(UK)Principal Engineer - Test

Codvo; Cambridge; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A global technology services company in Cambridge is seeking a Principal Engineer, Test focusing on AI Core Services Development. The ideal candidate has over 12 years of experience in software testing for cloud-native applications and is proficient in automated testing frameworks. Responsibilities include ensuring quality and security of cloud-native services and mentoring junior team members. A strong belief in ethical AI practices is essential. This role offers a dynamic environment with opportunities for growth.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in software testing, QA, or validation roles for cloud-native applications.
• Proficient in designing automated testing frameworks.
• Strong understanding of API testing, performance profiling, and security testing.

Responsibilities

• Perform functional, performance, and security testing on cloud-native services.
• Design and implement automated test suites for APIs and AI pipelines.
• Mentor junior testers and encourage continuous learning.

Skills

Cloud-native application testing

Automated testing frameworks

API testing

Microsoft Azure

Ethical AI practices

Tools

Azure DevOps

CI/CD pipelines

Job description

Job Title: Principal Engineer, Test – AI Core Services Development

Location: Cambridge, UK

Company Overview
At Codvo, software and people transformations go hand-in-hand. We are a global empathy-led technology services company. Product innovation and mature software engineering are part of our core DNA. Respect, Fairness, Growth, Agility, and Inclusiveness are the core values that we aspire to live by each day.

We continue to expand our digital strategy, design, architecture, and product management capabilities to offer expertise, outside-the-box thinking, and measurable results.

Role Requirement

We are looking for detail-oriented and forward-thinking Test Engineer to ensure the quality, performance, and security of our Core AI Services. You will help validate distributed, cloud-native services and public APIs that form the foundation for enterprise AI capabilities. This role demands deep technical skill and a passion for delivering robust, secure, and ethical AI services at scale.

You’ll be a part of a Scrum team and work closely with developers and architects to design effective validation strategies, automated testing frameworks, and AI-specific evaluation tools - with a builder mindset - rapid prototyping and continuous improvement with agility of a start-up

Key Responsibilities

• Perform functional, performance, and security testing on cloud-native services deployed on Microsoft Azure.
• Design and implement automated test suites for APIs, service components, and AI pipelines.
• Automate the evaluation of AI system outputs to ensure accuracy, consistency, and safety of responses.
• Collaborate with developers and data scientists to establish service-level quality metrics and observability hooks.
• Validate services against AI regulatory frameworks and ensure traceability, fairness, and robustness in outcomes.
• Participate in threat modelling and security validation of exposed APIs and AI services.
• Provide feedback early in the lifecycle to reduce defects and improve design.
• Mentor junior testers, encourage continuous learning, and contribute to a culture of innovation.
• AI & Cloud Expertise
• Familiarity with LLM evaluation techniques, output scoring, and validation frameworks.
• Understanding of key concepts such as prompt engineering, RAG, model orchestration, and hallucination detection.
• Experience in testing for accuracy, relevance, and consistency of AI model predictions/generations
• Defining Performance Metrics for AI services and testing for the same
• Awareness of AI safety, bias detection, and explainability techniques.
• Experience ensuring compliance with AI regulations and standards (e.g., NIST AI RMF, EU AI Act).
• Strong belief in ethical AI practices, transparency, and end-user trust.

Core Skills and Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in software testing, QA, or validation roles for cloud-native applications using Microsoft and .NET technologies.
• Proficient in designing automated testing frameworks
• Hands-on experience with Azure DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, and containerized test environments.
• Strong understanding of API testing, performance profiling, and security testing (including OWASP top 10).
• Excellent problem-solving skills, with the ability to analyse complex technical challenges and propose scalable solutions.
• Experience working in Agile teams and collaborating across global R&D locations
• Demonstrated ability to mentor junior team members fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation