Simple Machines. Data Engineered to Life™
Simple Machines is a leading independent boutique technology firm with a global presence, including teams in London, Sydney, San Francisco, and New Zealand. We specialise in creating technology solutions at the intersection of data, AI, machine learning, data engineering, and software engineering. Our mission is to help enterprises, technology companies, and governments better connect with and understand their organisations, their people, their customers, and citizens. We are a team of creative engineers and technologists dedicated to unleashing the potential of data in new and impactful ways. We design and build bespoke data platforms and unique software products, create and deploy intelligent systems, and bring engineering expertise to life by transforming data into actionable insights and tangible outcomes. We engineer data to life™.
The Role:
Simples Machines are seeking a Senior QA Consultant to join their growing London team. The role will see you working on a range of projects for our enterprise clients, responsible for the strategy, implementation and delivery of high-quality software and platform solutions. You would be embedded into Simple Machines engineering teams, working closely with engineers and alongside our clients, driving quality standards and providing advice and execution support on all things Quality and Testing.
Technical Responsibilities:
* Define and implement test cases: be a hands on expert, able to help define test cases as well as guide others in doing so. Provide structure to test suites for ease of ongoing management, and build them into the chosen tooling. Consult and guide our clients by showing them how it’s done well.
* Optimise the test suites: be passionate about the continued optimisation of testing for the benefit of commercial outcomes around the platform. Drive the improvement of key metrics such as execution time, issue counts, operational cost and manual effort.
* Manage the test architecture: take accountability for the configuration of the tooling needed to deliver the testing capability: test execution, test data creation/deletion, workflow integration, reporting, etc. Work closely with engineering to deliver the test architecture required to assure quality.
* Partner with engineering: work side by side with SM and client engineering teams to collectively deliver great software and platforms for our clients. Work closely with tech leads and engineers at all levels to deliver quality products first time, every time.
* Embed quality into the product lifecycle: be an ambassador for quality assurance throughout the product lifecycle. Support the requirements and design process with a test viewpoint; through to the monitoring and refinement of issue management and triage processes with our clients.
* Advise on test strategy and approach: define, implement and continually evolve effective test strategies for the platforms and software that Simple Machines build for our clients. Advise on the technology, processes and the trade-offs inherent to implementing Quality Assurance processes.
Consulting Responsibilities:
* Technology and tools: provide advice on the appropriate tooling for any given test strategy. Hold an intimate and up to date knowledge of test tooling. Help to build business cases for operational and capital expenditure on embedding the right technology.
* Methods: have a broad range of methods and processes for testing which you can draw upon and adapt to a range of client and software contexts.
* Training and empowerment: provide guidance and expertise across all facets of Quality Assurance; embedding the knowledge and processes in client teams that will ensure long living success of the products Simple Machines build for our clients.
* Project management: have a high level of organisation and an understanding of how to set up, execute and deliver within enterprise project environments.
* Stakeholder engagement: build high quality relationships with the client team, at all levels, built upon an ability to deliver and continued demonstration of your capability and reliability.
Requirements
Ideal Skills and Experience:
* Functional test tools: proficient and knowledgeable with a range of test tools for the management and automation of tests across the full stack. Experience of defining and implementing test cases in common test tools such as Cucumber, Selenium and Cypress.
* Data test tools: knowledge of data specific test tools such as Great Expectations and Soda considered a bonus.
* Business domain expertise: Proven track record of quickly understanding new business domains in depth and applying this knowledge to testing strategies.
* Testing methodologies: have worked with and can understand the benefits / drawbacks of different test methodologies such as Behaviour Driven Development (BDD).
* Testing for CI/CD: have worked with products and software following CI/CD principles before and can help embed the testing for a robust continuous delivery capability.
* Enterprise software experience: have worked in a range of environments, in QA roles, including enterprise environments with a broad application architecture.
* AWS & GCP experience: have hands on experience with platforms delivered in AWS and GCP, and have a good knowledge of the technology these cloud providers offer.
* Non-functional test experience: have covered a broad range of testing approaches for non-functional aspects of products: load, soak, security and penetration testing, accessibility, etc.
Professional Experience and Qualifications:
* Domain Experience: At least 5 years of professional experience in technical or analytical roles.
* Consultancy Experience: Some experience in a client facing position, either at a consultancy or in a B2B technology company.
Benefits
What We Offer in the UK:
* Salary: Competitive salary and benefits package.
* Pension: Up to 5% employer contribution, matching up to a 5% employee contribution, for a total of up to 10%.
* Annual Leave: 4 weeks standard + 1 week additional annual leave over Christmas shut down period, plus public holidays.
* Your Day - No Questions Asked: One additional day off per year, no explanation required!
* Regular Lunches: Provided at team meet-ups and on workdays at Simple Machines' co-working space.
* Health and Wellbeing Allowance: £1,250 allowance per year to be used for any food and non-alcoholic beverages during business hours, healthcare, gym memberships, sporting goods and accessories, and any wellness appointments.
* Professional Development: £1,500 annual budget for training, courses, and conferences, with potential for additional funding.
* Certifications: £2,500 annual budget for certifications and related courses.
* Equipment Allowance: £1,500 for UK team members, plus Apple MacBook Pro laptops and necessary accessories.
* Company Sick Leave: 10 days per annum, includes coverage for employee’s family.
* Antenatal Support: Paid time off for antenatal appointments, including classes recommended by health professionals.
* Terminal Illness Benefit: Three months' continuance of salary at full pay.
Join Us:
Simple Machines is a diverse and globally distributed team of individual talents. Everyone in the firm is among the best at what they do. That’s why they’re here. We have a collective obsession with the future and a passion to create real change through technology. If you’re someone who’s as passionate as we are about building a world-class technology company specialising in engineering for data, you’ll fit right in.