Principal SDET – Data Framework Architect | Hybrid (London) | Up to £98k | Sorry, no sponsorship
Eligibility: Due to background screening requirements, candidates must hold British Citizenship or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) to be considered.
Please only apply if you have advanced data testing expertise, including data migrations, SQL, and experience with Databricks and/or Snowflake. A minimum of 4 years’ hands‑on experience is required coupled with architect framework building skills! (All non‑negotiable).
Overview
Optimal have partnered with a leading financial services organisation is seeking a Principal Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to architect and deliver world-class test automation frameworks. This is a strategic and hands-on opportunity for a technical expert in data migration testing, ETL validation, and automation framework design using C# and Python.
You’ll drive the technical direction for automation, working across data, backend, and UI layers - embedding quality at scale across complex, high-trust systems.
Core Focus Areas
Data Validation & Migration Testing
* Advanced data validation using SQL, Snowflake, and Databricks
* Hands-on testing of data pipelines, ETL processes, and large-scale migrations
* Strong understanding of data lineage, reconciliation, and transformation accuracy
Automation Framework Development
* Framework architecture from scratch in enterprise-grade ecosystems
* SpecFlow, Playwright, Cypress, and Selenium (incl. Recnroll) - UI, API, and end-to-end automation
* Full lifecycle automation ownership – design, implementation, and CI/CD integration
Performance & Reliability Testing
* Tools: JMeter, k6, Gatling – load, stress, and performance benchmarking across APIs and distributed systems
* Establish and maintain performance baselines and regression monitoring
Infrastructure & DevOps Integration
* Cloud: AWS, Azure DevOps, GCP – testing in containerised, scalable environments
* CI/CD: Seamless integration of automation suites and quality gates into distributed pipelines
Strategic & Architectural Impact
* Design and scale robust automation frameworks from scratch
* Embed quality engineering principles across microservices, APIs, and event-driven systems
* Contribute to architectural decisions influencing reliability, maintainability, and performance
* Operate as a technical authority and hands-on engineer, not a passive test lead
Ideal Background
* Strong background in data-centric testing and enterprise-scale system validation
* Experience within asset management, investment platforms, or financial services environments
* Proven ability to lead automation strategy while remaining 80%+ hands-on
* Excellent communicator and collaborator, working closely with developers and DevOps teams
Working Model
* Hybrid: 2–3 days per week in central London
* Collaborative, forward-thinking engineering culture focused on technical excellence and innovation
If interest and tick all of the above boxes reach out to us at Optimal for a quick response.