Test Engineer

We are seeking highly skilled Performance Test Engineers to join our dynamic Quality Engineering team. In this role, you will be responsible for conducting performance testing at program level, ensuring that our products meet the highest standards of non-functional quality. You will collaborate closely with developers, product managers, architects and other stakeholders to design and execute comprehensive performance test plans that cover all aspects of the product life cycle. 

Additionally, you will work with Senior test Engineers and cross-product Test Delivery Leads to support the seamless integration and delivery of performance testing across the program, while identifying opportunities for process improvement and innovation. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a multidisciplinary team and play a key role in driving testing excellence.

As a Test Engineer you’ll:

• collaborate with stakeholders including product managers, developers, and architects to define performance requirements, ensuring systems are designed for scalability, reliability, and efficiency under load
• develop and execute comprehensive performance test plans, ensuring all performance criteria such as load, stress, endurance, and scalability are addressed for features and systems
• leverage and develop performance testing frameworks, scripts and tools to automate the testing process, ensuring continuous assessment of system performance and stability
• maintain performance test scripts, analyse results from tests, and identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and performance risks early in the development cycle
• collaborate closely with development and infrastructure teams to optimise system performance, resolve bottlenecks, and ensure systems meet the required performance standards
• effectively communicate performance test results, findings, and recommendations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring clarity on areas of concern, risks, and opportunities for improvement

Person specification

We’re interested in people who:

• possess experience in leading performance testing throughout the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), from gathering performance requirements to delivering production-ready solutions. This includes performance test strategy development, test analysis, test generation, reporting, and defect management
• are experienced in performance test monitoring and analysis tools to diagnose issues and optimise system performance
• are proficient in other non-functional testing types, including accessibility, and compatibility testing, using a variety of tools and methodologies to ensure software resilience, scalability, and compliance with standards
• demonstrate adaptability and teamwork, excelling in Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) environments by utilising industry-standard tools and practices. Actively promote shift-left testing, ensuring early detection of issues in the development lifecycle
• advocate for a quality-focused culture, collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams, including Managed Service Providers (MSPs), to foster continuous improvement in testing practices across the program
• embrace a proactive approach to continuous learning, with a focus on staying updated with the latest advancements in testing tools, frameworks, and methodologies. Committed to ongoing improvement and adapting best practices to evolving product needs

Benefits

There are many benefits of working at GDS, including:

• flexible hybrid working with flexi-time and the option to work part-time or condensed hours
• a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%
• 25 days of annual leave, increasing by a day each year up to a maximum of 30 days
• an extra day off for the King’s birthday
• an in-year bonus scheme to recognise high performance
• career progression and coaching, including a training budget for personal development
• paid volunteering leave
• a focus on wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme
• job satisfaction from making government services easier to use and more inclusive for people across the UK
• advances on pay, including for travel season tickets
• death in service benefits
• cycle to work scheme and facilities
• access to an employee discounts scheme
• 10 learning days per year
• volunteering opportunities (5 special leave days per year)
• access to a suite of learning activities through Civil Service learning

Any move to Government Digital Service 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 

Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

Things you need to know

Selection process details

The standard selection process for roles at GDS consists of:

• a simple application screening process - We only ask for a CV and cover letter of up to 750 words. Important tip - please ensure that your cover letter includes how you meet the skills and experience listed in the “person specification” section above
• a 60 minute video interview

Depending on how many applications we get, there might also be an extra stage before the video interview, for example a phone interview or a technical exercise.

While we value the use of AI technology to enhance our daily work, we also value the personal touch and urge applicants to write cover letters without the use of AI to emphasise their own unique experiences.

In the event we receive a high volume of applications, we will conduct the initial sift against the lead criteria which is:

• possess experience in leading performance testing throughout the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), from gathering performance requirements to delivering production-ready solutions. This includes performance test strategy development, test analysis, test generation, reporting, and defect management

In the Civil Service, we use Success Profiles to evaluate your skills and ability. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, increases performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. We’ll be assessing your technical abilities, skills, experience and behaviours that are relevant to this role.

For this role we’ll be assessing you against the following Civil Service Behaviours:

• working together
• changing and improving
• communicating and influencing
• managing a quality service

We’ll also be assessing your experience and specialist technical skills against the following skills defined in the Government Digital and Data Capability Framework for the Test Engineer role:

• communicating between the technical and non-technical
• designing and executing tests
• managing, reporting and resolving defects
• test analysis
• test and quality planning
• test engineering

Recruitment Timeline

Sift completion: week commencing Monday 14th July

Panel interviews: week commencing Monday 21st July

Candidates that do not pass the interview but have demonstrated an acceptable standard may be considered for similar roles at a lower grade.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months, from which further appointments can be made.

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.

Please note that this role requires SC clearance, which would normally need 5 years’ UK residency in the past 5 years. This is not an absolute requirement, but supplementary checks may be needed where individuals have not lived in the UK for that period. This may mean your security clearance (and therefore your appointment) will take longer or, in some cases, not be possible.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.

Sponsorship

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

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