47019 - Senior Automation Test Engineer

£30,989 - £47,591 (Salary will depend on location)
20
12 Months
North West, West Midlands, National
Birmingham , National , Salford
First Floor, Edward House, Quay Place, Edward Street, B1 2RA, NATIONAL, CTS Salford Courts & Tribunals Service Centre, M5 3NN
SEO
B
Permanent
Full Time, Part Time
Digital

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and wellbeing and aim to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and a sense of belonging. To find out more about how we do this visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity.

Please note: New recruits to the Civil Service are expected to join at the band minimum, however for exceptional candidates, managers have discretion to set starting salaries above the pay range minimum by a maximum of 10%

These are exciting times at Her Majesty’s Court and Tribunals Service (HMCTS). As an agency of the MoJ, we provide the supporting administration for the judiciary across England and Wales. Within that portfolio the Digital and Technology Services Transformation Programme (DTS) has a clear ambition to create an organisational culture where diverse and inclusive multi-disciplinary teams bring together in-house digital, data and technology specialists to build capability, work smarter and more efficiently.

We’re building better justice for everyone, and you have the chance to influence that change. With the scale and size of transformation, you’ll get exposure to bigger opportunities and new ways of learning that will push your potential. This is pioneering work that’s first of its kind, which means you’ll get to own your mark bringing ideas that will shape your future and ours. Sound like a challenge you’re up for?

Build_better_justice for.everyone

The Role

The Senior Test Engineer reports to the Software Engineering Manager and plays a leading role in ensuring that products are of quality and fit for the business needs. Without the input of the Senior Engineering Manager, software can be released with poor quality and potential bugs that can impact HMCTS’s reputation, have significant cost implications (in the range of millions) on the business and HMCTS and most importantly people using the service/product.

Like Test Engineers, Senior Test Engineers are responsible for writing, debugging and refactoring test codes, but at a more complex level and on a greater scale. At this level you will:

  • Work closely with software developers to reach a common understanding of the code base and test coverage at unit level
  • Collaborate with business analysts to make sure the required business scenarios are covered in the acceptance test scripts
  • Work on both functional requirements (FRs) and non-functional requirements (NFRs)
  • Coach and mentor testers

The Squad you are placed on will be agreed closer to your start date, but examples of products can be found in our GitHub repositories:

Technologies - We rely heavily on:

  • JIRA as our bug tracking software
  • Python, Java and JavaScript to write automation tests
  • JMeter for load tests
  • Selenium/Web Driver for end to end testing
  • Fiddler, Burp and Developer Tools to analyse packets
  • SOAP UI for API inspection
  • Jenkins for deployment
  • Dynatrace for application monitoring
  • Azure for most of our infrastructure
  • Postgres and Redis as our databases
  • UK Design System for our web interfaces
  • Macs to do all of the above

What will you be doing?

  • Manage full traceability of defects, tests and requirements. Report issues found through the appropriate channels. Contribute to, and as required lead the design of the organisation’s process and selection of tools relating to defect management.
  • Influence stakeholders at all levels including senior management within Digital Delivery to employ suitable practices, such as test-driven development and shift-left testing. Champion test practices, provide advice and guidance to formal and informal networks across HMCTS on the different types of tests, testing tools and testing environments available.
  • Analyse test results, critically evaluate and communicate findings to the relevant stakeholders. Lead on troublshsooting and identifying opportunities to enhance existing functionality of the software that will improve HMCTS’s service delivery.
  • Constantly seek to learn and further develop your skills as required for your role. Share knowledge with others. Coach and mentor more junior colleagues. Participate in recruitment and procurement activities as required.

What are we looking for?

  • Ability to make decisions and play a leadership role in selecting the type of tools, techniques and environments used for testing. Using negotiation and influencing skills to assist the business to differentiate between defects and features.
  • Ability to lead, coach and train others on Non-functional requirements (NFRs) and Functional requirements (FRs) testing; as well as to identify opportunities to improve existing process.
  • Practitioner-level expertise in evaluating test results based on, for example, creative thinking and asking the right questions.
  • Experience in managing defects of a live system, alerting the business to them, and you can help prioritise them (for example based on defect severity).
  • Practitioner-level working knowledge of different test tools (bug tracking/defect management, IDEs, test libraries, packet analysers, load testing and API inspection), ideally in our technology stack.
  • ISTQB® certification at an Advanced level, or equivalent qualification / knowledge; Wealth of knowledge of testing techniques and frameworks, and broader knowledge of topics relevant to testing across the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

What can we offer you?

  • A generous pension scheme on average of up to 27%
  • 25 days leave, plus 8 bank holidays, plus 1 privilege day usually taken around the Queens’ birthday
  • Flexible working; whether it’s working from home or remotely, working part-time, job sharing, or working compressed hours, we have people doing it and are happy to discuss options with you
  • Great maternity, adoption, and shared parental leave, with up to 26 weeks leave at full pay, 13 weeks with partial pay, and 13 weeks further leave. And maternity support/paternity leave at full pay for 2 weeks, too!
  • Bike loans and secure bike parking (subject to availability and location)
  • Season ticket loans, childcare vouchers, and eye-care vouchers.
  • Up to 5 days paid leave per year for voluntary work you may wish to undertake
  • We also currently have employee-run networks for colleagues of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, those with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees with which you will eligible to join

We are passionate about career development and in order to help support this, we offer a number of training and development platforms that employees will have access to. Working with your manager, you will be given the support and time required to complete agreed courses, as part of your personal development plan.

