Principal Test Engineer Job Manchester area,Greater Manchester England UK,Software Development

Our client, a leading organisation in the technology and insurance sector, is seeking a Principal Test Engineer to provide technical leadership across complex technology programmes. This permanent role offers a hybrid working pattern, with two days per week based in the London, Bournemouth or Stockport office, alongside flexible working options.

Key Responsibilities:

Lead the end-to-end software testing lifecycle across large-scale programmes, including planning, estimation, execution, defect management and reporting
Own testing strategy, governance and delivery across multiple projects, ensuring consistent and effective quality assurance
Design and evolve scalable test automation frameworks, promoting automation standards, continuous integration and modern engineering practices
Act as a recognised test engineering authority, providing technical leadership and guidance on testing standards and best practice
Drive quality across complex distributed systems, including microservices, APIs, cloud-based environments and multi-system integrations
Influence senior stakeholders, architects, developers and product teams on requirements, testability, design decisions and launch readiness
Lead non-functional testing strategies covering performance, accessibility and security, while researching emerging and AI-powered testing solutions
Coach and mentor test engineers, contributing to communities of practice and the continued development of test engineering capability

Job Requirements:

Significant experience leading testing and quality engineering across large-scale, complex technology programmes
Recognised expertise in test engineering, software testing, test automation and modern quality practices
Advanced experience designing automation frameworks and embedding testing within CI/CD pipelines
Strong technical capability in a modern programming language, with experience testing APIs, microservices and distributed systems
Experience defining and implementing testing strategies, governance frameworks and enterprise-wide quality standards

Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders and collaborate with third-party partners
Understanding of non-functional testing, including performance, accessibility and security testing
A proven ability to coach and develop test engineering talent, alongside an interest in innovation and AI-enabled testing practices

Benefits:

Performance-related bonus scheme
Employer pension contributions
Comprehensive health insurance with access to rewards and wellbeing benefits
Life assurance
Hybrid and flexible working arrangements
Professional development, career progression and opportunities to contribute to technical communities
A supportive culture focused on wellbeing, inclusion, learning and continuous improvement
Opportunities to contribute to a purpose-driven organisation and make a positive impact on society

If you are a Principal Test Engineer with expertise in software testing, automation framework design and quality strategy leadership, help shape reliable, scalable technology solutions across a range of customer journeys.