At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our team to modernise quality engineering and influence software delivery practices.
- Company: Counter, a tech consultancy within Northcoders Group, fostering collaboration and innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible hybrid working, and opportunities for career growth.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with a focus on continuous improvement and modern tooling.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on technology transformation at Manchester Airport Group.
- Qualifications: Experience in testing, strong stakeholder management, and a passion for mentoring.
The predicted salary is between 52000 - 57000 £ per year.
Application Deadline: 7 August 2026
Department: Counter
Employment Type: Fixed Term - Full Time
Location: Manchester
Reporting To: Rich House
Compensation: £52,000 - £57,000 / year
About Counter
Counter is a technology consultancy within the Northcoders Group. We partner with organisations to build high-performing engineering teams that combine experienced technical leadership with emerging and experienced talent, helping clients accelerate delivery while developing long-term engineering capability. Our teams are led by experienced Counter Tech Leads, who work closely with our clients to provide technical leadership, mentor engineers and embed best practices throughout each engagement.
We build mixed-experience engineering teams, bringing together early-career, mid-level and experienced engineers to create collaborative, high-performing teams. This enables individuals to learn from one another, develop their skills and deliver meaningful outcomes together, while ensuring our clients benefit from the right blend of experience.
Your initial employment will be with Northcoders Group on a flexible fixed-term contract for the duration of the engagement. One of the things that makes Counter different from many consultancies is that, where there is mutual interest, individuals may have the opportunity to transition into a permanent role with the client at the end of the project, providing an additional pathway to build a long-term career.
Counter has an established partnership with Manchester Airport Group, supporting the organisation across a number of technology initiatives. As our relationship continues to grow, we're expanding our team to support the next phase of Manchester Airport Group's technology transformation. You'll join a dedicated Counter engineering team working alongside experienced technical professionals on a live client engagement. This is an opportunity to contribute to meaningful projects, collaborate with engineers across a range of experience levels and continue developing your technical and professional skills within a supportive consultancy environment.
About Manchester Airport Group
Manchester Airport Group (MAG) is the UK's largest airport group, operating Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands Airports. With a clear ambition to become the world's most intelligent airport group, MAG is investing heavily in technology, innovation and digital transformation to create smarter, more connected experiences for both passengers and colleagues. As part of this journey, MAG is modernising the way it approaches software engineering, testing and quality assurance. The organisation is investing in automation, performance and security testing, AI-enabled quality engineering and modern delivery practices to improve the speed, quality and reliability of its technology platforms.
Working on this programme, you'll contribute to large-scale, business-critical systems while helping to shape the future of engineering and quality practices within one of the UK's leading transport organisations. It's an exciting opportunity to work alongside experienced technical professionals, influence meaningful change and develop your career on projects with real impact.
Leadership Expectations & Values
Our Purpose
At MAG, our role is to connect our customers to the world with great airport experiences and innovative travel services.
Our Culture
We create a culture of collaboration, trust and challenge to deliver exceptional performance, guided by our values.
Our Leadership Expectations
- Delivers Performance: Clearly articulates the strategy, helping everyone understand the part they play. Cuts through and prioritises, giving teams what they need to focus on what matters most. Communicates clearly, tailoring messages and empowering the team to take ownership.
- Creates Clarity: Thinks broader, removing silos, creating a culture of collaboration, and one team. Makes sound decisions, taking calculated risks and accountability for outcomes, removing barriers to high performance. Delivers great feedback, continually growing self and others so people can be their best.
- Encourages Connection: Builds strong, future-focused teams with a growth mindset who drive continuous improvement. Acts with respect and integrity, understanding the impact they have on others and the culture they create. Always authentic, fostering a culture of trust and inclusion which embraces diversity of thought.
Our Values
- People at our core
- Growing every day
- Power of teamwork
- Safe hands
- Sustainable future for all
About the role
As a Senior Test Engineer, you'll play a key role in helping Manchester Airport Group modernise its approach to quality engineering. Working alongside Counter's Tech Lead and the wider engineering team, you'll help embed modern testing practices, encourage closer collaboration between development and testing, and influence how quality is built into the software delivery lifecycle. This is a hands-on engineering role with leadership responsibilities. You'll work closely with technical and non-technical stakeholders, helping explain technical decisions, challenge existing ways of working and support the wider team in adopting new approaches.
We're looking for someone who enjoys mentoring others, sharing knowledge and continually looking for opportunities to improve engineering practices. You'll be encouraged to experiment with modern tooling, including AI-assisted engineering, while working within appropriate governance and security requirements.
What we are looking for
Essential
- Previous experience in a Test Engineer or Quality Engineer role
- Strong stakeholder management skills
- Ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences
- Experience building automated testing solutions
- Understanding of modern Quality Engineering practices
- Experience working within Agile teams
- Understanding of CI/CD pipelines
Desirable
- Previous experience within regulated environments
- Experience leading or mentoring engineers
- Existing security clearance (or ability to obtain)
- Cloud platform experience
- AI tooling experience within engineering
Technology Stack
- Python
- Locust
- Selenium/Appium framework
- Playwright
- JavaScript/Typescript
- BitBucket
- Azure DevOps
- Atlassian (Jira)
- Snyk
- BrowserStack
- Cloud experience beneficial for the senior
- Understanding CI/CD
Further Information
This role offers a flexible hybrid working arrangement. Candidates who live within a reasonable commuting distance of Manchester Airport are expected to work from the office approximately three days per week. For those based further afield (up to around a 1.5-hour commute), attendance of approximately once every two weeks may be considered. We'll discuss your location and commuting preferences as part of the recruitment process to ensure the arrangement works for both you and the team.
To be eligible for this role, you must have Permanent Right to Work in the UK, and be happy to have the following checks completed by either Northcoders or the Hiring Partner:
- Evidence of right to work
- Enhanced DBS check
- Five years of employment covering gaps with evidence
Please note: We are unable to sponsor Skilled Worker visas at this time. Applicants must have the existing, legal right to work in the UK, at least for the duration of the engagement. Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
Senior Test Engineer employer: Tech Returners Limited
Counter is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture, providing employees with the opportunity to engage in meaningful projects within a dedicated engineering team. Located in Manchester, the role of Hybrid Test Engineer offers flexible working arrangements and the potential for permanent positions upon successful project completion, ensuring ample growth opportunities for career advancement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Test Engineer
✨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 Tech Returners Limited 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 Tech Returners Limited.
✨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 Tech Returners Limited.
✨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 Tech Returners Limited 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 Senior Test Engineer
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 Tech Returners Limited.
Craft a killer cover letter:Your cover letter is your chance to stand out—make it personal! Explain why you want to work at Tech Returners Limited 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 Tech Returners Limited
✨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 Tech Returners Limited 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.
