Test Engineer

Government Recruitment Service; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A government agency in the UK is seeking a Testing Lead to oversee both manual and automated testing activities. You will lead the planning and execution of testing, design scalable test automation frameworks, and collaborate with cross-functional teams. Exceptional mentorship skills and a strong understanding of quality assurance practices are essential for this role. Benefits include generous annual leave and pension contributions.

Benefits

Employer pension contribution of 28.97%

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Experience in planning and executing testing activities.
• Proficiency in designing and maintaining test automation frameworks.
• Ability to mentor others in testing skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead manual and automated testing activities.
• Design and implement test automation frameworks.
• Embed quality by defining acceptance criteria.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on testing priorities.
• Provide guidance on defect management and continuous improvement.
• Drive consistency in testing standards and frameworks.
• Use data insights to recommend quality improvements.
• Mentor and coach colleagues in testing.

Skills

Manual and automated testing

Test automation frameworks

Defect management

Data analysis

Mentoring and coaching

Job description

Overview

The Strategy, Policy, Digital & Technology Directorate plays a central role in delivering DVSA’s digital services that support road safety and compliance across the UK. The Test Engineering team sits within this directorate and is responsible for ensuring high-quality, reliable, and scalable digital products. Working closely with product, delivery, and engineering teams, the group embeds quality from the outset of development, balancing manual and automated testing to provide confidence in delivery. The team drives improvements in testing practices, builds reusable frameworks, and promotes a culture of collaboration, early engagement, and continuous improvement to meet both user needs and DVSA’s strategic goals.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• 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 will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Leading the planning, execution, and reporting of both manual and automated testing activities.
• Designing, implementing, and maintaining scalable test automation frameworks and reusable tooling.
• Embedding quality from the start by defining acceptance criteria and promoting early test engagement.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to align testing priorities with user and business needs.
• Providing expert guidance on defect management, test analysis, and continuous improvement.
• Driving consistency in testing approaches, standards, and frameworks across delivery teams.
• Using data insights and defect trends to recommend changes that improve quality outcomes.
• Mentoring and coaching colleagues to uplift testing skills and confidence across the organisation.

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.

For further information on the role, please read the attached role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

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