Job summary Are you an experienced Test Engineer? Do you enjoy finding new ways to solve problems and achievebig things? Would you love the opportunity to transform products and services thatimpactsome of the most vulnerable citizens in society?If so, then get in touch! Werelooking for outstanding Senior Test Engineers, who want to contribute to exciting digital services for DWP, the UKs largest government department. You will lead in the design and build of automated test solutions that enable the department to deliver quality services that meet the needs of our agents,colleaguesand claimants. You will need excellent technical skills and be proficient in one or more programming languages. We require senior leaders with rigorous attention to detail, a commitment to quality, a belief in the benefits of faster feedback and the ability to make decisions and influence senior stakeholders. The successful candidate will work within one of our agile teams to support the delivery of accessible user-centred designed services for both citizen and DWP colleagues. Job description As Senior Test Engineer you will: Define and implement the Test Automation strategy that helps to assure the quality of DWPs digital services. Lead Test Engineers across several teams, providing technical leadership and guidance. Design and build Test Automation solutions that help to assure the quality of DWP products and services. Identify opportunities to maximise the value of automation. Ensure that usability, accessibility, security, stability and capacity are embedded in the development of services. Lead the adoption of Continuous Integration/Delivery pipelines to run a full range of tests against our products which assure our builds. Lead on test traceability, defect management and risk mitigation, reporting project progress to stakeholders. Challenge assumptions and improve existing processes by reviewing and rethinking strategies and tooling. Identify solutions that drive continuous improvement to ensure we build the right product in the right way. Share knowledge wider within the community and support others through mentoring and coaching. Have line management responsibility for Test Engineers on your teams. Help the wider Practice Support team with recruitment and capability development. Person specification When giving details in your employment history and personal statement you should highlight your experience in line withessential criteriabelow: Experience leading testing across multiple teams from understanding business needs to delivery into production. Have experience of technical leadership, test generation and report and defect management. Demonstrable skills and experience in a modern programming language and test engineering practices. Experience designing, building andmaintainingcomprehensive, robust, and reliable automated test frameworks. Adaptable team player who understands agile ways of working, can influenceothersand has experience of shift left principles including CI/CD. Knowledge and proven experience of non-functional testing including Performance, Security and Accessibility including test types, test tools, and standards. If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact Aisha.Gultasab@dwp.gov.uk Technical skills We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: Technical Breadth Benefits Alongside your salary of 57,946, Department for Work and Pensions contributes 16,786 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes: Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours. Generous annual leave at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave. Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme. Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly). Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service. Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes. An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more. Hybrid Working This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office. If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert. Salary Information Pay for this role is from 57,946 to 78,205. The maximum salary for the grade is 68,205 however a Digital Allowance of up to 10,000 per annum is available for exceptional candidates. Digital Allowance is non-salary, and non-pensionable, and is classed as a temporary allowance. It is reviewed annually where it could be retained, amended, or removed. Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience asdemonstratedat interview. Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer willmaintaintheir current substantive salary. Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion will move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase applied to their current substantive salary, whichever is greater. Any temporary allowances that you are currently in receipt of will not form part of the calculation to determine your pay. Any allowances that are in payment will cease when you move into your new role. Things you need to know Artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use. Selection process details This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills. Stage 1: Application Your application will consist of four parts: 1. A Personal Details application form. 2. Employment history - this should contain your work experience and any skills, qualifications and accomplishments relevant to the jobs you have completed. 3. Personal statement - up to 1000 words. This statement should be used to provide examples of how you meet the essential criteria below: Experience leading testing across multiple teams from understanding business needs to delivery into production. Have experience of technical leadership, test generation and report and defect management. Demonstrable skills and experience in a modern programming language and test engineering practices. Experience designing, building andmaintainingcomprehensive, robust, and reliable automated test frameworks. Adaptable team player who understands agile ways of working, can influenceothersand has experience of shift left principles including CI/CD. Knowledge and proven experience of non-functional testing including Performance, Security and Accessibility including test types, test tools, and standards. 4. Technical statement- Lead criterion (up to 250 words). The following statement is aligned to the required technical skill of Technical Breadth. This statement should be used to provide example(s) of how you meet the criterion below: Proven experience in designing and implementing test automation frameworks for complex digital services and leading teams. The sift panel will use the information in your employment history, personal statement, and technical statement (lead criterion) to assess your experience, skills and knowledge. An initial sift will be conducted using the technical statement (lead criterion). Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift. If you do progress to a full sift, you will be provided with one combined overall assessment score for both your employment history and Personal Statement. Important Information You will be asked to complete your employment history. Any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form. Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered. If your employment history, personal statement or technical statement contain any personal details your application will be withdrawn. Stage 2: Interview If youre successful at the initial sift, youll be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. During the interview, youll be assessed against the experience criteria listed under both the essential and technical skill. Interviews will take place from mid June 2026. Interview dates to be confirmed. Other information: If high application volumes are received, the benchmark for candidates to proceed to the next stage may be raised. In line with our commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS), we aim to advance all candidates applying under the DCS who meet the minimum standard. However, we may only progress those candidates who best meet the required standards. All successful candidates and those placed on reserve will be posted in merit list order by location. For these vacancies, we strongly recommend that applicants consult with an immigration specialist or qualified advisor to assess their eligibility for Visa Sponsorship before deciding to apply. Please note that while we consider sponsorship requests in accordance with current DWP guidance and Home Office policy, sponsorship cannot be guaranteed. Further Information Find out more about Working for DWP For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital. A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve list candidates will be posted in merit order by location. Reasonable Adjustment At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce. We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia. If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service via DigitalRecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs. Complete the Reasonable Adjustments section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional. For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How We Recruit, page The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action. Feedback Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment. Security Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks. Nationality requirements This job is broadly open to the following groups: UK nationals nationals of the Republic of Ireland nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window) nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020 Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) Working for the Civil Service The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy. Diversity and Inclusion The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window). Apply and further information This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative. The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window). Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records. Contact point for applicants Job contact : Name : Aisha Gultasab Email : Aisha.Gultasab@dwp.gov.uk Recruitment team Email : digitalrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk Further information Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles. If you wish to make a complaint, please find further details here: https://careers.dwp.gov.uk/how-we-recruit/. Attachments Success-Profiles-Candidate-Overview Opens in new window (pdf, 635kB) DWP Terms and Conditions January 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 17kB) Apply now