Senior Test Engineer

Manchester Digital; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 47,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Flexible hours

Great work life balance

Employer pension 28.97%

Job summary

DWP Digital in Manchester is seeking a Senior Test Engineer to lead automation testing across multiple delivery teams. You’ll shape testing strategies, mentor engineers and drive quality across the full software lifecycle.

You'll apply data transformation and Python expertise with pytest, implement CI/CD automation, and work within a hybrid model to deliver secure, scalable solutions for government services.

Qualifications

• Experience in data transformation and Python with the aptitude to learn/adapt to others.
• Experience designing, building and maintaining comprehensive, robust, and reliable tests using pytest including driving improvements to frameworks.
• Experience leading testing and test strategy across multiple delivery teams, understanding agile ways of working and how to influence others.
• Experience across the full software lifecycle from understanding business needs to delivery into production. Including technical leadership, test generation, reporting and defect management.
• Has experience in shift left principles including CI/CD and using pipelines configured within cloud infrastructure.
• Experience of conducting and enabling non-functional testing, e.g. performance, security or scalability - including test types, test tools and standards.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership across multiple agile delivery teams, defining and implementing automation testing strategies that ensure secure, scalable, high-performing and reliable products.
• Working closely with Software Engineers, DevOps, Architects, and Product teams, youll champion risk-based testing, data validation, continuous testing, and quality-by-design principles.
• This is a hands-on leadership role where youll shape automation frameworks, embed testing into CI/CD pipelines, manage test risks and defects and help teams deliver with confidence.
• You'll also mentor and line manage Test Engineers, share best practices and help build a strong engineering culture focused on collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.
• If you have experience in Test Automation, Quality Engineering, Agile Delivery, CI/CD, Continuous Testing, Data Validation, Risk-Based Testing, Performance Testing, Security Testing, DevOps, and Engineering Leadership, we'd love to hear from you.

Skills

Python

Data transformation

Test automation

pytest

CI/CD

Agile testing

Security testing

Performance testing

DevOps

Engineering leadership

Tools

CI/CD pipelines

Cloud infrastructure

Job description

Pay up to £78,250, plus 28.97% employer pension contributions, hybrid working, flexible hours, and great work life balance.

DWP. Digital with Purpose.

We are looking for a Senior Test Engineer to join our community of tech experts in DWP Digital.

We're using fresh ideas and leading-edge tech to build and maintain digital solutions that will be used by nearly every person in the UK, every day and at key moments in their lives.

DWP is the UK's largest government department. We help people into work and make payments worth over £195bn a year to support and empower millions of people.

The scale of what we do is extraordinary, and our purpose is unique. We'd love you to join us.

What skills, knowledge and experience will you need?

• Lead criteria: Demonstrable skills and experience in the data transformation space and python programming language with the aptitude to learn/adapt to others.
• Experience designing, building and maintaining comprehensive, robust, and reliable tests using pytest including driving improvements to frameworks.
• Experience leading testing and test strategy across multiple delivery teams, understanding agile ways of working and how to influence others.
• Experience across the full software lifecycle from understanding business needs to delivery into production. Including technical leadership, test generation, reporting and defect management.
• Has experience in shift left principles including CI/CD and using pipelines configured within cloud infrastructure.
• Experience of conducting and enabling non-functional testing, e.g. performance, security or scalability - including test types, test tools and standards.

You and your role

You'll provide technical leadership across multiple agile delivery teams, defining and implementing automation testing strategies that ensure secure, scalable, high-performing and reliable products. Working closely with Software Engineers, DevOps, Architects, and Product teams, you'll champion risk-based testing, data validation, continuous testing, and quality-by-design principles.

This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll shape automation frameworks, embed testing into CI/CD pipelines, manage test risks and defects and help teams deliver with confidence. You'll also mentor and line manage Test Engineers, share best practices and help build a strong engineering culture focused on collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.

If you have experience in Test Automation, Quality Engineering, Agile Delivery, CI/CD, Continuous Testing, Data Validation, Risk-Based Testing, Performance Testing, Security Testing, DevOps, and Engineering Leadership, we'd love to hear from you.

Hybrid Working:

We work a hybrid model - you'll spend some time working at home and some time collaborating face to face in a hub.

Pay:

We offer competitive pay of up to £78,205.

Pension:

You'll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions worth 28.97%, worth over £16,000 per year.

Holidays:

A generous leave package starting at 26 days rising to 31 days over time.

You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi-time. You'll also get all the usual public holidays.

Process:

We know your time is valuable, so our application and selection process is just two stages:

Apply:

complete your application on Civil Service Jobs. There’ll be full instructions when you click through.

Interview:

a single stage interview online.