At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and build test automation frameworks for APIs and microservices.
- Company: Join Admiral, a diverse and inclusive company committed to a people-first culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy 33 days holiday, share options, and flexible work-life balance perks.
- Why this job: Be part of a collaborative team that values quality and innovation in tech.
- Qualifications: Experience in automated testing, strong programming skills, and familiarity with CI/CD pipelines required.
- Other info: Opportunities for growth and recognition as a Great Place to Work.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
The Senior QA Engineeris a key technical role responsible for delivering high-quality, scalable, and maintainable test automation solutions across our API and microservices landscape. We are looking for an enthusiastic and curious STAE with a passion for quality engineering and experience in building robust automation frameworks for backend and frontend systems.
You will work within cross-functional squads in the Customer Value Stream, collaborating with developers, product owners, and DevOps engineers to ensure our APIs and services meet the highest standards of reliability and performance.
You will work with tools such as Playwright, Mockoon, Bruno, Artillery and Playwright amongst others to test both frontend and backend-for-frontend (BFF) solutions. With a DevSecOps mindset, you will provide quality assurance using automation and CI/CD.
Main Duties
Leadership
- Act as a technical lead for initiatives involving API, backend and frontend test automation.
- Mentor and coach QA engineers, promoting knowledge sharing and consistency across squads.
- Influence and evolve the QA strategy, ensuring alignment with engineering and architectural goals.
- Advocate for quality-first principles and champion a shift-left testing mindset.
- Lead by example in engineering excellence and contribute to governance and best practices.
Implementation & Delivery
- Design, build, and maintain scalable test automation frameworks for APIs and microservices.
- Integrate automated tests into CI/CD pipelines to ensure rapid and reliable feedback.
- Develop and execute functional and non-functional tests (e.g. performance, security).
- Identify gaps in automation coverage and implement effective solutions.
- Perform exploratory and manual testing where appropriate.
- Drive root cause analysis of defects and collaborate on corrective actions.
- Ensure comprehensive test coverage across the stack, including contract and integration testing.
- Monitor and report on quality metrics to drive continuous improvement.
- Contribute to reducing technical debt and improving long-term maintainability.
Collaboration & Communication
- Work closely with developers, DevOps, product owners, and other stakeholders to embed quality throughout the delivery lifecycle.
- Collaborate with architecture and platform teams to ensure alignment in engineering practices.
- Participate actively in Agile ceremonies and delivery processes.
- Communicate complex technical decisions clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Foster a collaborative engineering culture through Chapters, Squads, and Guilds.
Experience Required
Technical Expertise
- Proven experience designing, building, and maintaining automated test frameworks for UI, Mobile App, APIs and non-functional testing.
- Strong programming skills in JavaScript/TypeScript and experience with BDD frameworks like Cucumber.
- Experience with user interface testing tools such as Playwright.
- Experience with API testing tools such as Postman, Node-Fetch, and RestAssured.
- Strong experience in Mobile App testing using Appium or similar with Simulator and/or Browserstack.
- Skilled in integrating automated tests into CI/CD pipelines, especially using platforms like Azure or GitLab.
- Familiarity with non-functional testing tools such as Artillery and JMeter.
- Solid understanding of RESTful APIs, SOAP, and data formats like JSON/XML.
- Experience with SQL for data validation and backend testing.
- Knowledge of different types of automation frameworks (e.g., Data Driven, Keyword Driven).
- Experience with contract testing, mocking/stubbing tools, and test data management.
- Understanding of microservices architecture and distributed systems.
- Exposure to containerisation and orchestration tools like Docker, Kubernetes, and Terraform.
- Experience with cloud platforms, ideally Azure or GCP.
- Familiarity with accessibility and compatibility testing tools (e.g., Lambda, Axe).
- Working knowledge of JIRA, Git, and Node.js/NPM.
Desirable Skills
- ISTQB Advanced Test Automation Engineer certification (or equivalent).
Admiral: Where You Can
We take pride in being a diverse and inclusive business. It\’s a place where you can Be You, and show up as you are. We’re committed to fostering a people-first culture where everyone is accepted, supported, and empowered to be brilliant. You can, Grow And Progress at a pace and direction that suits you, Make A Difference for our customers and each other, and Share in Our Future with all colleagues eligible for up to £3,600 of free shares each year after one year of service.
Everyone receives 33 days holiday (including bank holidays) when they join us, increasing the longer you stay with us, up to a maximum of 38 days (including bank holidays). You also have the option to buy or sell up to an additional five days of annual leave.
We’re proud of our people-first culture. In fact, we\’ve been recognised as a Great Place to Work for Women, a Great Place to Work for Wellbeing, and an overall Great Place to Work for over 25 years! We’re fully committed to making sure your progression is not slowed or halted by barriers related to race, gender, age, sexuality or any of the protected characteristics.
Our fantastic benefits make sure our colleagues have a great work-life balance; You can view some of our other key benefits here .
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Senior QA Engineer employer: Admiral Group plc
Contact Detail:
Admiral Group plc Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior QA Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific tools mentioned in the job description, such as Playwright and Artillery. Having hands-on experience or even personal projects showcasing your skills with these tools can set you apart during discussions.
✨Tip Number 2
Demonstrate your understanding of DevSecOps principles. Be prepared to discuss how you've integrated quality assurance into CI/CD pipelines in your previous roles, as this aligns closely with our expectations for the Senior QA Engineer position.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills by preparing examples of how you've mentored other QA engineers or influenced QA strategies in past positions. We value candidates who can lead by example and promote a quality-first mindset.
✨Tip Number 4
Engage with our company culture by researching our values and initiatives. Being able to articulate how you align with our people-first approach and commitment to diversity will resonate well during your interactions with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior QA Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in test automation, particularly with tools like Playwright and API testing. Emphasise your leadership skills and any mentoring experience, as these are key for the Senior QA Engineer role.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for quality engineering and your enthusiasm for the role. Mention specific projects where you've successfully implemented automation frameworks and how you’ve contributed to team success.
Showcase Technical Skills: Clearly list your technical expertise in JavaScript/TypeScript, BDD frameworks, and CI/CD integration. Provide examples of how you've used these skills in previous roles to improve testing processes and outcomes.
Highlight Collaboration Experience: Discuss your experience working in cross-functional teams and how you've communicated complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. This will demonstrate your ability to foster a collaborative engineering culture.
How to prepare for a job interview at Admiral Group plc
✨Showcase Your Technical Expertise
Be prepared to discuss your experience with automated test frameworks, especially for APIs and microservices. Highlight specific tools you've used, such as Playwright or Postman, and be ready to explain how you've integrated these into CI/CD pipelines.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
As a Senior QA Engineer, you'll likely be expected to mentor others. Share examples of how you've led initiatives or influenced QA strategies in previous roles. This will show your potential employer that you can take charge and guide teams effectively.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Discuss your experience working within cross-functional teams. Provide examples of how you've collaborated with developers, product owners, and DevOps engineers to ensure quality throughout the delivery lifecycle. This is crucial for the role.
✨Prepare for Problem-Solving Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills, particularly around defect analysis and automation coverage gaps. Be ready to share specific instances where you've identified issues and implemented effective solutions.