Automation Tester - Inside IR35 - SC Cleared

Automation Tester Inside IR35 - £475 - £500 p/d Active SC Essential We are seeking skilled Automation Testers to join large-scale government digital programmes, working on secure and business-critical systems that impact millions of citizens. You’ll play a key role in embedding test automation within cross-functional delivery teams, ensuring quality and resilience across complex public-sector services.Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, and maintain robust automation frameworks within Agile, GDS-aligned delivery environments.
• Collaborate closely with developers, product teams, and stakeholders to integrate testing across the full SDLC.
• Apply Object-Oriented principles and best practice design patterns to produce clean, maintainable, and reusable test solutions.
• Implement SOLID and DRY principles in automation design.
• Contribute to CI/CD pipelines and trunk-based development workflows, ensuring automation supports rapid, reliable delivery.
• Support test coverage across APIs, microservices, and user interfaces.
• Provide assurance on code quality, peer review automation code, and share knowledge with the wider test community.

Essential Skills & Experience Java

• Extensive hands-on coding in Java, following industry best practice.
• Strong knowledge of Spring Framework and Spring Boot.
• Experience working with JUnit for automation testing.

JavaScript

• Extensive experience coding in JavaScript.
• Strong knowledge of the React framework.
• Practical automation experience with Playwright, Cypress, or Karate.

Core Competencies (for all)

• Strong understanding of Object-Oriented principles.
• Demonstrated experience applying SOLID and DRY design principles.
• Experience of working in SDLC environments common in government projects (Agile, CI/CD, trunk-based development).
• Ability to operate in secure, regulated environments and deliver to GDS standards.

Desirable

• Previous experience delivering within UK Government / Public-Sector digital programmes.
• Familiarity with GDS Service Standards, accessibility, and assurance processes.
• Understanding of security, data privacy, and compliance requirements in government projects.