Junior QA Engineer

JobsTrackR; Bracknell, Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Pearson Carter is recruiting a QA Engineer for an expanding organisation in Bracknell. The role starts with hands‑on manual testing, defect investigation, and QA lifecycle support.

As experience grows, the role will include development tasks, writing unit tests and expanding automated test coverage, with a view to broader technical involvement.

Qualifications

• Experience in software quality assurance or testing.
• Structured, investigative mindset with attention to detail.
• Understanding of defects and business impact.
• Knowledge of object‑oriented programming basics.
• Relational databases and APIs familiarity.
• Experience with web technologies (HTML, CSS, JS).
• Degree in CS or equivalent or demonstrable experience.
• Strong communication and willingness to learn.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute manual test plans across web, desktop and API services.
• Analyse defects and provide detailed info to developers.
• Perform functional, regression, integration and exploratory testing.
• Translate requirements into testing approaches and cases.
• Maintain test documentation and defect records.
• Collaborate with developers and product owners to improve quality.
• Build experience in C# and .NET and assist with unit testing.
• Support automated testing processes and frameworks.
• Participate in peer reviews and QA discussions.
• Identify opportunities to improve QA processes and coverage.

Skills

QA Testing

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Programming basics

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent

Tools

Azure DevOps

Jira

Selenium

Playwright

Job description

Pearson Carter are working with an expanding organisation that is investing further in its technology capabilities. As the internal development function continues to grow, they are looking to appoint a QA Engineer to help maintain high standards across the quality, performance and reliability of their software products.

This position will initially have a strong focus on hands‑on manual testing, defect investigation and supporting the wider quality assurance lifecycle. As the successful candidate gains confidence and technical experience, the role will develop to include greater involvement in development activities, including resolving bugs, writing unit tests and helping to expand automated test coverage.

The role would suit someone at an early stage of their QA career who is keen to develop a broad understanding of software testing while building the programming and development skills needed to progress into a more technical position.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute structured manual test plans across web applications, desktop software and API-based services.
• Analyse reported problems, reproduce defects and provide developers with detailed information to help identify and resolve the underlying cause.
• Perform functional, regression, integration and exploratory testing throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Interpret business requirements, specifications and acceptance criteria and translate them into effective testing approaches.
• Maintain comprehensive test documentation, including test scenarios, cases, results and defect records.
• Work collaboratively with developers, product owners and wider technology colleagues to identify quality improvements and ensure issues are resolved effectively.
• Build practical experience in C# and .NET by assisting with software fixes, enhancements and unit testing.
• Support the development and ongoing improvement of automated testing processes and frameworks.
• Contribute to peer reviews, technical meetings and discussions around software quality and development practices.
• Help identify opportunities to improve existing QA processes, test coverage and the overall reliability of applications.

Experience

• Previous exposure to software quality assurance or testing, either professionally or through education, internships, personal projects or similar practical experience.
• A structured and investigative mindset, with the ability to identify inconsistencies, follow problems through and pay close attention to detail.
• Good understanding of software defects and their potential effect on users, including considerations around business impact, severity and available solutions.
• Familiarity with fundamental programming principles and object‑oriented development, including variables, control flow, classes, objects, inheritance and encapsulation.
• Basic knowledge of relational databases and an understanding of client/server applications, APIs and web services.
• Familiarity with technologies commonly encountered in modern web applications, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, JSON and XML.
• Degree‑level qualification in Computer Science, Software Engineering or a comparable subject, or demonstrable equivalent knowledge gained through commercial experience, internships, bootcamps, personal development or projects.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, combined with enthusiasm for learning and progressing within software quality and development.

Desirable

• ISTQB Foundation certification or a similar recognised qualification in software testing.
• Hands‑on experience with QA and development tools such as Azure DevOps, Jira, TestRail, Selenium or Playwright.
• Familiarity with C#/.NET, ASP.NET, JavaScript and SQL.
• Experience testing APIs using platforms such as Postman or Swagger.
• Knowledge of unit testing tools or frameworks including xUnit, NUnit or MSTest.
• Understanding of Agile software development and the role of QA within iterative delivery teams.
• Awareness of continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD), automated quality checks and modern development workflows.

Salary

Salary is dependent on experience but is looking to pay between £30,000-£40,000.

Location

This role is based in Bracknell and is office‑based with a hybrid working model (2 days onsite, 3 days from home).

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.