Systems Test Engineer- Contract

Enterprise Recruitment Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent engineering firm in Greater London is seeking a Systems Test Engineer for a hands-on contract role. You will test complex, safety-critical systems used globally, ensuring reliability and performance. Working within a collaborative systems engineering team, you'll analyse failures and improve testing processes while supporting continuous improvement efforts. Candidates should have experience in testing integrated systems and a good understanding of hardware and software interactions. Strong communication skills are essential for this position.

Qualifications

• Experience testing complex, safety-critical or regulated systems.
• Strong understanding of hardware and software interaction at a system level.
• Proficiency in manual and/or automated testing of integrated systems.

Responsibilities

• Understand requirements and define effective validation strategies.
• Take ownership of higher-risk areas and lead test execution.
• Analyse failures and provide constructive feedback for improvement.

Skills

Testing complex, safety-critical systems

Understanding of hardware and software interaction

Manual and/or automated testing

Structured and risk-based test methodologies

Failure analysis and corrective actions

Writing and improving test plans

Familiarity with requirements management tools

Knowledge of Python

Strong communication skills

Cross-functional team collaboration

Job description

Systems Test Engineer- Contract

You will be joining a highly regarded engineering organisation operating in a safety-critical, regulated environment where reliability genuinely matters. The systems you will be working on are used globally and demand absolute confidence in their performance, placing testing at the centre of the engineering function.

This is a contract role based primarily on site in South West London, where you will work within a collaborative systems engineering team. From the outset, you will immerse yourself in complex hardware and software systems, developing a deep understanding of how the full solution fits together and how it behaves in real-world conditions.

You will work closely with software, hardware and systems engineers to understand requirements, agree test scope and define effective validation strategies. As your product knowledge grows, you will take ownership of higher-risk and more complex areas of the system, leading test execution and ensuring delivery is on time and to specification.

In the lab environment, you will be trusted to work safely and independently, setting up test rigs, troubleshooting equipment issues and ensuring systems are ready for execution. You will analyse failures methodically, identify root causes across hardware and software boundaries, and provide clear, constructive feedback that drives product improvement. Your input will help strengthen test cases, improve test plans and refine overall testing processes.

You will also contribute to continuous improvement, identifying opportunities to enhance tools, environments and ways of working. As a more experienced engineer, you will naturally support others in the team, sharing knowledge, offering guidance and leading by example through your professionalism, focus and attention to detail.

This is a hands-on contract opportunity for a Systems Test Engineer who enjoys technical ownership, system-level thinking and working on products where quality and reliability are non-negotiable.

Key skills and experience required :

• Experience testing complex, safety-critical or regulated systems (e.g. marine, aerospace, automotive or similar)
• Strong understanding of hardware and software interaction at a system level
• Proficiency in manual and / or automated testing of integrated systems
• Experience applying structured and risk-based test methodologies
• Ability to analyse failures, identify root causes and drive corrective actions
• Experience writing and improving test plans, test cases and test scripts
• Familiarity with requirements management tools and test management tools
• Experience or working knowledge of Python
• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in cross-functional engineering teams
• ISTQB or similar testing certification beneficial but not essential