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- Tasks: Lead the development of automated testing strategies for a robust and scalable platform.
- Company: Join the Department for Business and Trade, driving economic growth through digital innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, generous pension contributions, and flexible working options.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the future of technology while shaping quality assurance practices.
- Qualifications: Experience in test automation, coding skills in Python or Java, and knowledge of cloud platforms.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse culture that values inclusion and offers tailored learning opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has a clear mission - to grow the economy. Our role is to help businesses invest, grow and export to create jobs and opportunities right across the country. The Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) directorate develops and operates tools and services to support us in this mission.
As Platform Test Lead, you will play a critical role in ensuring the DBT Platform is robust, secure, and scalable by embedding quality assurance into its design and delivery. You will lead the development of platform-wide test strategies, support automated testing across infrastructure and services, and collaborate with technical leaders to drive continuous improvement. This role supports DBT's digital transformation goals and contributes to the strategic evolution of the platform.
This is a technical and strategically critical role within our Technology portfolio at DBT, overseeing a platform that supports internal and external services. You will lead the evolution of the DBT Platform's testing strategy, ensuring it is robust, secure, scalable and efficient. You will work closely with platform engineers, technical architects, cyber security and service teams to embed quality assurance into the platform's design and delivery.
You will play a key role in shaping how we test and assure platform capabilities, bringing your experience of test automation, infrastructure testing and DevOps practices. You will work across DDaT to understand future needs and help teams validate and deliver against them. You will also contribute to platform governance and technical decision-making, ensuring testing supports strategic goals.
This is a technical leadership role requiring experience with cloud-hosted platforms. The successful candidate will be well-versed in implementing and optimising automated testing, deployment pipelines, and performance metrics like DORA. You will have an understanding of emerging technologies, enabling you to guide innovation and resilience across the platform. You must have a proven track record of leading test engineering for large-scale platform operations or infrastructure products, ensuring stability, scalability and strategic alignment with organisational goals.
Main responsibilitiesYou will:
- Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of automated test frameworks for platform components and services.
- Define and own platform-level test strategies, including integration, performance, security, and end-to-end testing across multi-account environments.
- Collaborate with Platform Engineers, Technical Architects, and Cyber SMEs to ensure testing supports platform priorities.
- Drive improvements in deployment testing, enabling faster, more reliable releases with reduced support burden.
- Support FinOps and observability initiatives by ensuring test coverage includes cost-impacting behaviours and performance metrics.
- Champion testability in platform design, simplifying environment setup and enabling self-service testing for service teams.
- Coach and mentor engineers in test automation, quality assurance, and continuous delivery practices.
- Monitor test suite health, reduce technical debt, and ensure test infrastructure is scalable and cost-effective.
It is essential that you have:
- Proven experience in test automation for infrastructure and platform engineering, including maturing PaaS/SaaS products.
- Strong coding skills (Python or Java), with experience building reusable test frameworks, utilities, and using BDD approaches (e.g. Gherkin/Cucumber) for collaborative testing.
- Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines, containerisation (Docker/Kubernetes), cloud platforms (AWS preferred), and infrastructure-as-code (e.g. Terraform).
- Familiarity with observability and performance testing tools (Datadog, ELK, Grafana, Locust, JMeter), plus an understanding of cyber security testing principles and logging requirements.
- Ability to coach multidisciplinary teams, embed quality practices in agile delivery, and apply FinOps-aware testing approaches (e.g. cost-impact validation, resource optimisation).
It is desirable that you have:
- Knowledge of platform engineering patterns (e.g. sidecar architecture, secure base images, technical contracts).
- Familiarity with accessibility and security testing standards (e.g. OWASP, WCAG).
Alongside your salary, DBT contributes £17,991 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Learning and development tailored to your role. An environment with flexible working options. A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity. A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
If you would like to find out more about the role, the Platform Engineering team and what it's like to work at DBT, we are holding a Hiring Manager Q&A session for this role where you can virtually 'meet the team' on Wednesday 25th February at 12.30pm. Please click here to book your spot.
Platform Test Lead in Cardiff employer: Department for Business and Trade
Contact Detail:
Department for Business and Trade Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Platform Test Lead in Cardiff
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to folks in the industry, especially those already working at DBT. A friendly chat can give you insider info and maybe even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your technical skills. Make sure you can talk confidently about test automation, CI/CD pipelines, and cloud platforms. We want to see your expertise shine!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! Be ready to discuss how you've coached teams or improved processes in the past. DBT values collaboration, so let them know how you can contribute.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team at DBT.
We think you need these skills to ace Platform Test Lead in Cardiff
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your skills and experiences align with the Platform Test Lead role. We want to see how you can contribute to our mission at DBT!
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t hold back on showcasing your coding skills and experience with test automation. We’re looking for someone who knows their stuff, so let us know about your hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines and cloud platforms.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured applications that make it easy for us to see your qualifications and fit for the role. Remember, clarity is key!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and keep track of all the amazing candidates like you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Department for Business and Trade
✨Know Your Tech Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the technologies mentioned in the job description, like Python or Java, CI/CD pipelines, and cloud platforms like AWS. Brush up on your knowledge of test automation and infrastructure testing, as these will be key topics during your interview.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Platform Test Lead, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to lead teams and mentor engineers. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully guided teams in implementing quality assurance practices or improved testing strategies.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills and how you would handle specific testing challenges. Think about scenarios involving automated testing frameworks or performance metrics, and be ready to discuss your approach to overcoming these challenges.
✨Understand the Bigger Picture
Familiarise yourself with DBT's mission and how the role contributes to their goals. Be prepared to discuss how your experience aligns with their digital transformation objectives and how you can help drive continuous improvement within the platform.