At a Glance
- Tasks: Ensure data accuracy and integrity in a modern cloud-based platform.
- Company: Join a leading international consumer brand undergoing major transformation.
- Benefits: Competitive day rate, hybrid working, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment focused on delivering scalable data solutions.
- Why this job: Shape data quality in a high-impact transformation programme with cutting-edge technology.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in QA or Data Quality Engineering with strong SQL skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
Department: Data & Technology
Location: Manchester (Hybrid – 3 days per week onsite)
Reporting to: Engineering Delivery Lead
Contract Type: Outside IR35 - 6 months initial
Day rate: £(Apply online only) per day
Direct Reports: None
About the Business
Our client is a well-established international consumer brand operating across multiple global markets, serving millions of customers every year through a high-volume retail and digital ecosystem. As part of a significant business-wide transformation, they are investing heavily in modernising their data estate to become a more customer-centric, digitally enabled organisation. This is a key opportunity to join during a major phase of growth and transformation.
About the Programme
This role sits within a large-scale data modernisation programme focused on replatforming and transforming enterprise-wide reporting and analytics capabilities. Over the next 9–12 months, the business is migrating from legacy on-premise data warehouses to a modern cloud-based architecture built around Snowflake, dbt, Fivetran, and Azure. The programme spans multiple international markets and is business-critical, with strong visibility from senior leadership. The environment is fast-paced, highly collaborative, and focused on delivering a scalable, reliable data platform.
The Role
The QA / Test Engineer will play a key role in ensuring the accuracy, reliability, and integrity of the new data platform. This is a specialist data testing role rather than traditional application or UI testing. The focus is on validating data pipelines, transformations, reconciliations, and automated quality frameworks across a modern cloud stack. Working closely with Data Engineers, Business Analysts, and stakeholders, you will design and implement robust testing frameworks covering dbt models, data reconciliation, regression testing, and CI/CD integrations. The fixed-term route will focus heavily on parallel running and migration cutover activities.
Key Responsibilities
- Design and execute testing strategies across the modern data platform, including unit, regression, reconciliation, and data quality testing.
- Build and maintain dbt test frameworks (generic, singular, and custom tests).
- Develop automated reconciliation suites comparing outputs between legacy warehouse environments and new cloud-based outputs at row, column, and aggregate levels.
- Embed testing into CI/CD pipelines to prevent defects reaching production.
- Define and own the wider data quality framework, including monitoring, alerting, and remediation processes.
- Translate business requirements into testable and automated validation criteria.
- Investigate and document data quality issues identified through monitoring or business users.
- Maintain regression coverage for critical business reporting datasets.
- Promote testing best practices across engineering teams, improving test coverage and code quality.
- Support release sign-off and contribute to go/no-go deployment decisions.
- Partner with business stakeholders during UAT cycles to ensure successful delivery.
Skills & Experience
Essential
- 3+ years’ experience in QA, Test Engineering, or Data Quality Engineering within data platform environments.
- Strong SQL skills, including complex query writing for reconciliation and validation.
- Experience building automated testing frameworks in modern data stacks (e.g. dbt, Great Expectations, Soda, Python-based frameworks).
- Hands-on experience with at least one modern cloud data warehouse (Snowflake preferred).
- Experience integrating tests into CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, Azure DevOps, or similar).
- Strong understanding of data validation, transformation testing, and reconciliation methodologies.
- Comfortable working with Git-based workflows and pull request processes.
- Strong written communication and defect documentation skills.
- High attention to detail with a pragmatic, delivery-focused mindset.
- Must have the right to work in the UK without sponsorship.
Desirable
- Experience supporting data migration or modernisation programmes.
- Background in reconciling legacy warehouse platforms (MSSQL, Oracle, Teradata) with cloud-based platforms.
- Python for test automation.
- Experience testing downstream BI outputs (Power BI or similar).
- ISTQB or equivalent certification.
- Exposure to data observability tools (Monte Carlo, Bigeye, Elementary).
- Experience in retail, hospitality, e-commerce, or other high-volume transactional environments.
Why Apply?
- Genuine opportunity to own and shape data quality within a major transformation programme.
- Work with a modern data stack: Snowflake, dbt, Fivetran, Azure.
- High-impact work supporting critical reporting for finance, operations, and commercial teams.
- Opportunity to influence engineering best practices in a growing data function.
- Competitive salary and benefits package.
- Hybrid working model based in Manchester.
QA / Test Engineer – Data (Outside IR35 Contract) in Manchester employer: Chroma Recruitment
Join a leading international consumer brand in Manchester, where you will play a pivotal role in a transformative data modernisation programme. With a strong focus on collaboration and innovation, the company offers a dynamic work environment that encourages professional growth and the opportunity to influence engineering best practices. Enjoy a competitive salary, a comprehensive benefits package, and the flexibility of a hybrid working model, all while contributing to high-impact projects that enhance customer experience across global markets.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land QA / Test Engineer – Data (Outside IR35 Contract) in Manchester
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We think you need these skills to ace QA / Test Engineer – Data (Outside IR35 Contract) in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Projects:When applying for a freelance data science role like QA / Test Engineer – Data (Outside IR35 Contract) at Chroma Recruitment, it’s crucial to highlight your projects. Include a portfolio that features at least two or three projects involving data analysis, machine learning, or visualisation. Make sure to describe the tools and methodologies you used, so we can see your skills in action!
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How to prepare for a job interview at Chroma Recruitment
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As a freelancer in data science, you'll want to present a portfolio that showcases your best projects. We should pull together examples where you tackled real problems with data analytics, machine learning models, or visualisations. It's all about demonstrating your skills in action!
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