At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead quality engineering and drive automation strategies across various platforms.
- Company: Join Space NK, a leader in omnichannel retail technology.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative culture focused on continuous improvement and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a significant impact on quality assurance in a fast-paced environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in QA or SDET roles with strong automation skills required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
The Principal SDET will lead the quality engineering function across Space NK's technology landscape, defining and driving a cohesive QA and test automation strategy across web, mobile applications, ERP systems, and cloud/on premise infrastructure. This role is responsible for embedding a modern, scalable, and efficient testing approach that prioritises automation, reduces regression overhead, and ensures high quality releases aligned with business objectives. Working closely with engineering, DevOps, product, and infrastructure teams, this role will establish best in class testing practices, governance, and tooling to support a fast paced, omnichannel retail environment. This leader will play a key role in fostering a quality first culture, ensuring adherence to change management processes and program delivery standards, while continuously improving test efficiency, coverage, and reliability.
Key Responsibilities
- QA Strategy and Transformation
- Define and execute a comprehensive QA and test automation strategy across all platforms (web, mobile, ERP, cloud, and on-premise systems)
- Drive the adoption of automated testing at all levels (unit, integration, API, UI), reducing reliance on manual regression testing
- Design and standardise scalable, maintainable test frameworks and tooling aligned with engineering best practices
- Define KPIs and metrics to measure quality, test coverage, defect leakage, and release confidence
- Test Engineering and Delivery Excellence
- Oversee testing across the full delivery lifecycle, ensuring robust validation of business critical systems
- Implement efficient regression strategies, including risk based testing and intelligent test selection
- Collaborate with DevOps and engineering teams to embed automated testing within CI/CD pipelines, enabling continuous testing and faster feedback loops
- Establish best practices for test environments and test data management to ensure reliability and repeatability
- Governance, Compliance, and Change Management
- Define and enforce QA standards, processes, and best practices across engineering teams
- Ensure all testing activities align with organisational change management policies and release controls
- Embed quality gates within delivery processes, ensuring adherence to program and engineering standards
- Identify quality risks early and implement mitigation strategies to protect business continuity
- Cross‑functional Collaboration and Leadership
- Work closely with engineering, product, DevOps, and infrastructure teams to integrate quality into all stages of development
- Communicate quality strategy, risks, and progress clearly to both technical and non technical stakeholders
- Build, lead, and mentor SDET and QA engineers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence
- Promote a shift‑left and quality‑first mindset across the organisation
- Continuous Improvement and Innovation
- Stay current with emerging testing tools, frameworks, and methodologies, recommending improvements where appropriate
- Continuously refine testing processes to improve efficiency, scalability, and effectiveness
- Support performance, scalability, and resilience testing initiatives across platforms
- Contribute to monitoring and production quality feedback loops to drive ongoing improvements
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field or equivalent experience
- Experience in QA, SDET, or software engineering roles
- Proven experience driving automation strategy at scale
- ISTQB Advanced Level Test Management (CTAL‑TM) certification or ISTQB Test Manager
Technical Skills
- Programming experience (e.g., Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, Python)
- Expertise in modern test automation frameworks (e.g., Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, PyTest, REST API testing tools)
- Deep understanding of CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices
- Experience testing across distributed systems, APIs, and microservices architectures
- Familiarity with cloud platforms (preferably Azure) and hybrid infrastructure environments
- Knowledge of ERP system testing and integration validation
Testing Expertise
- End‑to‑end testing strategy across web, mobile, and backend systems
- Test data management and environment strategy
- Performance and non‑functional testing approaches
Governance and Process
- Experience with change management frameworks and release governance
- Strong understanding of SDLC and Agile delivery methodologies
Soft Skills
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- Strong leadership and mentoring/management capabilities
- Ability to influence engineering culture and drive organisational change
Principal SDET in City of Westminster employer: Space NK
At Space NK, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions innovation and quality in a dynamic retail environment. Our collaborative work culture fosters continuous improvement and professional growth, empowering employees to lead transformative projects while enjoying a range of benefits including flexible working arrangements and opportunities for skill development. Join us in our London office, where you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of quality engineering within a supportive and forward-thinking team.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Principal SDET in City of Westminster
✨Join Local Tech Meetups
Get out there and mingle with fellow developers by joining local tech meetups. It’s a fantastic way to meet people who might be working at Space NK or know someone who does. Plus, you can pick up some trendy tech skills and trends while you're at it!
✨Contribute to Open Source Projects
Show off your coding chops by jumping into open-source projects. Not only does this give you practical experience, but it also gets you noticed in the dev community. You'll create a killer portfolio that speaks volumes about your skills to Space NK.
✨Tap into Online Developer Communities
Don’t underestimate the power of online developer communities like GitHub, Stack Overflow, and even Reddit. Participate in discussions, share your projects, and build your visibility. We can often find opportunities through these channels that can lead to a full-time gig at companies like Space NK.
✨Explore Job Boards Specifically for Tech Roles
Keep your eyes peeled on job boards that focus on tech roles. Sites like TechCareers or Stack Overflow Jobs can often have listings for companies like Space NK that might not show up on broader job sites. Make it a habit to check these regularly, and don’t hesitate to apply directly through our website!
We think you need these skills to ace Principal SDET in City of Westminster
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show off your coding skills:When applying for a software engineering role, it's super important to showcase your coding skills. Make sure your CV includes your tech stack, any relevant programming languages you’re comfortable with, and examples of projects you've worked on. If you have a GitHub profile, link it up! We love to see code in action.
Tailor your portfolio:For a full-time role, we’d expect to see some solid examples of your work in your portfolio. Make sure to include at least two or three projects that highlight your problem-solving skills and your ability to work with different technologies. Focus on the projects that are most relevant to the position at Space NK.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Space NK and how your skills align with the role. Show us your passion for software development. We dig enthusiastic candidates who understand the value of collaboration and continuous learning!
Be clear and concise:When it comes to writing your CV and cover letter, clarity is key. Avoid jargon that could confuse us and stick to simple, direct language. Highlight your achievements with quantifiable results where possible, and keep everything easy to read. A well-organised application goes a long way!
How to prepare for a job interview at Space NK
✨Brush Up on Your Coding Skills
For a full-time software engineering role, it's crucial that we stay sharp with our coding abilities. Expect technical questions that might involve solving problems on the spot or discussing algorithms. Practise on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank to get comfortable with the types of questions that often come up.
✨Know Your Tools and Frameworks
Make sure we’re well-acquainted with the tools and technologies listed in the job description. Familiarise ourselves with any specific frameworks or programming languages mentioned. If Space NK uses React or Node.js, for instance, be ready to discuss how we’ve used them in previous projects or coursework.
✨Showcase Your Projects
Bring along a portfolio that highlights our best work. This could be code samples, GitHub repositories, or any side projects we’ve built. Make sure we can talk through our thought process for each project, especially the challenges we faced and how we solved them—this shows our problem-solving skills in action.
✨Prepare for Behavioural Questions
While technical skills are key, full-time positions also require cultural fit. Be ready to discuss our previous experiences and how we handle teamwork, conflict, and deadlines. Brush up on the STAR method—Situation, Task, Action, Result—to clearly articulate our past experiences when discussing how we've contributed to a team.
