Senior Test Automation Engineer
Version 1 · London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Edinburgh, Belfast, England, gb ·
- Work mode
- Hybrid
- Seniority
- Senior
- Employment
- Contract
- Category
- QA
- Company size
- 501-1000
Version 1 · London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Edinburgh, Belfast, England, gb ·
Build and maintain Java-based test automation frameworks (Selenium, Playwright, Karate) and execute cross-browser, API, and integration tests for client projects, integrating with CI/CD pipelines.
You may have been working as a Test Engineer, Software Engineer in Test, or Test Analyst who writes Java the way most people write emails — fluently, without thinking twice. You are as comfortable designing and building an automation framework from scratch as you are executing a test plan, and you take genuine pride in the quality of the test code you produce, not just the coverage it achieves.
You will be part of an agile delivery team helping clients achieve meaningful business transformation, embedded alongside developers and product owners with a shared responsibility for quality. This is not a role for someone who treats automation as an optional extra — Java-based test engineering is at the core of what you will be doing, and the expectation is that you bring real depth to it.
You may also get involved with:
Designing, building, and maintaining Java-based automation frameworks from the ground up, producing test code that is structured, reusable, version-controlled, and maintainable to the same standard as production code
Delivering automated test coverage across functional, cross-browser, API, integration, and acceptance testing layers, with overnight regression runs that the team can rely on
Building and extending API test suites using frameworks such as Karate or REST-assured, validating service contracts, data integrity, and integration behaviour
Defining and executing test strategies, plans, and scripts across agile delivery cycles, with clear traceability from requirements through to test coverage
Supporting development teams to write and automate tests that guide development, including contributing to test-driven and behaviour-driven approaches where appropriate
Performing front-end cross-browser functional testing, exploratory testing, system integration testing, and user acceptance testing as the engagement requires
Accurate defect recording, monitoring, and root cause analysis, feeding quality data back into the team to drive continuous improvement
Reviewing and improving test environments, CI/CD pipeline integration, and test processes to maintain high quality standards across the delivery lifecycle
Providing test estimates and contributing to planning sessions with a realistic, evidence-based view of testing effort
What we are looking for
Strong, demonstrable Java skills — this is the core requirement. You should be able to build, review, and own Java-based test automation frameworks, not just work within one someone else has built
Proven experience designing and implementing automation frameworks using Java, with hands-on knowledge of tools such as Selenium, Playwright, Cypress, or Karate — and the judgement to pick the right one for the context
Solid experience delivering automated test coverage across functional, cross-browser, API, integration, and acceptance testing, ideally with overnight regression pipelines as part of your normal delivery rhythm
Practical experience with API testing using Java-based frameworks, including the ability to write contract tests, validate request/response behaviour, authentication flows, and data consistency across integrated services
Comfortable working across both automated and manual testing disciplines — you know when to automate and when not to, and you can do both well
Experience integrating automated tests into CI/CD pipelines and maintaining quality gates that give the team genuine confidence in each release
Worked in agile or scrum delivery environments, with an understanding of how testing fits within sprints and how to keep pace with a fast-moving development team
Clear communication skills, with the ability to report on test progress, coverage gaps, and defect trends in a way that is useful to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Resident in the UK for five or more years with no more than 30 days per year out of the UK to meet Security Clearance (SC) eligibility, or currently holding Security Clearance
Why Version 1?
At Version 1, we believe in providing our employees with a comprehensive benefits package that prioritises their wellbeing, professional growth, and financial stability.
And many more exciting benefits… drop us a note to find out more.
Version 1 is an equal opportunities employer.
We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace where everyone feels valued and able to thrive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and lived experiences, and we value the different perspectives people bring including those shaped by disability and neurodiversity.
We want every candidate to have a positive and accessible recruitment experience. If you need reasonable adjustments at any stage of the process, please contact your recruiter at Version 1. We will consider all requests carefully, respectfully and confidentially.
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