Principal SDET

Principal Software Development Engineer in Test

Job title: Principal SDET

Reports to: Director of Software Engineering

Role Overview

The Principal SDET will lead the quality engineering function across Space NK's technology landscape, defining and driving a cohesive QA and test automation strategy across web, mobile applications, ERP systems, and cloud/on premise infrastructure. This role is responsible for embedding a modern, scalable, and efficient testing approach that prioritises automation, reduces regression overhead, and ensures high quality releases aligned with business objectives. Working closely with engineering, DevOps, product, and infrastructure teams, this role will establish best in class testing practices, governance, and tooling to support a fast paced, omnichannel retail environment.

This leader will play a key role in fostering a quality first culture, ensuring adherence to change management processes and program delivery standards, while continuously improving test efficiency, coverage, and reliability.

Key Responsibilities

QA Strategy and Transformation

• Define and Deliver QA Strategy: Establish and execute a comprehensive QA and test automation strategy across all platforms (web, mobile, ERP, cloud, and on-premise systems).
• Automation-First Approach: Drive the adoption of automated testing at all levels (unit, integration, API, UI), reducing reliance on manual regression testing.
• Test Framework Architecture: Design and standardise scalable, maintainable test frameworks and tooling aligned with engineering best practices.
• Quality Metrics and Reporting: Define KPIs and metrics to measure quality, test coverage, defect leakage, and release confidence.

Test Engineering and Delivery Excellence

• End-to-End Test Ownership: Oversee testing across the full delivery lifecycle, ensuring robust validation of business critical systems.
• Regression Optimisation: Implement efficient regression strategies, including risk based testing and intelligent test selection.
• CI/CD Integration: Collaborate with DevOps and engineering teams to embed automated testing within CI/CD pipelines, enabling continuous testing and faster feedback loops.
• Environment and Data Strategy: Establish best practices for test environments and test data management to ensure reliability and repeatability.

Governance, Compliance, and Change Management

• Testing Governance: Define and enforce QA standards, processes, and best practices across engineering teams.
• Change Management Alignment: Ensure all testing activities align with organisational change management policies and release controls.
• Program Delivery Standards: Embed quality gates within delivery processes, ensuring adherence to program and engineering standards.
• Risk Management: Identify quality risks early and implement mitigation strategies to protect business continuity.

Cross-functional Collaboration and Leadership

• Engineering Partnership: Work closely with engineering, product, DevOps, and infrastructure teams to integrate quality into all stages of development.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate quality strategy, risks, and progress clearly to both technical and non technical stakeholders.
• Team Leadership and Mentorship: Build, lead, and mentor SDET and QA engineers, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and technical excellence.
• Quality Advocacy: Promote a "shift-left" and "quality-first" mindset across the organisation.

Continuous Improvement and Innovation

• Tooling and Technology Evaluation: Stay current with emerging testing tools, frameworks, and methodologies, recommending improvements where appropriate.
• Process Optimisation: Continuously refine testing processes to improve efficiency, scalability, and effectiveness.
• Performance and Reliability Focus: Support performance, scalability, and resilience testing initiatives across platforms.
• Operational Insight: Contribute to monitoring and production quality feedback loops to drive ongoing improvements.

Qualifications, Knowledge, and Experience

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field or equivalent experience

Experience

• Experience in QA, SDET, or software engineering roles
• Proven experience driving automation strategy at scale
• ISTQB Advanced Level Test Management (CTAL-TM) certification or ISTQB Test Manager

Technical Skills

• Programming experience (e.g., Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, Python)
• Expertise in modern test automation frameworks (e.g., Playwright, Cypress, Selenium, PyTest, REST API testing tools)
• Deep understanding of CI/CD pipelines and DevOps practices
• Experience testing across distributed systems, APIs, and microservices architectures
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (preferably Azure) and hybrid infrastructure environments
• Knowledge of ERP system testing and integration validation

Testing Expertise

• End-to-end testing strategy across web, mobile, and backend systems
• Test data management and environment strategy
• Performance and non-functional testing approaches

Governance and Process

• Experience with change management frameworks and release governance
• Strong understanding of SDLC and Agile delivery methodologies

Soft Skills

• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Strong leadership and mentoring/management capabilities
• Ability to influence engineering culture and drive organisational change

All applicants must have the right to live and work in the United Kingdom.

Space NK are an equal opportunities employer.

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