Lead Test Engineer
Posted 1 day ago by eTeam
Negotiable
Inside
Hybrid
Leeds, England, United Kingdom
Summary: We are looking for a Lead Test Engineer / Principal SDET to join a major digital transformation programme, focusing on defining and implementing a scalable, automation-first test strategy across multiple teams. This role requires hands-on technical leadership to influence engineering practices and contribute to automation frameworks. The position is hybrid, with a significant emphasis on collaboration and continuous improvement in testing methodologies. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in microservices environments and automation testing.
Key Responsibilities:
- Define and implement an end-to-end test strategy aligned to microservices architecture
- Establish standards, patterns, and best practices across multiple teams
- Assess current testing approaches and drive continuous improvement
- Embed testing strategy across teams, creating scalable frameworks and exemplars
- Design, build, and maintain automated test frameworks
- Work across different test levels: unit, integration, contract, system, and E2E
- Lead automation efforts in Java-based environments
- Support teams with implementation, not just direction
- Partner with engineering teams and stakeholders to ensure alignment
- Provide technical leadership and coaching to testers and developers
- Ensure testing practices are consistently applied across teams
- Maintain visibility of quality and delivery outcomes
Key Skills:
- Strong experience designing and implementing test strategies for microservices environments
- Hands-on automation experience using Java, Selenium, Rest Assured
- API, contract, and integration testing experience
- Experience working with monolith and microservices systems
- Knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and Spring Boot-based applications
- Understanding of performance testing fundamentals
- Strong understanding of contract testing, API testing, and asynchronous messaging (e.g. Kafka)
- Experience with non-relational databases (e.g. MongoDB)
- Automation-first mindset with ability to build reusable, maintainable frameworks
- Experience operating at Lead / Principal level
- Ability to influence stakeholders without direct authority
- Strong communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences
Salary (Rate): undetermined
City: Leeds
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: inside IR35
Seniority Level: undetermined
Industry: IT
Role: Lead Test Engineer / Principal SDET
Contract Length: 12 months
Location: Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle
60% hybrid (Can not recruit in to London)
IR35: inside
• Interview Process:
o Test strategy review
o Hands-on automation task
• Informal Teams interview with stakeholders
Overview
We are seeking a highly skilled Lead Test Engineer / Principal SDET to join a major digital trans-formation programme. You will play a key role in defining and embedding a scalable, automation-first test strategy across multiple delivery teams, supporting the transition from monolithic sys-tems to modern microservices architecture. This is a hands-on technical leadership role, where you will influence engineering practices, set standards, and actively contribute to automation frameworks and testing solutions.
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Key Responsibilities
Test Strategy & Leadership
• Define and implement an end-to-end test strategy aligned to microservices architecture
• Establish standards, patterns, and best practices across multiple teams
• Assess current testing approaches and drive continuous improvement
• Embed testing strategy across teams, creating scalable frameworks and exemplars
Hands-on Engineering
• Design, build, and maintain automated test frameworks
• Work across different test levels: unit, integration, contract, system, and E2E
• Lead automation efforts in Java-based environments
• Support teams with implementation, not just direction
Collaboration & Governance
• Partner with engineering teams and stakeholders to ensure alignment
• Provide technical leadership and coaching to testers and developers
• Ensure testing practices are consistently applied across teams
• Maintain visibility of quality and delivery outcomes
Essential Skills & Experience
Technical Expertise
• Strong experience designing and implementing test strategies for microservices envi-ronments
• Hands-on automation experience using:
o Java, Selenium, Rest Assured
• API, contract, and integration testing
• Experience working with monolith and microservices systems
• Knowledge of:
o CI/CD pipelines
o Spring Boot-based applications
o Performance testing fundamentals
Modern Testing Practices
• Strong understanding of:
o Contract testing, API testing, and asynchronous messaging (e.g. Kafka)
o Non-functional testing (performance, accessibility)
• Experience with non-relational databases (e.g. MongoDB)
• Automation-first mindset with ability to build reusable, maintainable frameworks
Leadership
• Experience operating at Lead / Principal level
• Ability to influence stakeholders without direct authority
• Strong communication skills across technical and non-technical audiences
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Tools & Technologies
• Cloud: AWS
• Test Frameworks: Selenium, Serenity BDD, Playwright
• Contract Testing: Pactflow, Spring Cloud Contract
• Messaging: Kafka
• Databases: MongoDB
• CI/CD & DevOps: GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins, Docker
• Performance Testing: Gatling, K6
• Observability: Grafana, Prometheus, Splunk
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What We’re Looking For
• A hands-on technical leader who can set direction and deliver
• Someone comfortable working across multiple teams and scaling best practice
• A proactive problem-solver with a strong quality-first mindset