Lead Automation QA

Waracle are looking for a Lead Automation QA for an exciting new role joining our world‑class digital technology consultancy and home to a diverse, smart, curious and ambitious community of specialists in technology‑driven transformation. We work with ambitious clients to help them solve their biggest business and customer challenges. We help our clients to innovate and create intelligent digital products and services. We thrive on complex challenges and deliver business‑critical IT transformation projects, moving seamlessly from strategy, design and delivery to operations.

This is a hybrid working role from any Waracle office (Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee or London) and is available on a contract (Inside IR35) basis. We are seeking an experienced Lead Automation QA to drive the technical execution of quality engineering within a high‑profile project. This is a hands‑on, delivery‑focused role for a professional who embodies technical mastery in C# and Playwright.

As a Lead QA, you will be accountable for project‑level quality outcomes, defining automation strategies that optimise for speed and reliability, and ensuring the seamless integration of quality gates within the delivery pipeline. You will act as the technical authority for QA within the project squad, ensuring best practices are implemented from day one, including UI, API, and integration testing strategies.

Key Aspects Of The Role Include

• Technical QA Strategy: Shape and execute comprehensive test strategies across squads, ensuring robust coverage for functional requirements and key non‑functional aspects (performance, accessibility, and security), with clear coverage across UI, API, and service integration layers.
• Automation Framework Development: Define and implement the automation strategy using C# and Playwright. You will be responsible for creating, extending, and maintaining highly efficient, reusable automation frameworks covering both UI and API test automation.
• API & Integration Testing: Lead the design and implementation of automated API tests for RESTful services, validating business logic, data integrity, and integration points across distributed systems. Ensure API contracts and schemas are validated as part of the automation strategy.
• CI/CD Integration: Define and integrate quality gates into CI/CD pipelines to ensure rapid, reliable feedback loops including automated execution of API and integration test suites.
• Quality Assurance Excellence: Lead best practices in defect management, lead triage efforts, and enforce traceability standards. Proactively anticipate and resolve technical blockers to maintain delivery velocity.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Drive technical collaboration with client stakeholders and multidisciplinary delivery teams to ensure a shared understanding of quality standards and project milestones.

What Youll Bring

• Expert Automation Skills: Advanced proficiency in C# and Playwright is essential. You must have a proven track record of building and scaling automation frameworks from scratch.
• API & Integration Testing Expertise: Strong hands‑on experience in API testing for RESTful services using tools or frameworks such as Playwright API testing, Postman/Newman, REST Assured, or custom C#‑based solutions. Solid understanding of HTTP protocols, status codes, authentication mechanisms (OAuth2, JWT, API keys), and request/response validation.
• Contract & Schema Validation: Experience with contract testing approaches, including OpenAPI/Swagger‑based validation and schema testing to ensure service compatibility and stability.
• Consultancy Experience: Extensive experience as a Senior or Lead QA Engineer, ideally within a fast‑paced digital consultancy or project‑based environment.
• Testing Mastery: Comprehensive expertise in QA best practices, standards, and methodologies (SDLC, Agile, functional, non‑functional, and white‑box testing).
• DevOps & Tooling: Proficiency with Git and experience defining quality gates within CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions, or Jenkins).

The recruitment process you can expect for this role is an initial call with your dedicated Talent Acquisition Partner who will chat with you about Waracle, what you are looking for in a new position, the salary for the role, notice period and benefits (the important stuff!). After that, you'll be invited to a two‑stage interview process where you have an opportunity to find out more about the role and showcase your skills and experience. Your Talent Acquisition Partner will guide you through the whole process to your first day with us.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, gender, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age.