Senior Automation Tester

OVERVIEW

 

The Intellectual Property Office is the UK government body responsible for IP rights including patents, designs, trademarks, and copyright. Ambition to be the best IP office by:

 

• Delivering excellent IP services

• Creating a world-leading IP environment

• Making the IPO a brilliant place to work

 

We employ technically excellent people and leverage cutting-edge technologies to deliver our services

 

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is a modern organisation that relies heavily on its IT services to operate and innovate. As a Senior Automation Tester, you will play a key role in developing, im-proving, and maintaining systems that support our national and international customers. You’ll work on cutting-edge cloud technologies, modern delivery processes, and innovative projects, including those involving AI and machine learning.

 

You’ll be part of a multi-disciplinary squad, collaborating with experts to deliver enterprise-grade services. This role demands a proactive mindset, a passion for learning new technologies, and a commitment to delivering high-quality IT solutions.

 

Location: Mainly WFH with occasional visit to Newport Office (monthly or less) and will need to attend Newport Office on day 1 to pick up kit and undergo security training.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

 

Technical Duties

  • Design, write, execute, and maintain automated UI and API test suites aligned with acceptance criteria.
  • Test data processes and ensure robust, scalable, and reusable solutions using DevOps best practices.
  • Collaborate with developers to ensure unit-level test coverage and shared understanding of the codebase.
  • Build automated test solutions from scratch in line with IPO Test Strategy and Engineering Principles.
  • Identify and manage defects, incidents, risks, and issues in accordance with IPO standards.
  • Contribute to the development of small to large-scale programs, including mission-critical systems.
  • Implement toolkits and APIs for integration, performance, security, and scalability.
  • Apply HMG IA technical security controls in line with ISO 27001 and the Security Policy Framework.

 

Behavioural Expectations

  • Demonstrate leadership and influence within project teams.
  • Engage stakeholders to build collaborative relationships.
  • Support project and delivery management when required.
  • Delegate tasks effectively and apply the “progress over perfection” principle.
  • Take ownership of decisions and outcomes.
  • Show resilience and learn from setbacks.
  • Inspire and motivate others to drive progress.
  • Champion collaboration, learning, and cross-team knowledge sharing.

 

Personal & Team Development

  • Drive personal training and development.
  • Ensure team activities follow governance and process standards.
  • Promote IPO and Civil Service values.
  • Mentor and coach junior colleagues.
  • Stay current with technical trends and continuously improve skills.

 

EXPERIENCE

 

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

 

Experience

  • Key contributor to large-scale technical projects.
  • Experience with cloud technologies, particularly Azure.
  • Familiarity with data models and test documentation.
  • Experience testing front-end and back-end web services.
  • Agile delivery experience.
  • Working knowledge of Azure DevOps.

Technical Skills

  • Proficient in automation tools: MS Visual Studio with C#, Selenium, BDD, Reqnrole, MSTest, RestSharp, JavaScript.
  • Experience with non-functional testing tools: JMeter, Azure Load Test.
  • Working knowledge of GitHub.
  • Strong understanding of architectural principles and design patterns.
  • Experience writing SQL statements.

DESIRABLE SKILLS

  • Knowledge of unit testing.
  • Experience testing Dynamics 365 and Power Platform.
  • Advocate of DevOps principles.
  • ISTQB Foundation certification.
  • Experience with Docker and Python.