Software Quality Assurance Team Lead

Nuclera; East Devon; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading biotech firm in East Devon seeks a Software Quality Assurance (QA) Team Leader to define testing strategies and ensure software quality for their innovative eProtein Discovery platform. Candidates should have over 4 years of experience in software testing and strong skills in Javascript and Python programming. The role supports onsite work with some remote flexibility, offering competitive benefits including a company bonus and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Company bonus scheme of 5%

Private medical insurance

25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays

Enhanced employer's pension contributions

Investment in professional development

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience in manual and automated software testing.
• At least 12 years in a QA leadership or mentoring position.
• Proficiency with CI/CD pipelines and integrating automated tests.

Responsibilities

• Define and drive QA testing strategy.
• Lead a QA team to ensure software quality.
• Champion best QA practices across the engineering organization.

Skills

Leadership skills

Javascript programming

Python programming

Automated testing frameworks

Tools

Cypress

Playwright

Git

Linux command-line tools

Job description

Description

Nuclera is a venture-backed biotech company headquartered in Cambridge, UK with significant operations in Boston, USA. Nucleras mission is to accelerate discovery by enabling rapid, easy access to functional proteins essential for drug discovery research. Our eProtein Discovery benchtop system accelerates protein expression and purification optimization in research labs.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Software Quality Assurance (QA) Team Leader to define and drive our testing strategy, lead our QA team, and ensure the highest standards of software quality for our groundbreaking eProtein Discovery platform. Join us in shaping the future of protein prototyping technology.

As a QA Team Leader, youll bring strong leadership skills, a deep understanding of modern test automation frameworks, and hands-on experience with Javascript and Python coding in frameworks like Cypress and Playwright. You will play a vital role in ensuring the quality, performance, and reliability of both our cloud-based and on-instrument software. While no prior biology background is required, curiosity and a willingness to learn are essential.

This role will be primarily working onsite in our Cambridge, UK office with occasional work remotely from home.

About The Role

• Champion a quality-first mindset across the engineering organization by promoting best practices such as early test involvement and developing with testability in mind
• Collaborate and regularly communicate with the Nuclera Quality team, product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to define and implement robust QA strategies for web applications and connected devices
• Provide clear and actionable test evidence to stakeholders to demonstrate compliance with quality standards
• Maintain, expand, and improve our automated test suites across both instrument and cloud platform
• Line manage and support junior and mid-level QA engineers through mentorship and training
• Write detailed bug reports, including clear reproduction steps and relevant evidence (logs, screenshots, videos)
  
  

Requirements

Essential:

• 4+ years of hands-on experience in both manual and automated software testing, with at least 12 years in a QA leadership or mentoring capacity
• Strong proficiency in Javascript and Python coding with automated testing frameworks such as Cypress, Playwright, or similar tools
• Demonstrated experience designing and executing risk-based testing strategies, and effectively communicating quality risks to technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Proficiency with version control systems (e.g., Git) and collaboration in Git-based workflows
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines (e.g., GitLab CI, Jenkins) and integrating automated tests into development workflows
• Solid understanding of Linux environments and command-line tools (e.g., bash, ssh, package managers)
• Proven track record of working in Agile/Scrum development teams, including close collaboration with product and engineering teams
• Excellent communication and documentation skills, including the ability to write clear bug reports and actionable test evidence
  
  

Desirable

• Experience testing connected devices such as networked laboratory instruments, IoT devices, or embedded systems
• Familiarity with non-functional testing areas, including performance, stress, and scalability testing
• Exposure to quality methodologies such as CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Actions), 8D Problem Solving, or Six Sigma
• Ability to contribute to test strategy documentation and quality-related process improvements across cross-functional teams
• Familiarity with software security testing principles, including understanding of vulnerabilities and how to test for them
  
  

Benefits

What we offer:

In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a range of benefits including:

• Company bonus scheme of 5%
• Share option incentive scheme
• Life insurance
• Private medical insurance and cash plan
• 25 days' annual leave + Bank Holidays
• Enhanced employer's pension contributions
• Enhanced maternity and paternity Leave
• Investment in professional development and learning
• Fresh fruit, tea, coffee, and snacks in the office
• Organised summer events for staff
  
  

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