Senior Automation Test Engineer - Playwright - SC Cleared

Lead Automation Test Engineer – Playwright - SC Cleared - Inside IR35 We’re seeking a Senior Automation Test Engineer to join a high-profile secure government programme, contributing to the delivery of complex digital platforms.This role requires a hands-on engineer with strong test automation experience and the confidence to act as a Lead when needed — providing quality assurance oversight, mentoring peers, and maintaining high testing standards across the team.You’ll work within an agile, multidisciplinary environment, helping design and implement robust automated testing frameworks that ensure reliability and performance at scale.Key Responsibilities

• Design, develop and maintain automated test frameworks using Playwright, TypeScript and Java.
• Execute end-to-end, integration, and regression testing across distributed systems.
• Collaborate with developers, QA and DevOps to drive continuous testing and improve release quality.
• Support integration testing with tools such as WireMock and Kafka.
• Build and manage test environments using Docker.
• Lead on testing standards and act as a point of escalation or stand-in for the Lead Engineer.

Skills & ExperienceEssential:

• Strong experience in test automation engineering using Playwright, TypeScript, Java and Docker.
• Excellent understanding of automation frameworks, CI/CD practices and quality assurance processes.
• Proven experience within secure or complex software delivery environments.
• Ability to mentor and guide other engineers; comfortable stepping up to lead when required.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Active SC Clearance (essential).

Desirable:

• Experience with WireMock, Kafka, or other service mocking/event-driven test tools.
• Familiarity with CI/CD tooling (e.g. Jenkins, GitLab, Bamboo).