Software Test Engineer

Salary: £63,000 - 103,000 per year

Requirements:

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Software Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline
• Proven experience supporting or leading software testing activities
• Strong understanding of software testing within the software development lifecycle (SDLC)
• Experience planning and delivering manual and regression testing
• Knowledge of software engineering lifecycle processes and associated tools
• Experience working with requirements and translating them into effective test solutions
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Good technical documentation and report-writing skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with technical specialists and non-technical stakeholders
• Experience in one or more of the following: Java, JavaFX, NetBeans, C++, Visual Studio, Python, automated software testing, unit testing (JUnit or CppUnit), requirements management (ideally IBM DOORS), UML, Enterprise Architect, IBM Engineering Test Manager, Workflow Manager, MATLAB, LabVIEW, SQL, HTML, JavaScript, virtualisation, network configuration, communications protocols, or Agile software development
• A strong bias towards either Java or C++ is acceptable; candidates are not expected to be equally experienced in both
• Experience within defence, maritime, aerospace, or another safety-critical/high-integrity field

Responsibilities:

• Plan, manage, and deliver software test activities throughout the software development lifecycle
• Develop robust manual, automated, and regression testing solutions
• Produce test plans, test specifications, procedures, and supporting documentation
• Perform software verification and validation activities
• Support software and systems integration testing
• Ensure appropriate traceability between requirements, testing, and results
• Identify, investigate, and document software defects
• Collaborate with software, systems, hardware, and integration engineering teams
• Support testing of high-integrity and safety-related software
• Produce clear technical reports and communicate results to technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of software testing processes and methodologies

Technologies:

• Architect
• Hardware
• IBM
• Support
• JUnit
• Java
• JavaFX
• JavaScript
• Matlab
• Network
• Python
• SQL
• UML
• Visual Studio

More:

We are recruiting a permanent Software Test Engineer to join our highly skilled engineering team working on complex, high-integrity software and systems in the defence and maritime sector. The role focuses on software testing throughout the development lifecycle and offers exposure to technically challenging, complex defence, maritime, and safety-critical systems. The position is based in Dorchester or Winfrith Newburgh, Dorset, with a hybrid working pattern.

last updated 39 week of 2026