Full job description

Senior Quality Engineer - ContractLocation: Telford - minimum 2 days per month onsite, remaining time remote
Contract Length: 12 months
Rate: £460 per day
IR35: Inside IR35
Start Date: Must be available to start w/c 4 January 2027
Client: Central Government
The RoleWe are looking for an experienced Senior Quality Engineer to join a major Central Government programme on an initial 12-month contract.
You will play a key role in shaping quality engineering practices across the team, designing and developing automated testing solutions while embedding modern approaches including TDD, BDD, shift-left testing and CI/CD.
This is a hands-on role requiring strong Java-based test automation experience, alongside the ability to work closely with developers, contribute through pair programming, and coach others on quality engineering best practice.
Technology Stack*Frontend: Remix React, JavaScript
*Backend: Java, Spring, .NET
*Data: MongoDB, Oracle
*Tools/Technologies: RabbitMQ, JSON
Key Responsibilities*Design and implement test automation solutions from scratch
*Design, develop and maintain automated end-to-end and system tests using Playwright with Java
*Develop and maintain automated test scripts in Java across UI, API and system-level testing
*Read, understand and interpret Java unit tests, including JUnit, to support test analysis and defect investigation
*Apply TDD and BDD methodologies alongside risk-based testing approaches
*Support CI/CD pipelines and embed shift-left quality practices
*Perform testing across multiple levels, including Unit, System, Integration and Non-Functional Testing
*Undertake test analysis and test design, translating requirements, user stories and acceptance criteria into effective automated scenarios and comprehensive test coverage
*Analyse business requirements and develop appropriate testing strategies
*Manage test data and associated testing collateral
*Participate directly in development activities through pair programming
*Coach team members on quality engineering principles and best practices
Essential Skills & ExperienceWe are looking for strong experience across:
*Selenium WebDriver, including designing, developing and maintaining automated test scripts in Java
*Strong Java test automation experience
*CI/CD pipelines
*Software testing and quality engineering
*Git / GitLab
*Test analysis and test design
*UI, API and system-level automated testing
*Strong communication and coaching skills
*Stakeholder management
*A quality-focused, shift-left mindset
Desirable SkillsExperience with any of the following would be beneficial:
*Playwright
*Gatling for performance testing
*OWASP ZAP for security testing
*Docker
*Kubernetes
*AWS
*Accessibility testing, including WCAG, WAVE and Axe