Senior SDET - Java & Appium 4-Day Week Hybrid Newcastle

Reed; North East; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A forward-thinking digital organisation in Newcastle is seeking a Senior SDET to lead test automation efforts. This role involves designing robust frameworks using Java and Appium, coaching other testers, and driving quality across digital platforms. The company offers a 4-day work week, flexible hybrid working, and a competitive salary in the range of £60k–£70k. Ready to innovate in a collaborative team? Apply now!

Benefits

4-day work week

Flexible Hybrid working model

Up to 13% employer pension contribution

£200 annual personal development fund

22.5 days holiday + public holidays

Private medical, life insurance & critical illness cover

Electric vehicle scheme

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience with Java, Appium, and modern test tools.
• A passion for automation across mobile, web, and backend services.
• Experience with BDD frameworks and Agile environments.

Responsibilities

• Design and evolve robust test automation frameworks.
• Coaching and mentoring other testers and SDETs.
• Drive shift-left testing practices and embed quality into delivery.
• Collaborate with engineers to build testable, scalable code.
• Lead initiatives to improve performance, reliability, and test coverage.

Skills

Java

Appium

Postman

Selenium

GitLab

Job description

Overview

Senior SDET – Java & Appium | 4-Day Week | Hybrid Newcastle

A fast-moving, forward-thinking digital organisation is currently hiring for a Senior SDET to join their team. As a business they believe in doing things differently - from how they build their software to how they support their people. No legacy systems. No red tape. Just clean code, bold ideas, and a culture built on trust, autonomy, and innovation.

Company

The company: Innovation-first mindset, mobile-led, cloud-native, and automation-obsessed. People-powered culture that believes great tech starts with great teams. 4-day working week to support work-life balance. Hybrid flexibility with remote work and regular office presence at their collaborative hub.

The role

Senior Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) You’ll be a key player in their agile delivery teams, leading the charge on test automation and quality engineering. This isn’t just about writing tests - it’s about shaping how they build, test, and release software across their digital platforms.

You’ll be

• Designing and evolving robust test automation frameworks using Java and Appium
• Coaching and mentoring other testers and SDETs
• Driving shift-left testing practices and embedding quality into every stage of delivery
• Collaborating with engineers to build testable, scalable code
• Leading initiatives to improve performance, reliability, and test coverage

Experience

• Strong hands-on experience with Java, Appium, and modern test tools (Postman, Selenium, GitLab)
• A passion for automation across mobile, web, and backend services
• Experience with BDD frameworks and Agile environments
• A collaborative mindset and a drive to continuously improve

Salary and benefits

• £60k–£70k salary DOE
• 4-day work week
• Flexible Hybrid working model
• Up to 13% employer pension contribution
• £200 annual personal development fund
• 22.5 days holiday + public holidays
• Private medical, life insurance & critical illness cover
• Electric vehicle scheme

This is more than a job—it’s a chance to be part of something bold. If you’re ready to lead with purpose, build with passion, and test with precision, please send your CV to Siobhan at Reed –