Our main Defra DDTS hubs are in York, Warrington, Newcastle, Reading and Bristol, however the successful candidate may be contractually based at any Defra office. Please be aware that space within the London office is restricted and it may not be possible to be based in this location.
Job Summary
Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.
Digital, Data Technology and Security (DDTS) is the trusted team for digital across the entire Defra Group.
We have around 1000 colleagues across DDTS and our ambition is to make it easier and faster than ever for people to interact with Defra. If you are ready to drive innovation and push boundaries, we want to hear from you. Join us and together we will create a great place for living, and a green and healthy future for all.
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Job Description
Digital and Delivery within Digital, Data Technology and Security (DDTS) are looking for Lead Test Engineers.
Take on the role of Lead Test Engineer and be a part of the team who deliver transformative change across the Defra group.
In Defra, you will have the opportunity to influence delivery at a strategic level on some of the most exciting IT transformations cross-government as a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET). We can offer you a position in our established test function with a supportive team, learning and career pathways and the opportunity to develop your skills. We are recruiting for five Lead Test Engineers.
In this role you will be working on several digital services in a challenging environment which continues to evolve as an exemplar in the Quality Assurance and Test (QA&T) profession.
Working in a supportive, diverse and user-focused culture our flexible working arrangements mean you can maintain a healthy work-life balance. You will play an important part in building a digital future for Defra and our customers.
Digital and Delivery within Digital, Data Technology and Security (DDTS) are looking for Lead Test Engineers.
Take on the role of Lead Test Engineer and be a part of the team who deliver transformative change across the Defra group.
In Defra, you will have the opportunity to influence delivery at a strategic level on some of the most exciting IT transformations cross-government as a Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET). We can offer you a position in our established test function with a supportive team, learning and career pathways and the opportunity to develop your skills. We are recruiting for five Lead Test Engineers.
In this role you will be working on several digital services in a challenging environment which continues to evolve as an exemplar in the Quality Assurance and Test (QA&T) profession.
Working in a supportive, diverse and user-focused culture our flexible working arrangements mean you can maintain a healthy work-life balance. You will play an important part in building a digital future for Defra and our customers.
Person specification
Responsibilities
- Working in a multidisciplinary agile team on a wide range of digital projects, you will use Government Digital Service Standards (GDS) and software testing tools.
- You will ensure the right level of quality is built into services throughout the lifecycle of a delivery by engineering automated and functional and non-functional tests.
- As a Lead Test Engineer, you will provide professional software test engineering leadership and influence the automated testing approach.
- You will contribute to the team community, coaching and mentoring team members, promoting knowledge transfer and a culture of continuous improvement.
- You will assess, and own escalated risks raised by other QA&T engineers at the programme and project level.
- Challenge timelines where appropriate and ensure quality of services is in line with standards.
- Driving improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of test processes.
- Helping recruit testers including sifting and interviewing.
Skills And Experience
- A strong dedication to developing self and others. Excellent self-organisational and time management skills enabling you to manage multiple projects often under high pressure and to short/urgent timescales.
- Experience of validating acceptance criteria and using Behavioural Driven Development or similar approaches in practice.
- Expertise in test automation using JavaScript/TypeScript and frameworks such as WebdriverIO, Cypress or Playwright.
- Experience in testing APIs using Postman, Axios, RestAssured or similar.
- An excellent working knowledge of non-functional testing, using open-source tools.
- You can advise on and implement up-to-date non-functional testing techniques, peer review code and coach others.
- Experience of writing test strategies for business-critical services and providing guidance on risk approaches.
- Experience of testing within a continuous integration and continuous delivery pipeline using Jenkins or Azure DevOps on cloud platforms.
- Experience using source control tools such as GitHub and GitLab.
- Experience using exploratory test techniques to focus testing on the areas of greatest risk.
Selection process
The Civil Service marks each element of the selection process on a merit basis. You can visit the gov.uk website for further information on the Civil Service rating scale.
Ensure you have tailored your CV to the 'responsibilities' and 'skills and experience' section of the job advert by providing examples on how you are suitable for the role.
Application
As part of the application process, you will be assessed on your Experience and will be asked to complete:
Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Sift
Sift will begin shortly after the advert closes.
Should there be a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted using your personal statement.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment or interview.
Interview
If successful at sift stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on
Technical Skills and the Behaviours listed below.
A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.
The technical skills are aligned with the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability framework for the Lead Test Engineer
profession. To find out more about them, please visit the website.
Interview dates are to be confirmed. Please note that these may be subject to change.
Interviews will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
For further information on Success Profiles, please use the links below and watch our videos on Defra Jobs.
Behaviours
Technical
Experience
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Developing Self and Others
- Leadership
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Functional testing: level expert
- Non - functional testing: level expert
- Technical breadth: level expert
- Test analysis: level practitioner
Alongside your salary of £54,470, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £15,779 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- Additional skills supplement paid up to £17,770.
- 25 days’ leave (rising to 30 days over 5 years) plus bank holidays
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
- A day off per year for the King's birthday
- Access to a range of retail discounts (these include supermarket, tech, gym, holiday, phone and more)
- Flexible working options such as condensed hours, part-time and flexi time
- 3 paid volunteering days per year
- Funding for professional membership of a recognised professional body
- Learning and development tailored to your role and budget for training or qualifications
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- Cycle to work scheme
- Health cash plan to help you manage health costs for a reduced monthly fee
- Access to the Employee Assistance Programme open 24 hours, 7 days a week, that provides support to you during any times of stress or difficulty
- Free access to Headspace for wellbeing
- Season ticket loan for public transport
Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
For further information on the selection process for this role, please refer to the person specification section of the job advert.
Reserve list
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Merit Lists
Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be appointed in merit order for each location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.
Salary
New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e. level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.
Location
As part of the pre-employment process for this post, successful candidate(s) will be able to agree a contractual workplace from those locations listed in this advert. The agreed contractual workplace is then the substantive and permanent place of work for the successful candidate(s).
Where the location is ‘National’ the successful appointee should discuss and agree an appropriate contractual location in line with both Defra’s location policy and site capacity, prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.
Successful applicants currently employed by the hiring Defra organisation for this post may choose to remain in their current contractual location or may choose to change contractual location to one of those listed above. This should be discussed and agreed prior to proceeding with pre-employment processes.
The agreed amount of time spent at a workplace for this post will reflect the requirement for Civil Servants to spend at least 60% of their working time in an organisation workplace with the option to work the remaining time flexibly from home. Working time spent at a workplace may include time spent at other organisational locations including field-based operational locations, together with supplier, customer or partner locations. This is a non-contractual agreement which is consistent with common Civil Service expectations.
Travel costs to non-contractual workplaces will be subject to departmental travel and subsistence policies. Travel costs to contractual workplaces are the responsibility of the employee.
The successful candidate is required to carry out all their duties from a UK location, and cannot do so from an overseas location at any time.
Defra includes the core department, APHA, RPA, Cefas and VMD.
Our main Defra DDTS hubs are in York, Warrington, Newcastle, Reading and Bristol.
Please also be aware that space within the London office is restricted and it may not be possible to be based in this location.
NSV
All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer.
Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting
Visa sponsorship statement
Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.
Reasonable adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact Government Recruitment Service (GRS) via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
- Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a language service professional.
Accessibility
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'contact point for applicants' section.
Criminal Record Check
If successful and transferring from another government department, a criminal record check maybe carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing
[email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
Internal fraud database check
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the internal fraud database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Childcare Vouchers
Any move to DEFRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
Recruitment team
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email:
[email protected]If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: here