Salary: £16,640 - 16,640 per year Requirements: We require current SC clearance and experience working in the public sector. We require strong hands-on automation experience with Java, Selenium, and Rest Assured. We require proven experience leading test strategy in microservices environments. We require experience across both monolith and microservices architectures. We require knowledge of CI/CD pipelines and Spring Boot applications. We require strong understanding of API testing, contract testing, integration testing, and non-functional testing. We require familiarity with asynchronous messaging technologies such as Kafka. We require experience with non-relational databases such as MongoDB. We require an automation-first mindset with experience building scalable, reusable test frameworks. We require the ability to set direction and coach a small team of testers in an agile environment. We require candidates to be located near Manchester and able to work on a hybrid basis, three days per week onsite. We require availability to start as soon as possible. Responsibilities: We define and implement an end-to-end test strategy aligned to a microservices architecture. We establish standards, patterns, and best practices across multiple teams. We assess current testing approaches and drive continuous improvement. We embed testing strategy across teams by creating scalable frameworks and exemplars. We design, build, and maintain automated test frameworks. We work across unit, integration, contract, system, and end-to-end test levels. We lead automation efforts in Java-based environments. We support teams with hands-on implementation, not just direction. We coach and guide a small team of testers within an agile environment. We collaborate with delivery teams to improve quality across the engineering lifecycle. Technologies: API CI/CD Support Java Kafka MongoDB REST Selenium Spring Spring Boot microservices AWS Cloud E2E More: We are a highly reputable corporation delivering some of the countrys most challenging technology projects, supporting services used by millions of people. We are hiring a Lead Test Engineer for a 12-month engagement in Manchester, working on a hybrid basis with three days onsite. This is an inside IR35 role, with an initial rate of up to 640 per day, and we are looking to move quickly with a one-stage interview process. We value hands-on technical leadership, automation-first thinking, and the ability to help shape quality practices across complex, modern engineering environments. last updated 19 week of 2026