Lead Test Engineer

Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency; Bristol; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK governmental agency is seeking a Lead Test Engineer to oversee multiple testing teams and implement automation-first testing frameworks. This role focuses on ensuring robust, secure, and resilient digital services. Candidates should have experience in leading teams and expertise in risk-based testing. The position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including a generous pension contribution and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

Employer pension contribution of 28.97%

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Experience in leading test engineering teams.
• Expertise in designing automated testing frameworks.
• Strong skills in risk-based testing strategies.

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple test engineering teams to ensure quality.
• Design and implement automation testing frameworks.
• Establish and maintain testing standards and metrics.
• Coaching test engineers to enhance their skills.
• Drive continuous improvement in testing practices.

Job description

The Lead Test Engineer role sits within DVSA's Strategy, Policy, Digital & Technology Directorate, which is responsible for delivering high-quality, user-focused digital services that support road safety and compliance across the UK. The directorate brings together multi-disciplinary teams of developers, testers, analysts, product owners, architects, and operations specialists to design, build and run modern digital solutions. Test Engineering is a core capability within these delivery teams, ensuring that DVSA's systems are robust, secure, and resilient. The community of Test Engineers is focused on embedding automation-first quality practices, promoting collaboration across teams, and driving continuous improvement. As part of a wider cross-government Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) function, the team works closely with partners inside and outside DVSA, sharing knowledge and aligning with industry best practices.

Benefits

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King's birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance. Read more in the Benefits section below! Find out more about what it's like working at Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Your responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include, but aren't limited to:

• Leading multiple test engineering teams to embed quality across DVSA digital services.
• Designing and scaling automation-first testing frameworks, tools, and pipelines.
• Defining and implementing risk-based test strategies across projects and platforms.
• Establishing and maintaining test engineering standards, practices, and metrics.
• Coaching and mentoring test engineers to build capability and modern testing skills.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure quality is built in from the outset.
• Driving continuous improvement in test practices, defect management, and quality reporting.
• Representing DVSA in the wider testing community, sharing innovation and best practice.
• Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need.
• We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.

Disability and openness

Disability Confident: Disability ConfidentA Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to .

Open sessions

Open Sessions: Would you like to find out more about the role, the team and what it's like to work in our department? If so, we are organising an open session where you can virtually 'meet the team' on 25th September 2025 at 17:30. Sign up here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1660054470609?aff=oddtdtcreator