At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead quality initiatives and enhance automation frameworks in a dynamic product council.
- Company: Join a forward-thinking tech company focused on innovation and quality.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous holiday, health cover, and performance bonuses.
- Other info: Work in an agile environment with excellent career growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping QA practices and mentoring fellow engineers.
- Qualifications: Proven QA experience with strong automation skills and a passion for mentoring.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
The Role
As Senior QA Automation Engineer, you will be embedded within one of our product councils as the dedicated quality expert, typically for a year-long engagement. You will work across the full product lifecycle, from refinement sessions through to delivery, bringing quality thinking in early rather than bolting it on at the end. Alongside your council work, you will play a significant role in shaping our wider QA function. That means evolving our automation frameworks, mentoring engineers, championing better practices, and contributing strategic input that influences how the whole team operates. This is a senior individual contributor role with real autonomy and visibility. You will be trusted to identify what needs doing and get on with it, whilst also knowing when to bring others along with you.
Main Responsibilities
- Quality leadership and strategy
- Partner with QA leadership to help shape strategy, standards, and direction across the function
- Lead initiatives to improve our TypeScript/Cypress (web) and Java/Appium (mobile) automation frameworks
- Identify and drive adoption of new testing approaches, tools, and methodologies
- Establish and evolve testing standards across the QA team
- Mentor QA engineers, helping them grow both their technical and strategic skills
- Champion continuous improvement by consistently identifying better ways of working
- Testing and automation
- Write high-quality automated tests using our TypeScript/Cypress and Java/Appium frameworks, contributing new tests regularly
- Architect and implement improvements to existing test frameworks
- Maintain and enhance test suite reliability and effectiveness
- Debug, monitor, and resolve automation pipeline failures
- Perform manual testing including ticket verification, test case management, and regression testing
- Lead by example in testing practices and demonstrate what excellence looks like
- Embedded QA within your product council
- Act as the sole QA representative within your assigned product council
- Build strong relationships and credibility with developers, product managers, and stakeholders
- Participate in refinement sessions from the earliest stages, influencing quality from the start
- Manage stakeholder expectations and communicate quality status clearly and confidently
- Handle multiple concurrent workstreams effectively within your council
The essentials
- Significant QA experience with a background in a senior QA or SDET role
- Expertise in test automation, with proven experience architecting or significantly improving test frameworks
- Strong hands-on experience with end-to-end automation frameworks such as Selenium, Cypress, WebDriver, or Appium
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical initiatives and drive them through to completion
- Experience mentoring and upskilling other QA engineers
- A track record of establishing testing standards and best practices within teams
- Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and advise at all levels
- Experience working in Agile environments embedded within product teams
Highly desirable
- Hands-on experience with TypeScript/Cypress or Java/Appium specifically
- API and contract testing experience
- Strong understanding of CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices
- Experience with performance and load testing
- Mobile app testing expertise
- Understanding of test architecture and design patterns
The mindset
- Comfortable working autonomously to identify problems and implement solutions
- Able to influence strategy whilst remaining genuinely hands-on with code
- Energised by mentoring others and helping them grow
- Constructively challenges the status quo to drive meaningful change
- Balances strategic thinking with practical execution
- Proactive in identifying what needs doing without waiting to be directed
- A strong communicator who actively engages across remote and distributed teams
Our tech stack
- Automation frameworks: TypeScript with Cypress (web portal), Java with Appium (mobile apps)
- Product stack: Ruby on Rails backend, React frontend, some Clojure services
- Infrastructure: Kubernetes across cloud and on-premises datacentres
Benefits
- Pension scheme
- Personal performance bonus
- 26 days holiday each calendar year
- Bupa health & dental cover
- Group life assurance
- EAP
- Cycle to work scheme
Senior QA Automation Engineer employer: Board Intelligence
Contact Detail:
Board Intelligence Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior QA Automation Engineer
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry, especially those who work at companies you're interested in. A friendly chat can lead to referrals, which can give you a leg up in the hiring process.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common QA scenarios and questions. We recommend setting up mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get comfortable with articulating your experience and skills.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your expertise! Create a portfolio of your automation projects or contributions to open-source frameworks. This not only highlights your skills but also demonstrates your passion for quality assurance.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior QA Automation Engineer
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Senior QA Automation Engineer role. Highlight your expertise in test automation and any experience with TypeScript/Cypress or Java/Appium, as these are key for us.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you're the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of how you've led QA initiatives or mentored other engineers, and show us your passion for quality assurance.
Showcase Your Technical Skills: In your application, don’t shy away from detailing your hands-on experience with automation frameworks. We want to see your ability to architect and improve testing standards, so include relevant projects or achievements.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows us you’re keen on joining the StudySmarter team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Board Intelligence
✨Know Your Tech Stack
Make sure you’re well-versed in TypeScript, Cypress, Java, and Appium. Brush up on your knowledge of automation frameworks and be ready to discuss how you've used them in past projects. This will show that you’re not just familiar with the tools but can also apply them effectively.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Senior QA Automation Engineer, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead initiatives and mentor others. Prepare examples of how you've influenced quality practices in previous roles and how you’ve helped other engineers grow their skills. This will highlight your leadership potential.
✨Communicate Clearly
Strong communication is key, especially when managing stakeholder expectations. Practice articulating your thoughts on quality strategy and testing standards. Be ready to explain complex technical concepts in a way that non-technical stakeholders can understand.
✨Emphasise Continuous Improvement
Be prepared to discuss how you’ve identified and implemented better ways of working in your previous roles. Share specific examples of how you’ve driven improvements in testing processes or frameworks, as this aligns perfectly with the role's focus on championing continuous improvement.