About the job

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 and Technology Services (DDTS) is the trusted team for Digital across the entire Defra Group.

We have around 1,200 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.

Find out more about DDTS:

Defra Digital, Data and Technology blog

LinkedIn 

Defra Jobs 

Job description

If you join us as a Senior Test Engineer, you will be part of the team who deliver transformative change across the Defra group. You'll have the opportunity to influence delivery at a strategic level on some of the most exciting IT transformations cross-government. 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 two Senior Test Engineers.

You will be working on 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.

Webinar 

Join us on Thursday 21st March at 12:00 where we have lined up an inspirational group of speakers who will tell you more about Defra, the Digital Data and Technology Services (DDTS) within Defra and what our Test Engineers do and what projects they are working on. Hear about a day in the life of a Test Engineer (various grades) plus some detail about our current vacancies and how to make an application.

There will also be a panel of QA&T experts to answer any questions you might have. You will be able to submit your questions in the chat function or ask in our live Q&A session at the end of the webinar.

How to join the webinar:

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer, mobile app or room device

Join the Meeting

Meeting ID: 351 600 944 73
Passcode: D8my9e

Download Teams , Join on the web

Join with a video conferencing device

teams@defra.onpexip.com

Video Conference ID: 128 525 336 7

Alternate VTC instructions

Or call in (audio only)

  United Kingdom, London

Phone Conference ID: 245 943 410#

Find a local number , Reset PIN

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 manual, functional and non-functional tests.

• You will inform and influence stakeholders around the testing actions that need to be taken by the project.

• You will implement the release test plan and ensure the correct test types and acceptance criteria are applied to the right standard.

• You will assess, and own risks raised by other QA&T engineers at project level.

• You will contribute to the team community, coaching team members, promoting knowledge transfer and a culture of continuous improvement.

• Be involved in helping recruit testers including sifting and interviewing.

• Challenge timelines where appropriate and ensure quality of services is in line with standards.

Skills and experience

• Experience of validating acceptance criteria and using Behavioral Driven Development or similar approaches in practice.

• Experience building and/or maintaining automated UI and/or API tests. 

• Experience of recommending and best utilising a wide range of automation tools for functional and non-functional testing.

• Experience dealing with ambiguous requirements.

• Proven experience balancing multiple priorities.

• Knowledge of non-functional testing.

• Knowledge of Engineering practices/good coding standards.

• Leading one or more teams through the Software Testing Life Cycle (including shift left and CI/CD).

• Ability to research and learn new test tools and techniques.

• Excellent communication skills.

• Dedication to developing self and others.

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. You may find the STAR method helpful.

For further information on STAR, you can check out our hints and tips document.

Application

As part of the application process, you will be assessed on your experience and will be asked to complete a CV. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

Sift will begin shortly after the advert closes.

Interview

If successful at sift stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on the Behaviours and Technical Skills listed below. The Technical Skills are aligned to the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework for Test Engineers. 

A presentation or additional exercise may also be assessed.

Interview dates are to be confirmed. Please note that these may be subject to change.

Interviews will be held virtually on Microsoft Teams.

Success Profiles

For further information on Success Profiles, please use the links below and watch our videos on Defra Jobs.

Behaviours

Experience

Technical

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,439, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £10,648 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

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.

Near miss

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match.

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

London location

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

NSV

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 via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 Pre-Employment.Checks@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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.

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.