  • Pluralsight - Over 7000 video training courses created by over 1400 subject-matter experts, covering a wide range of software development related skills.
  • Microsoft Enterprise Skills Initiative - a range of Azure focused courses that can lead to Microsoft Certification.
  • Civil Service Learning - a wide variety of online training to help support your role as a Civil Servant.

We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce and pride ourselves as being an employer of choice. To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice/about/equality-and-diversity

Further details can be found in the downloadable Job Description

Working Arrangements & Further Information

Some of MoJ’s terms and conditions of service are changing as part of Civil Service reform. The changes will apply to staff joining MoJ who are new to the Civil Service. Staff joining MoJ from other civil service employers will transfer onto the new MoJ terms if they are already on 'modernised' terms in their current post or onto 'unmodernised' MoJ terms if they are on 'unmodernised' terms at their current post. Details will be available if an offer is made.

Flexible working hours

The Ministry of Justice offers a flexible working system in many offices.

Benefits

The MoJ offers a range of benefits:

Annual Leave

Annual leave is 25 days on appointment and will increase to 30 days after five years’ service.

There is also a scheme to allow qualifying staff to buy or sell up to three days leave each year. Additional paid time off for public holidays and 1 privilege day. Leave for part-time and job share posts will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.

Pension

The Civil Service offers a choice of pension schemes, giving you the flexibility to choose the pension that suits you best.

Training

The Ministry of Justice is committed to staff development and offers an extensive range of training and development opportunities.

Support

  • A range of ‘Family Friendly’ policies such as opportunities to work reduced hours or job share.
  • Access to flexible benefits such as voluntary benefits,retail vouchers and discounts on a range of goods and services.
  • For any moves across the Civil Service may have implications on your ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers
  • Paid paternity, adoption and maternity leave.
  • Free annual sight tests for employees who use computer screens.

Networks

The opportunity to join employee-run networks that have been established to provide advice and support and to enable the views of employees from minority groups to be expressed direct to senior management. There are currently networks for employees of minority ethnic origin, employees with disabilities, employees with caring responsibilities, women employees, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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. Should you feel that the recruitment process has breached the recruitment principles you are able to raise a formal complaint in the following order

1-    To Shared Service Connected Ltd (0845 241 5358 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or e mail Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com);

2-    To Ministry of Justice Resourcing (resourcing-services@justice.gov.uk);

3-    To the Civil Service Commission (details available here)

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.

There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Grading Structure Review

The Ministry of Justice is currently undergoing a review of posts which are currently graded at Band A to realign our grading structure with the majority of the wider Civil Service.

Posts advertised at Band A may be graded at either Grade 6 or Grade 7 once the review has taken place.  

To be confirmed

03/10/2021, 23:55 hours.

If you require any assistance please call 0845 241 5359 (Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm) or email Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com Please quote the job reference - 47019.

To apply for roles in MOJ you will need to confirm your employment history for at least 3 years prior to the date of application so that pre-employment checks (BPSS) can be undertaken. If you have spent significant time abroad (a total of 6 months in the past 3 years) you would be required to give a reasonable account of the reasons why. 

For some roles you will be required to successfully complete National Security Vetting at Counter Terrorism (CTC), Security Clearance (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV) level as a condition of appointment. To meet CTC/SC/DV requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 3/5/10 years prior to the date of application (The level of checks that are required are stated in the advert).

If you do not meet the above requirements, you may still be considered if, for example:

  • You've been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
  • You were studying abroad
  • You were living overseas with parents

In such cases you will need to be able to provide referee cover for the period(s) of residence overseas. The duration of overseas residence and the country of abode will also be taken into account.

Success Profiles will enable a fairer and more inclusive method of recruitment by enabling us to assess the range of experiences, abilities, strengths, behaviours and technical/professional skills required for different roles. This flexible approach to recruitment focuses more on finding the right candidate for the specific role. To find out more about Success Profiles to support your application please click here for further guidance.

if you feel that your application has not been treated in line with the Civil Service Recruitment Principles, please contact SSCL (Moj-recruitment-vetting-enquiries@gov.sscl.com) in the first instance

We have provided detail of the assessment stages and areas being assessed to help you prepare for completing your application form, and to advise of what will be assessed following this, if you successfully pass the application stage.


Application form stage assessments

Experience
CV

Interview stage assessments

There are 2 interview stages for this vacancy.
Behaviours
Communicating and Influencing
Making Effective Decisions

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The "Making the Civil Service a Great Place to work for veterans" initiative includes a guaranteed interview scheme to those who meet the minimum criteria to provide eligible former members of the Armed Forces with opportunities to secure rewarding jobs. Allowing veterans to continue to serve their country, and to bring highly skilled individuals with a broad range of experience into the Civil Service in an environment, which recognises and values your previous service in the Armed Forces.
For further details about the initiative and eligibility requirements visit : https://www.gov.uk/government/news/making-the-civil-service-a-great-place-to-work-for-veterans

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service departments are expected to explore redeployment opportunities before making an individual redundant. The MoJ are committed, as part of the Redeployment Interview Scheme, to providing opportunities to those who are 'at risk of redundancy'.

MoJ are able to offer an interview to eligible candidates who meet the minimum selection criteria, except in a limited number of campaigns. Candidate's will not be eligible for the Redeployment Interview Scheme if they are applying on promotion.

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) https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families

· 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) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

This Vacancy is closed to applications.