19 Nov 2025 BBBH61443 Lead Test Automation Engineer £60000 - £80000 per annum Belfast

Northern Ireland Water Limited; Belfast; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established client in Belfast is seeking a Lead Test Automation Engineer to drive quality across their core platform. You will lead the testing strategy and mentor a team while ensuring high software standards through automation. The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in automated testing technologies like TypeScript and frameworks such as Cypress.io, and possess strong leadership skills. This role is hybrid and offers a highly competitive salary.

Qualifications

• Solid prior experience in test engineering, including experience leading or mentoring teams.
• Extensive technical background in automated testing with hands-on experience.
• Demonstrated technical leadership skills with the ability to drive team success.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive automated testing strategy.
• Lead and mentor a team of test engineers, fostering collaboration.
• Drive continuous improvement of testing processes and methodologies.

Skills

Automated testing

Team leadership

TypeScript

Cypress.io

API testing

Agile methodologies

Tools

JIRA

AWS

Job description

MCS Group is partnering with a key client in Belfast to find a hands‑on Lead Test Automation Engineer. This Lead Test Automation Engineer will play a pivotal role in driving quality across a core platform, working within a dynamic agile environment. You will take a lead role in relation to test strategy, champion automation, and ensure software is delivered to the highest standard. This role combines hands‑on technical expertise with technical leadership and strategy, giving you the chance to shape and evolve best‑in‑class testing practices.

The Role

• Develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive automated testing strategy across multiple environments.
• You will be helping the client to build out their automation, reducing regression times and identifying additional areas for automation.
• Lead and mentor a team of test engineers (both Manual and Test Automation Engineers), fostering collaboration and high performance.
• Work closely with developers, product managers and other stakeholders to ensure testing aligns with project goals and requirements.
• Oversee the creation and maintenance of automated frameworks and scripts, primarily using TypeScript (JavaScript experience also considered).
• Ensure software meets high standards of performance, quality and security through rigorous testing and validation.
• Drive continuous improvement of testing processes, tools and methodologies.
• Manage and prioritise defects, working with engineering teams for timely resolution.
• Provide clear, regular updates on testing progress, risks and outcomes to senior engineering leadership.

The Person

• This role requires solid prior experience in test engineering, including experience leading or mentoring teams.
• Extensive technical background in automated testing, with hands‑on experience with: TypeScript (or JavaScript), Cypress.io or Playwright, BDD (Cucumber & Gherkin), AWS and JIRA.
• Experience with API and performance testing.
• Solid understanding of Agile ways of working.
• Demonstrated technical leadership skills with the ability to drive team success.

Location: Belfast (Hybrid)
Salary and Package: Highly competitive

To speak in absolute confidence about this opportunity please send an up to date CV via the link provided or contact Jill Johnston, Head of IT Contracts, at MCS Group 02896 935 509

MCS Group is committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion for all, being the first recruitment agency in NI to achieve Bronze Diversity Mark accreditation, if you have a disability which means you require a reasonable adjustment to be considered at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact us and we will endeavour to facilitate the request.