Software Development Engineer in Test in Stoke-on-Trent

Excited to grow your career? Our purpose is to make it easy for people to save and invest for a better future. We are looking for great people to join us, so please come and invest in YOUR future at Hargreaves Lansdown.

HL is the UK’s largest direct-to-consumer savings and investment platform, trusted by over 2 million clients and administering more than £172 billion in assets. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Bristol, our purpose is to help people achieve financial freedom by providing a single, secure home for their savings and investments.

We continue to accelerate its digital transformation leveraging data, cloud driven technologies, AI, and modern technology to deliver personalised, world-class financial experiences at scale. With over 40 years of industry leadership and an award-winning service, we remain a market-leading financial services innovator committed to empowering clients to save and invest with confidence.

Role Overview

We are looking for a highly skilled Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to join our cross‑platform engineering team. In this role, you will work closely with React Native mobile developers and React web engineers to build and maintain a world‑class automation framework spanning both mobile and web tech stacks. You’ll be responsible for ensuring high-quality releases through robust automated testing, tooling, and engineering excellence.

What You’ll Do

• Design, develop, and maintain automated test suites for mobile and web tech stacks.
• Implement test frameworks and CI workflows to improve coverage and execution reliability.
• Partner with developers to define test strategy, acceptance criteria, and quality gates for new features.
• Build reusable components and abstractions to keep automation code clean, maintainable, and scalable.
• Conduct code reviews for automation contributions to ensure best practices.
• Build and maintain test coverage for shared business logic across React Native and React platforms.
• Reduce test cycle time and improve test stability.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong experience developing automation suites using Appium or Playwright.
• Proficiency in JavaScript/TypeScript.
• Solid understanding of React/React Native architecture & debugging tools.
• Web application fundamentals (HTML, CSS, DOM, API interactions).
• Experience with REST APIs or GraphQL.
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines and cloud-based device labs.
• Strong debugging skills in front-end, back-end, and mobile contexts.
• Excellent communication skills and experience working in agile environments.

Nice to Have

• Experience in fintech or banking applications.
• Familiarity with feature driven modular architecture.
• Experience working with feature flags.
• Familiarity with accessibility testing tooling.
• Mobile build pipelines (Xcode, Android Studio).

Interview Process

• Stage 1 – Discussion with our Hiring Manager (30 mins): A brief conversation to review your experience, understand your approach to quality, and assess overall role fit.
• Stage 2 – Technical Interview (60 mins): A focused session covering test automation skills, framework knowledge, debugging, and problem‑solving in real‑world QA scenarios.

Package

We offer a competitive salary, depending on experience, alongside a generous performance-based bonus scheme. Your total reward package includes:

• Up to 19% pension contribution - helping you plan confidently for the future.
• Private medical insurance - giving you peace of mind and access to top-tier healthcare.
• A wide range of excellent benefits, from lifestyle perks to wellbeing support, designed to help you thrive both in and out of work.

We believe in recognising and rewarding the impact you make - and ensuring you feel valued every step of the way.

Working Schedule

We’re based in the stunning Paddington Central offices at 4 Kingdom Street, a modern workspace designed to energise your day and elevate collaboration.

What Makes It Special?

• Landscaped rooftop gardens - perfect for a breath of fresh air or informal catch-ups.
• London’s highest rooftop basketball court - yes, really.
• Wellness amenities including showers, lockers, hairdryers, and fresh towels.
• Cyclist-friendly with secure bike storage and drying rooms.
• Stylish lounge areas, booths, and breakout spaces for focused work or relaxed chats.
• Canalside location near Little Venice, with floating restaurants, coffee shops, and a seasonal pop-up garden bar.
• Unbeatable transport links - just steps from Paddington Station and the Elizabeth Line.

We embrace a hybrid working model that gives you the best of both worlds: 1-2 days a week in the office to connect, collaborate, and enjoy everything the space has to offer. Remote flexibility for deep focus, work-life balance, and personal productivity.

This is a full-time role, working 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Please note, we are unable to offer sponsorship opportunities for this position.

Why us?

Here at HL, we’re the UK’s number 1 investment platform for private investors, based in Bristol. For more than 40 years we’ve helped investors save time, tax and money on their investments. To achieve our mission, we believe we have a workplace like no other, with constant learning, dynamic teams, and a great ethos. We’re steered by core values that promote service, quality, innovation, and opportunity in everything we do.

What’s on offer?

• Discretionary annual bonus* and annual pay review.
• 25 days* holiday plus bank holidays and 1-day additional Christmas closure.
• Option to purchase an additional 5 days holiday**.
• Flexible working options available, including hybrid working.
• Enhanced parental leave.
• Pension scheme up to 11% employer contribution.
• Income Protection and Life insurance (4 x salary core level of cover).
• Private medical insurance*.
• Health care cash plans - including optical, dental, and outpatient care.
• Health screening programme - confidential support including mental health counselling and remote GP.
• Wellhub - unlimited access to fitness providers and wellness coach sessions.
• Variety of travel to work schemes with bike storage and shower facilities.
• Inhouse barista and deli serving subsidised coffee and sandwiches.
• Two paid volunteering days per year.

* dependant on role level ** only available to select during our annual benefits window, in November each year.

Hargreaves Lansdown is an inclusive employer that values diversity in its workforce. We encourage applications from all individuals without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability or age. This role may also be available on a flexible working or part time basis – please ask the Recruitment & Onboarding team for more information. Please note, we are unable to provide employment sponsorship to candidates.