Test Engineer

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own test design and execution for assigned workstreams across the VBTS estate.
• Review requirements, HLDs, LLDs and project documentation to identify test scenarios and coverage gaps.
• Produce and peer-review test scripts, test cases and execution evidence to sign-off standard.
• Lead defect triage, root-cause analysis and retest coordination across delivery, design, engineering and operations teams.
• Validate System Integration, Functional, Non-Functional, Disaster Recovery and Operational Acceptance test coverage before execution windows open.
• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to Test Engineers; raise the standard of scripts, evidence and defect records across the workstream.
• Maintain ALM discipline: test case structure, requirements traceability, defect lifecycle and reporting accuracy.
• Execute and lead complex testing across routers, switches, firewalls, hosting, data centre, LAN/WiFi, SD-WAN, UC & Unity, telephony, mobility, MPN & cloud, IoT, fixed connectivity, cloud & security and service transition.
• Set up and validate complex test environments, including network test equipment and RFC 2544 performance testing where required.
• Support Test Managers with status reporting, risk identification, defect trend analysis and milestone readiness assessments.
• Represent testing in technical design discussions, ensuring testability is considered in HLD/LLD reviews.
• Interface confidently with Vodafone stakeholders and customer representatives in test working groups and triage calls.
• Escalate risks and blockers within the same working day, with proposed mitigations rather than bare problems.
• Drive reuse: contribute and curate test assets, automation candidates and AI-assisted test design patterns supporting the programme's 5% / 10% / 18% cumulative productivity commitments.
• Support onboarding, knowledge transfer and continuity across joiners and leavers with no impact to the Project Test Plan.
• Comply with Vodafone security policy, data handling and audit requirements at all times, on and off site.
• Attend Vodafone hubs and customer sites as required, including Newbury HQ liaison with the wider Test team and, where applicable, the customer lab in Spain.

TECHNICAL SCOPE & DOMAIN COVERAGE

• Testing services are delivered across the full VBTS UK product and service estate: Hosting; LAN & WiFi; Data Centre; Service Transition; SD-WAN; Telephony; UC & Unity; MPN & Cloud; IoT; Fixed Connectivity; Mobility; Cloud & Security.
• Test phases in scope: Unit Testing, System Integration Testing (SIT), Functional Testing, Non-Functional Testing, Disaster Recovery Testing and Operational Acceptance Testing (OAT).
• Deep hands-on telecom/network infrastructure testing: routers, switches, firewalls, Cisco console competence.
• Strong technical understanding across hosting, data centre, SD-WAN, LAN/WiFi, UC, mobility, cloud & security and service transition.
• Ability to interpret complex infrastructure designs and translate them into structured, traceable test scenarios.
• Advanced ALM usage: coverage modelling, traceability, defect analytics and management reporting.
• Performance and conformance testing: RFC 2544, network test equipment, service management toolsets (e.g. StableNet).

MANDATORY SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 5 years' relevant experience, with demonstrably deeper hands-on telecom/network testing than the Test Engineer band.
• Strong QA and test industry knowledge of standards and methodologies.
• Proven test design ownership on complex infrastructure or service transition programmes.
• Strong defect management, root-cause analysis and test evidence discipline.
• Excellent organizational, coordination and stakeholder management skills, comfortable in customer-facing settings.
• Proficient Excel and strong Microsoft Office, Teams and SharePoint skills.

DESIRABLE SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

• Experience in customer-facing or critical infrastructure environments (CNI / National Grid advantageous).
• Test automation experience and AI-assisted test design exposure.
• Experience mentoring or technically leading small test teams.
• ITIL working experience.
• Multi-domain breadth across three or more of the twelve VBTS domains.

CERTIFICATIONS & QUALIFICATIONS

• ISTQB Foundation — expected.
• ITIL — desirable.
• Relevant network/cloud certificate ons (e.g. CCNA/CCNP, cloud provider certs) are desirable.