Senior Automation Test Engineer - #2196042

Senior Automation Test Engineer – Product Applications

We are seeking an experienced, self-directed Senior Automation Test Engineer to own and improve testing across a portfolio of existing applications. Primarily using Playwright with JavaScript or TypeScript, you will assess coverage, identify risks and establish maintainable automation. You will independently prioritise testing work in collaboration with Developers, Business Analysts and Product Owners, using manual exploratory, functional and regression testing where appropriate.

This role will ideally be based in our Birmingham office with a hybrid workstyle, but we can also consider candidates based in Manchester or London.

What does the role entail?

• Assess existing applications, critical user journeys, test coverage and quality risks; define a pragmatic testing approach and determine where automation or manual testing adds most value.
• Build maintainable automated test suites where coverage is limited or absent, and improve existing suites, primarily using Playwright with JavaScript or TypeScript.
• Own a risk-based testing and automation backlog, proactively identifying gaps and prioritising coverage by business risk, customer impact and value.
• Automate UI, API, integration and regression testing, with appropriate coverage across the test pyramid.
• Perform exploratory, functional and regression testing manually when appropriate, including while automation coverage is being established.
• Integrate automated tests into GitHub Actions CI/CD pipelines and resolve flaky tests, framework failures, environment issues and execution bottlenecks.
• Collaborate with Developers, Business Analysts, Product Owners and DevOps Engineers to embed pragmatic quality engineering throughout the software development lifecycle.
• Maintain proportionate test plans and records in Jira/Xray, framework documentation and meaningful quality reporting.

What we’re looking for?

Required Skills and Experience

• Significant hands-on experience in software testing and automation, typically four or more years, with evidence of independently owning testing work.
• Strong web test automation experience using JavaScript or TypeScript, with the ability to work effectively in Playwright.
• Proven experience of introducing or substantially improving automation for an existing application, not only maintaining an established test suite.
• Experience designing maintainable automation frameworks using appropriate patterns without unnecessary complexity and improving test-run reliability and speed.
• Sound risk-based judgement: understand unfamiliar applications and business processes, decide what to automate or test manually, and prioritise work with limited day-to-day direction.
• Experience with API automation and REST services, alongside practical exploratory, functional and regression testing skills.
• Experience integrating automated tests into CI/CD pipelines, using Git and sound source-control practices.
• Understanding of Agile delivery and testing throughout the software development lifecycle, with clear communication across technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Experience with Cypress and the ability to maintain or migrate existing Cypress test suites.
• Experience with cloud platforms, particularly Azure.
• Experience with Docker, SQL and testing applications that use microservices or distributed architectures.
• Broader non-functional testing experience covering performance, accessibility (including WCAG) and security awareness.
• Responsible use of AI-assisted tools such as GitHub Copilot or Claude Code to develop and maintain automation, reviewing generated output against engineering and security standards.

Why Join Isio

Isio is a fast-growing professional services business, that offers career development through an evolving client base, diverse and meaningful work, nationwide opportunities, and a culture that rewards high performance and accountability.

We hold ourselves to the highest standards and our values guide how we advise our clients, how we operate as a business and how we work together as a team. We call it the Isio Attitude. We encourage our people to be bold, to communicate with conviction, and to deliver advice that matters.

Here, growth brings opportunity - more responsibility, more clients, and work that stretches and develops you. We invest in training and development so you can expand your skills and explore different career paths across diverse markets to make your mark. Isio is a place to realise your potential and build a career with impact. You can find out more about Isio and the benefits we offer on our career's website Isio - Careers & Benefits.

At Isio, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace, in which our colleagues feel they belong, regardless of background or difference. We uphold the values of respect, fairness, and inclusion in our actions and decisions. We believe that by adhering to these principles, we will create a stronger, more innovative, and supportive environment for all, as well as ensuring that the advice and support we provide to our clients is more creative, more insightful and leaves a lasting impact.

We can offer a hybrid, flexible approach to work, supporting a work-life balance that works for you. Isio Group is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

If you think you may require a reasonable adjustment to be made for any reason at any stage of your recruitment process, please ask us.