At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the testing strategy and implement automation for modern microservices.
- Company: Join a dynamic public sector client with locations across major UK cities.
- Benefits: Competitive daily rate, flexible work environment, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: SC clearance required; great chance to influence and coach engineers.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping testing practices in innovative tech projects.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in automation, microservices, and leading teams.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
We're looking for a Lead Test Engineer for our public sector client with locations across Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Newcastle on an initial 12-month contract, paying up to £640 per day (Inside IR35). This role requires 60% office attendance per week.
The successful Lead Test Engineer will be a hands-on technical leader with a genuine automation-first mindset, comfortable both setting direction and rolling up their sleeves to deliver. You will define and embed a scalable test strategy across multiple delivery teams, supporting a major transition from monolithic systems to modern microservices architecture.
You will need proven experience working with the following:
- Designing and implementing end-to-end test strategies for microservices environments
- Hands-on automation using Java, Selenium and Rest Assured across unit, integration, contract, system and end-to-end test levels
- API testing, contract testing and asynchronous messaging including Kafka
- CI/CD pipelines and Spring Boot-based application environments
- Contract testing tools such as Pactflow or Spring Cloud Contract
- Performance testing using tools such as Gatling or K6
- Cloud environments, specifically AWS
- Non-relational databases including MongoDB
- Operating at Lead or Principal level, influencing stakeholders and coaching engineers across multiple teams
Experience with Serenity BDD, Playwright, Docker, GitHub, GitLab, Jenkins and observability tools such as Grafana, Prometheus or Splunk would be highly desirable.
You will need to hold or be able to pass SC clearance for this role.
Interested? Please apply below.
Lead Test Engineer employer: Invitise Ltd
Join a forward-thinking public sector organisation in Exeter, where as an Application Engineer, you'll be part of a collaborative and supportive work culture that values innovation and continuous improvement. With a hybrid working model, you can enjoy the flexibility of remote work while still engaging with your team on-site once a week, fostering both professional growth and a strong sense of community. This role offers competitive pay and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on public services, making it an excellent choice for those seeking rewarding employment.
