OVERVIEW

The Intellectual Property Office is the UK government body responsible for IP rights including patents, designs, trademarks, and copyright. Ambition to be the best IP office by:

• Delivering excellent IP services
• Creating a world-leading IP environment
• Making the IPO a brilliant place to work

We employ technically excellent people and leverage cutting-edge technologies to deliver our services.

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is a modern organisation that relies heavily on its IT services to operate and innovate. As a Senior Automation Tester, you will play a key role in developing, improving, and maintaining systems that support our national and international customers. You’ll work on cutting-edge cloud technologies, modern delivery processes, and innovative projects, including those involving AI and machine learning.

You’ll be part of a multi-disciplinary squad, collaborating with experts to deliver enterprise-grade services. This role demands a proactive mindset, a passion for learning new technologies, and a commitment to delivering high-quality IT solutions.

Location: Mainly WFH with occasional visit to Newport Office (monthly or less) and will need to attend Newport Office on day 1 to pick up kit and undergo security training.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Duties

• Design, write, execute, and maintain automated UI and API test suites aligned with acceptance criteria.
• Test data processes and ensure robust, scalable, and reusable solutions using DevOps best practices.
• Collaborate with developers to ensure unit-level test coverage and shared understanding of the codebase.
• Build automated test solutions from scratch in line with IPO Test Strategy and Engineering Principles.
• Identify and manage defects, incidents, risks, and issues in accordance with IPO standards.
• Contribute to the development of small to large-scale programs, including mission-critical systems.
• Implement toolkits and APIs for integration, performance, security, and scalability.
• Apply HMG IA technical security controls in line with ISO 27001 and the Security Policy Framework.

• Behavioural Expectations

• Demonstrate leadership and influence within project teams.
• Engage stakeholders to build collaborative relationships.
• Support project and delivery management when required.
• Delegate tasks effectively and apply the “progress over perfection” principle.
• Take ownership of decisions and outcomes.
• Show resilience and learn from setbacks.
• Inspire and motivate others to drive progress.
• Champion collaboration, learning, and cross-team knowledge sharing.

• Personal & Team Development

• Drive personal training and development.
• Ensure team activities follow governance and process standards.
• Promote IPO and Civil Service values.
• Mentor and coach junior colleagues.
• Stay current with technical trends and continuously improve skills.

EXPERIENCE

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Experience

• Key contributor to large-scale technical projects.
• Experience with cloud technologies, particularly Azure.
• Familiarity with data models and test documentation.
• Experience testing front-end and back-end web services.
• Agile delivery experience.
• Working knowledge of Azure DevOps.

Technical Skills

• Proficient in automation tools: MS Visual Studio with C#, Selenium, BDD, Reqnrole, MSTest, RestSharp, JavaScript.
• Experience with non-functional testing tools: JMeter, Azure Load Test.
• Working knowledge of GitHub.
• Strong understanding of architectural principles and design patterns.
• Experience writing SQL statements.

DESIRABLE SKILLS

• Knowledge of unit testing.
• Experience testing Dynamics 365 and Power Platform.
• Advocate of DevOps principles.
• ISTQB Foundation certification.
• Experience with Docker and Python.