At a Glance
- Tasks: Evaluate AI behaviour, investigate defects, and enhance product quality in a dynamic environment.
- Company: Join hedgehog lab, a leading digital product consultancy with 20 years of experience.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, 28 days leave, wellbeing budget, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Collaborate with diverse teams on complex challenges and grow your career in tech.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on AI-driven products and evolve quality processes in an innovative setting.
- Qualifications: Strong manual QA experience and familiarity with AI tools are essential.
The predicted salary is between 35000 - 45000 € per year.
We’re looking for a QA Engineer to work across product quality, AI behaviour evaluation, and defect investigation. This is not a traditional QA role focused purely on scripted testing or automation. A key part of the role involves reviewing AI agent conversations and assessing whether responses were accurate, appropriate, and aligned to the expected customer experience. Because AI behaviour is not always deterministic, strong judgement, attention to detail, and communication skills are essential.
You’ll support release testing and regression prevention across the platform, carrying out structured manual QA across key journeys during release cycles to improve release confidence and reduce production issues. Outside release periods, you’ll help improve automated coverage, refine QA processes, and investigate product or AI‑related issues raised internally. You’ll also investigate production and customer‑reported issues, identifying whether problems are expected behaviour, configuration issues, or genuine defects before escalating clear issues to engineering teams.
What You’ll Bring
- Strong manual QA experience
- Experience building or maintaining automated test coverage
- Experience working with AI, LLM, or agentic products as part of your day‑to‑day workflow
- Strong written English and communication skills
- The ability to assess nuanced conversations and provide clear feedback
- Confidence investigating issues independently and making sound judgement calls
- Experience working with AI tooling, agent frameworks, or conversational AI platforms is a plus
What You’ll Get
- A varied role combining QA, AI evaluation, automation improvement, and product investigation rather than repetitive manual testing.
- The opportunity to work on AI‑driven products where quality depends on judgement and context, not just predefined test cases.
- Real ownership over how quality processes evolve as AI capabilities continue to grow.
- Exposure to modern AI and agentic systems in a production environment.
- The chance to work closely with Product, Engineering, and AI teams on complex problems where there often isn’t a single correct answer.
About hedgehog lab
We’re a digital product consultancy with 20 years of experience, helping organisations solve complex problems through technology, design, and delivery.
UK Benefits
- 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Flexible and hybrid working
- Annual wellbeing budget
- Free counselling
- 3rd Party Health Insurance
- L&D budget
- 5 impact days per year
Ready to apply? Submit your application below. Please note: we’re unable to offer visa sponsorship for this role.
QA Engineer in Newcastle upon Tyne employer: hedgehog lab
At hedgehog lab, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that fosters innovation and collaboration. With flexible working arrangements across our UK and Romania offices, employees enjoy a healthy work-life balance, alongside generous benefits such as 28 days of annual leave, a dedicated wellbeing budget, and opportunities for professional development. Join us to be part of a forward-thinking team where your contributions directly impact the evolution of AI-driven products in a supportive environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land QA Engineer in Newcastle upon Tyne
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend meetups, or join online forums. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can refer you directly.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common QA scenarios and questions. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or using online platforms to get comfortable discussing your experience with AI and manual testing.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your skills through a portfolio! If you've worked on any projects related to AI or QA, put them together in a neat presentation. This gives potential employers a taste of what you can bring to the table.
✨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, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search!
We think you need these skills to ace QA Engineer in Newcastle upon Tyne
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the QA Engineer role. Highlight your manual QA experience and any work with AI products, as this is key for us.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re passionate about QA and AI. Share specific examples of how you've tackled similar challenges in the past, and don’t forget to show off your communication skills!
Showcase Your Attention to Detail:In your application, demonstrate your attention to detail by ensuring there are no typos or errors. This is crucial for a QA role, so let us see your meticulous side right from the start!
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 without any hiccups!
How to prepare for a job interview at hedgehog lab
✨Know Your AI Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of AI, LLMs, and conversational AI platforms. Be ready to discuss how you've interacted with these technologies in your previous roles, as this will show your understanding of the nuances involved in assessing AI behaviour.
✨Showcase Your Manual QA Skills
Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully conducted manual QA. Highlight specific instances where your attention to detail made a difference, especially in evaluating AI conversations or identifying defects.
✨Communicate Clearly
Since strong written and verbal communication skills are essential, practice articulating your thoughts clearly. You might be asked to provide feedback on AI responses, so being able to express your judgement effectively is key.
✨Be Ready to Investigate
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving skills. Think of scenarios where you've had to investigate issues independently. Prepare to explain your thought process in determining whether an issue was expected behaviour or a genuine defect.
