Senior Software Developer in Test (React/Java) in London

Location: London or Newcastle, UK (Hybrid - ~1 day per week in office / onsite)

Contract: Contract - 6 months with view to extend

Day Rate: £550–£600 per day - Outside IR35

About Appvia

Appvia is a specialist cloud, platform, and solutions engineering consultancy. We work with organisations to improve software quality, reliability, and delivery outcomes through modern engineering and testing practices. Our teams focus on reducing risk in complex systems by improving automated testing, architectural clarity, and developer feedback loops.

About the Role

We are seeking a consultative Senior Software Developer in Test with hands-on experience in React and Java to join Appvia as a hands-on testing and quality engineering consultant. This role is centred on modernising automated test strategies for Java/React-based applications, moving away from brittle, heavyweight end-to-end testing towards more effective integration, functional, and contract testing. You will also help introduce AI-assisted testing approaches to improve coverage and efficiency. You will work closely with developers and platform engineers, reporting into a Principal Software Engineer, and act as a testing authority within delivery teams.

Interview Process - 2 Stage

• Screening interview with Talent Acquisition
• Final panel interview

Requirements

About You

You are a senior test engineer who thinks like a developer and understands how quality should be built into modern software systems. You bring:

• Strong experience testing Java and React applications.
• Deep knowledge of automated UI testing.
• Experience designing test architecture and strategy, not just writing tests.
• Strong understanding of BDD and collaboration with development teams.
• Hands-on experience with contract testing (e.g. Pact).
• Confidence modernising legacy test approaches and tooling.
• Strong communication skills and comfort working in client-facing environments.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement modern automated testing strategies for Java and React applications.
• Migrate legacy test suites to Playwright-based approaches.
• Reduce reliance on slow end-to-end tests by introducing better integration and functional testing.
• Implement and promote contract testing to improve service reliability.
• Use AI-assisted techniques to improve test quality and coverage.
• Work closely with developers to embed quality earlier in the delivery lifecycle.
• Act as a quality advocate and testing authority within delivery teams.

Technical Skills

Core technologies: Java, React, Playwright, Cucumber, Selenium, JUnit/Mockito, Pitest, REST-assured, Jest, Pact.

Benefits

Why join Appvia?

We are a self-funded, London based startup; providing businesses with a fast and secure way to deploy containerised applications into the cloud. We are on a mission to enable organisations to make cloud-based software delivery simple and efficient, whilst having the insights into costs, security and cadence. As a company that holds customers at the heart of everything we do, we are looking for candidates that want to make a real change to how Dev and Ops is working in the industry. With us our customers, like the UK’s Home Office & Bank of England, are harnessing cloud-native technologies, limiting the challenges of infrastructure management and rapidly delivering digital products.

What’s on offer?

• Flexible working with core hours of 10-4pm because we know life happens outside of work.
• Hybrid working - only one compulsory office day per month.
• Free hygiene products available in the London office.
• Trained Mental Health First Aiders.
• Your own MacBook Pro while you work at Appvia.
• Dog friendly office.
• Wear what makes you comfortable.
• Free snacks in the office.
• Pool table & ping pong table.
• Regular team socials, board game nights, industry meetups and more!

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and actively encourage, respect, and recognise diversity of thought and background throughout the business. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, family or parental status, national origin, or veteran, neurodiversity, and disability status.

Note: While all roles are active and approved at the time of posting, the dynamic nature of our start-up means some applications may be processed to pipeline talent for future opportunities rather than current openings. We will strive to keep you informed of any changes to the status of your application.