HM Revenue & Customs
Lead Test Engineer
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Lead Test Engineer
Lead Test Engineer – Chief Engineering and Platform Office (CEPO) – HMRC
Job Summary
Discover a career at HMRC—where every role fuels purpose, growth, and a sense of belonging. Hear directly from our employees about what it’s really like working here, and explore your potential.
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About HMRC
Almost every individual and business in the UK interacts with HMRC, as we collect taxes to fund public services and deliver financial support where needed. Our work has never been more critical, and as part of one of the UK’s largest and most digitally advanced organisations, Chief Engineering and Platform Office (CEPO) is driving transformation—modernising IT, simplifying complex systems, and building a scalable, service-based future.
About CEPO
The Chief Engineering and Platform Office (CEPO) leads HMRC’s technology transformation, delivering:
- A simplified, future-ready digital landscape
- Scalable, service-based solutions through partnerships
- Strategic platform governance for robust, secure infrastructure
- User-focused digital experiences for customers nation-wide
Job Description
As a Lead Test Engineer, you will play a strategic role in shaping and embedding consistent testing best practices across HMRC’s complex digital ecosystem.
Responsibilities
Leadership & Collaboration
- Lead, coach, and mentor test engineers across programmes, fostering continuous improvement
- Collaborate with product, platform, and delivery teams to integrate testing early and effectively in agile workflows
- Influence and engage with senior stakeholders (both HMRC and supplier organisations) to drive quality outcomes
Test Strategy & Implementation
- Define and implement risk-based, shift-left testing strategies across diverse platforms and services
- Ensure testing aligns with business priorities, technical architecture, and delivery timelines
- Champion consistent testing standards, both internally and with third-party suppliers
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Technical Excellence & Problem Solving
- Apply advanced testing techniques (functional, non-functional, automation) to solve complex challenges
- Provide expert guidance on performance, security, and accessibility testing
- Identify innovation opportunities to optimise testing processes
Tooling & Governance
- Evaluate, implement, and optimise test tooling, including AI-assisted solutions for CI/CD
- Establish governance frameworks for supplier-led testing, ensuring alignment with HMRC standards
- Support tooling integration with platforms and services
Quality Assurance & Risk Management
- Ensure quality is built in from the outset by validating requirements and test coverage
- Lead retrospectives and continuous improvement initiatives to enhance testing effectiveness
- Produce clear, actionable reports to inform decision-making and reduce delivery risk
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
You must:
- Proactively shape strategic testing direction by identifying risks, challenging assumptions, and cross-boundary collaboration
- Lead complex, multi-team testing initiatives across platforms and suppliers in fast-paced Agile environments
- Apply analytical, risk-based decision-making using data, metrics, and problem-solving to balance quality, risk, and delivery
- Demonstrate deep technical expertise in:
- Automation (Python, Scala)
- Testing frameworks (Selenium, Playwright, Gatling)
- Security (OWASP ZAP)
- Accessibility (Axe)
- CI/CD (Jenkins, Docker)
- Cloud (AWS)
- Tooling and workflows (Jira, Confluence)
- Champion DevOps and shift-left principles, embedding testing early in the lifecycle while coaching teams
- Work closely with product and service owners to define future testing directions
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Benefits
- Salary: £58,541 per annum
- Defined Benefit Pension: Government contributes £16,959 per year (Civil Service pension scheme)
- Workplace Culture:
- Flexible and Hybrid Working policies (60% office time, up to 2 days remote per week).
- Generous leave allowance (starting at 25 days/year, increasing to 30 days after qualifying years)
- Family-friendly policies
- Development support via coaching, training, and personal mentoring
- Penalties Contribution: 28.97% across 5 pension schemes
Location and Eligibility
Key Policy Notes
- Qualifying Locations: Currently, sites at Benton Park View (Newcastle; moving to Pilgrims Quarter) and Telford Plaza (moving to Parkside Court) are temporary—relocation to new buildings may occur.
- Selection Process:
- CV (name-blind)
- Personal Statement (750 words)—highlighting your fit for essential criteria
- Diversity and Inclusion: We prioritise fair opportunities for disabled candidates, veterans, and those under-represented in tech roles.
Selection Process
- Personal Statement Assessment (750-word statement + CV)
- Interview (behavioural analysis, experience validation)
- Interviews via Video Link
(Full details here—review in full for full qualifications health checks and accommodations.)
Candidate Guarantees
- Clean Accessibility Support: Reasonable adjustments provided at every stage.
- Policy Integrity: All professional discrepancies are investigated fairly.
- No Plagiarism Tolerance: Any fraud in applications can lead to dismissal or disciplinary action.
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