Lead QA Engineer — Digital Bank — Tokyo
Applications: candidates must already be in Japan. Visa sponsorship: not available. Japanese: Not required. English: Fluent. Japan Dev tags: Engineering, CI/CD, QA.
Location requirement
You must already be living in Japan with valid work authorization. We are not sponsoring relocation or visa transfers from overseas for this role. Applications from outside Japan will not be considered.
About Abbeal
Abbeal is an international IT consulting firm (France, Japan, Canada) placing senior engineers on high-impact product teams. Through Abbeal, define and lead the QA function of a from-scratch digital bank in Tokyo.
Context
You will define and embody the QA strategy of a greenfield digital bank in Tokyo — a joint venture between a leading Japanese FinTech and a major banking group. You lead the end-to-end QA function in a regulated, quality-critical environment. English is the working language; Japanese is not required (no JLPT requirement).
Your Mission
- Define and own the QA strategy across the platform (shift-left, risk-based testing)
- Lead and mentor a team of 3-6 QA engineers
- Build test automation and CI/CD quality gates (Playwright and modern tooling)
- Interface with Product, Risk & Compliance, and regulatory stakeholders
- Champion a quality culture and release confidence on a from-scratch banking product
Profile
- Currently based in Japan with valid work authorization — no relocation or visa sponsorship from overseas for this role
- 8+ years in QA / test engineering, with lead or management experience
- Strong test automation background (Playwright or equivalent) and CI/CD quality gates
- Experience in regulated / fintech environments a strong plus
- Fluent English; Japanese not required
Location and Setup
Tokyo — hybrid. Permanent or contract options depending on profile. Hired and supported by Abbeal (visa sponsorship + Mobbeal expat support). Indicative range ¥9M–¥15M/year depending on experience.