Overview
Rowden is seeking a Principal Software Test Engineer to provide technical leadership across test strategy, planning, execution, process, and tooling. This is a hands-on role for someone who is deeply technically competent and can apply a modern, pragmatic approach to assurance and rapid delivery.
Headquartered in Bristol, UK, Rowden designs and integrates advanced systems that sense, connect, and protect data in challenging environments where quick decisions are vital. Our solutions use intelligent automation to enhance speed and efficiency for critical operations in remote or high-pressure settings.
Location: hybrid role with an average of 3 days per week in our Bristol offices.
Due to the nature of the work involved, applications are restricted to UK nationals.
What you’ll do
* Provide authoritative technical leadership in all aspects of software and system testing, including strategy, planning, execution, process, and tools.
* Champion and implement best practices to enhance testing strategies and quality across projects, especially where higher assurance or greater risk is present.
* Integrate into development teams, actively participate in agile ceremonies, and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure requirements are understood and testable.
* Influence and set test strategy across complex, multi-disciplinary projects, including hardware, distributed, connected and embedded systems.
* Design, execute, and manage test plans and test cases, including defect triage and reporting of testing outcomes.
* Lead the adoption and evolution of automated testing, embedding automation in project delivery and using scripting (e.g., Python, bash, Kotlin) to support robust, scalable test solutions.
* Provide expert support through acceptance, release, and deployment phases, ensuring smooth delivery and successful outcomes.
* Manage, coach, and mentor senior engineers, supporting their professional development.
What you’ll bring
* Deep expertise in software testing with a track record of technical leadership in complex environments where testing is integrated into cross-functional teams.
* Ideas on modernising Rowden’s test approach across strategy, tools, process and ways of working.
* Experience with hardware and connected systems, ideally including IoT and system integration projects.
* Strong background in automation with hands-on experience in scripting and modern test frameworks and CI/CD systems.
* Ability to quickly close knowledge gaps and provide authoritative advice on strategy, planning, execution, process, and tools.
* Proficient in designing and documenting test strategies, plans, detailed test cases, execution records, reporting, and release documentation.
* Confidence in customer-facing roles and ability to facilitate discussions around software testing and release planning.
* Aptitude for testing software with hardware systems and troubleshooting interoperability issues.
Desirable skills and experience
* Experience building and maintaining automated regression test suites
* Experience in high integrity system and software assurance is highly desirable
* ISTQB or equivalent certifications
* Knowledge of performance, security, exploratory testing, software & hardware integration, containerised environments and cloud platforms
* Proficient with hands-on integration testing
* Experience with testing Android and server-based software and hardware
* Familiarity with mobile and tablet-based MDMs, their capabilities and functions at an OS level
* Experience with IDEs such as Android Studio, IntelliJ
* Experience with containerised solutions such as Docker and server-side tooling
* Solid understanding of GitHub Actions and build pipelines
What matters to us
* Focus on delivering the highest quality products and ensuring systems are ready for use
* Balance attention to detail with a pragmatic, delivery-focused approach
* Understand the pressures of operational delivery and in-service use
* Work well across internal and external, multi-disciplinary engineering teams
* Commitment to continued professional development
Why Rowden?
We design and deploy technology for defence, national security, and frontline users. As a Software Test Engineer, you will ensure software products are robust, reliable, and meet high standards for Rowden and our mission-focused customers.
Working at Rowden
We are committed to flexibility and inclusion. We support flexible, hybrid-working models (typically around 3 days in the office per week). We welcome discussions about part-time work and workplace adjustments.
Rowden is a Disability Confident Committed company, and we encourage people with disabilities and health conditions to apply. Please share any requirements early so we can support you through the recruitment process.
If you feel you don’t meet all criteria but have transferable skills, we’d still love to hear from you.
About Rowden
We’re building the next UK-headquartered engineering powerhouse.
What matters to us?
* End user focus to deliver the best outcomes
* Pace in solving urgent problems
* Diverse, inclusive, multidisciplinary teams
* Radical honesty and pragmatic, focused solutions
* Continuous improvement and delivery of better outcomes
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