Head of Quality Engineering (Remote - Work from Anywhere)

Xapo seeks an Executive-level Head of Quality Engineering to define and enforce software quality frameworks for its regulated crypto banking operations. This fully remote role focuses on tooling, AI-assisted testing, and strategic influence rather than managing a large QA headcount.

Reporting directly to the CTO, this position is responsible for establishing the quality standards and gate criteria across the entire technology function. The role leverages a tooling-first approach, utilizing AI and automated pipelines to enable engineering teams to self-serve quality, while retaining the authority to veto releases that do not meet defined standards.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain coverage standards for unit, service, integration, and end-to-end testing, including defining the quality criteria for the Definition of Done.
• Set measurable coverage thresholds for each service and tribe, ensuring trend visibility and driving adoption across all engineering groups.
• Exercise the authority to block software releases when quality gates are not satisfied.
• Design and implement frameworks for automated test generation, regression coverage, and agentic QA pipelines.
• Create training materials, documentation, and templates that empower Stream Aligned Team engineers to perform quality assurance independently.
• Collaborate with the Head of Platform Engineering to manage dedicated QA environments, test data, and integration infrastructure.
• Track and report on key metrics such as defect escape rates, coverage trends, release veto frequency, and AI tooling adoption.
• Work with the Security team to integrate SAST, DAST, and dependency scanning into the overall quality gate process.

Requirements

• Over eight years of experience in software quality engineering, with a proven history of owning quality frameworks within engineering organizations.
• Hands-on expertise in building CI/CD quality gates at unit, service, integration, and end-to-end levels.
• Practical background in AI-assisted test tooling, LLM-driven test generation, or agentic QA pipelines.
• Ability to elevate quality standards and influence teams without direct reporting authority, using superior tooling and documentation.
• Deep understanding of distributed, event-driven microservices architectures and the specific testing requirements they entail.
• Experience defining and monitoring quality metrics, including defect escape rates and coverage baselines.
• Excellent written communication skills.
• Prior experience in regulated fintech, payments, or banking sectors, with a focus on mobile-first product delivery.
• A dedicated workspace and a reliable, high-speed internet connection.
• Alignment with the company’s values and leadership principles.

Nice to have

• Experience using agentic or generative AI test tooling in production or near-production environments.
• Familiarity with Team Topologies and the practical interaction between Stream Aligned, Platform, and Enabling teams.
• Background in security testing, including SAST, DAST, and dependency scanning integration into CI/CD gates.
• Experience in crypto, Web3, custody, or blockchain-based systems.
• Contributions to open-source projects or external thought leadership in quality engineering and test automation.

What the company offers

• Fully remote work opportunity from any location worldwide.
• Flexible paid time off and the autonomy to set your own work schedule.
• Annual budget dedicated to individual learning and professional development.

About the company

Xapo operates as a regulated crypto bank that builds truly cross-functional teams with full ownership of design, architecture, development, testing, and operations. The organization utilizes a Team Topologies structure, balancing autonomy with collaborative teamwork, and encourages excellence through continuous learning from books and conferences.

• Cross-functional teams own the entire lifecycle from design to operations.
• Structured team topology with Stream Aligned, Platform, and Enabling teams.
• Regulated crypto banking environment.
• Balance of autonomy and collaborative teamwork.
• Encouragement of continuous learning and excellence.