on the role level, you might be asked to complete an online coding assessment focusing on your chosen programming language, data structures, algorithms, and potentially automation concepts.

Interview Process

The interview process at Barclays for QA Engineer (Automation) roles is comprehensive, evaluating both your technical prowess and your fit within the bank’s collaborative culture. It typically involves 3-4 rounds:

• Round 1: Technical Interview (Coding & Automation Fundamentals)

  • Focus: Core programming skills, data structures, algorithms, and basic automation concepts.
  • Questions: Expect live coding challenges (e.g., on HackerRank or a shared editor) related to DSA problems. Questions on OOPs concepts, design patterns, and fundamental concepts of your chosen programming language (Java, Python, C#). Discussion on basic test automation principles, different types of testing, and common automation challenges.

• Round 2: Technical Interview (Deep Dive into Automation Frameworks & Financial Domain)

  • Focus: Your practical experience with automation frameworks, test strategy, and problem-solving in a real-world testing context.
  • Questions: In-depth discussion about your experience with Selenium, Appium, Cucumber, API automation tools (Rest Assured/Karate), and how you’ve used them to build and maintain frameworks. Questions on CI/CD integration, parallel execution, reporting, and handling complex scenarios in automation. You might be asked to design an automation solution for a given banking application scenario. If you have financial domain experience, be prepared for questions related to testing financial applications (e.g., trading systems, payment gateways, banking platforms).

• Round 3: Managerial Interview

  • Focus: Your approach to QA, collaboration skills, problem-solving in a team setting, and cultural fit within Barclays.
  • Questions: This round with the hiring manager or a senior QA Lead will delve into your project experiences, how you handle challenging situations, your contribution to quality discussions, and your ability to work effectively in an Agile environment. Expect behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Questions like: “Describe a complex bug you identified and how you ensured its resolution,” “How do you manage conflicting priorities?”, “Tell me about a time you introduced a new automation technique to your team.”

• Round 4: HR Interview

  • Focus: Cultural fit, motivation for joining Barclays, long-term career aspirations, and general background.
  • Questions: Standard HR questions like “Why Barclays?”, “What are your career goals?”, “How do you deal with pressure?”, and discussion about salary expectations, notice period, and background checks.

Throughout the process, demonstrate your strong technical acumen, problem-solving abilities, excellent communication skills, and a genuine passion for quality assurance in the financial technology sector. Research Barclays’ values and recent technological initiatives to showcase your alignment.

Conclusion

Joining Barclays as a QA Engineer (Automation) is an opportunity to be at the forefront of quality assurance in the financial industry. You’ll work with cutting-edge technologies, contribute to robust systems, and play a critical role in ensuring the reliability of services that impact millions. If you are a skilled automation testing professional eager to make a significant impact in a global banking environment, explore the opportunities at Barclays today!