Test engineer

Find out what a test engineer in government does and the skills you need to do the job at each level.

Published 7 January 2020

Contents

— What a test engineer does
— Test engineer role levels

— 1. Tester (test engineer)
— 2. Test engineer
— 3. Senior test engineer
— 4. Lead test engineer

— Roles that share test engineer skills

What a test engineer does

A test engineer undertakes test planning activity including discovery capture, test definition and the estimation of test effort, as part of a broader risk-based approach.

Test engineer role levels

There are 4 test engineer role levels, from tester (test engineer) to lead test engineer.

The typical responsibilities and skills for each role level are described in the sections below. You can use this to identify the skills you need to progress in your career, or simply to learn more about each role in the Government Digital and Data profession.

1. Tester (test engineer)

A tester (test engineer) works closely with test engineers and QAT analysts to learn the activities and techniques required to establish the basis of testing.

At this role level, you will:

have domain and business knowledge
develop test scripts under supervision
raise awareness of and manage defects

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

AO (Administrative Officer)
EO (Executive Officer)

Skill	Description
Functional testing Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: show an awareness of functional testing techniques execute test scenarios and identify defects, raising awareness of them run tests others have written and know the processes to do so show an understanding of a range of standard testing techniques
Non-functional testing Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: show an awareness of non-functional testing techniques execute non-functional test scenarios and identify defects run non-functional tests others have written and know the processes to do so understand a range of standard non-functional testing techniques
Technical breadth Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: show an awareness of a range of tools and techniques for test automation demonstrate some technical attributes
Test analysis Level: awareness Awareness is the first of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: contribute to improving delivery and understand the importance of evidence-based design and analysis

You can:

show an awareness of functional testing techniques
execute test scenarios and identify defects, raising awareness of them
run tests others have written and know the processes to do so
show an understanding of a range of standard testing techniques

You can:

show an awareness of non-functional testing techniques
execute non-functional test scenarios and identify defects
run non-functional tests others have written and know the processes to do so
understand a range of standard non-functional testing techniques

You can:

show an awareness of a range of tools and techniques for test automation
demonstrate some technical attributes

You can:

contribute to improving delivery and understand the importance of evidence-based design and analysis

2. Test engineer

A test engineer is responsible for writing, debugging and refactoring test code.

At this role level, you will:

work closely with software developers to reach a common understanding of the code base and test coverage at unit level
collaborate with analysts to ensure the required business scenarios are covered in the acceptance test scripts
work on both functional and non-functional areas of an application
coach and mentor testers

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

HEO (Higher Executive Officer)
SEO (Senior Executive Officer)

Skill	Description
Functional testing Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: design and execute test cases using standard testing techniques come up with different business scenarios for a feature, working with others in the team
Non-functional testing Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: design and execute non-functional test cases using standard testing techniques, in instructed environments come up with different business scenarios for a feature, working with others in the team
Technical breadth Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: use a range of technologies for testing use one type of tool to write test scripts use technologies to design and execute test cases under guidance
Test analysis Level: working Working is the second of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: identify simple patterns and trends investigate problems and opportunities in existing processes, and contribute to recommending solutions work with stakeholders to identify objectives and potential benefits

You can:

design and execute test cases using standard testing techniques
come up with different business scenarios for a feature, working with others in the team

You can:

design and execute non-functional test cases using standard testing techniques, in instructed environments
come up with different business scenarios for a feature, working with others in the team

You can:

use a range of technologies for testing
use one type of tool to write test scripts
use technologies to design and execute test cases under guidance

You can:

identify simple patterns and trends
investigate problems and opportunities in existing processes, and contribute to recommending solutions
work with stakeholders to identify objectives and potential benefits

3. Senior test engineer

A senior test engineer has similar responsibilities to a test engineer but at a more complex level and on a greater scale.

At this role level, you will:

identify and raise awareness of risks arising from the automation test results
identify new and implement existing test frameworks to improve confidence in testing
be proficient in a range of coding languages (you may be an expert in only one)
mentor and advise other team members in testing practices

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

SEO (Senior Executive Officer)
G7 (Grade 7)

Skill	Description
Functional testing Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: design and execute a wide range of testing techniques and communicate test results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders make decisions on the environment for testing, and can coach others identify defects, alert the business to them, and help to prioritise them based on defect severity
Non-functional testing Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: design and execute a wide range of non-functional testing techniques communicate non-functional test results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders make decisions on running types of non-functional testing coach and mentor others identify defects, alert the business to them, and help to prioritise them based on defect severity
Technical breadth Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: demonstrate a good working knowledge of different tools and techniques, and can train others advise others on testing techniques and frameworks effectively research, plan and train others within the team
Test analysis Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: think creatively, ask the right questions and critically evaluate and communicate findings to a larger team lead investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes drive the collection of information and the creation of recommendations for improvements absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to determine solutions

You can:

design and execute a wide range of testing techniques and communicate test results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
make decisions on the environment for testing, and can coach others
identify defects, alert the business to them, and help to prioritise them based on defect severity

You can:

design and execute a wide range of non-functional testing techniques
communicate non-functional test results to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
make decisions on running types of non-functional testing
coach and mentor others
identify defects, alert the business to them, and help to prioritise them based on defect severity

You can:

demonstrate a good working knowledge of different tools and techniques, and can train others
advise others on testing techniques and frameworks
effectively research, plan and train others within the team

You can:

think creatively, ask the right questions and critically evaluate and communicate findings to a larger team
lead investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes
drive the collection of information and the creation of recommendations for improvements
absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to determine solutions

4. Lead test engineer

A lead test engineer writes new automation test frameworks based on project requirements.

At this role level, you will:

promote the use of open source tools
be proficient in multiple test scripting languages
have a presence in external test communities and regularly share learning
work closely with leads across the Government Digital and Data profession to champion quality
guide test team members to design test strategies (which may involve more complex and larger scale delivery)
manage communications between projects to control integration and dependencies

This role level is often performed at the Civil Service job grade of:

G7 (Grade 7)
G6 (Grade 6)

Skill	Description
Functional testing Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: advise on up-to-date functional testing techniques assess and peer-review the work of others coach and mentor others write test approaches for major projects and provide guidance on risk approaches devise new test techniques and provide recommendations
Non-functional testing Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: advise on up-to-date non-functional testing techniques assess and peer-review the work of others coach and mentor others write non-functional test approaches for major projects and provide guidance on risk approaches devise new non-functional test techniques and provide recommendations
Technical breadth Level: expert Expert is the fourth of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: act as an adviser with a strategic understanding of IT trends and technologies write and publish papers demonstrate knowledge of emerging tools and techniques set up frameworks based on the needs of the team effectively work across different tools and software languages
Test analysis Level: practitioner Practitioner is the third of 4 ascending skill levels	You can: think creatively, ask the right questions and critically evaluate and communicate findings to a larger team lead investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes drive the collection of information and the creation of recommendations for improvements absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to determine solutions

You can:

advise on up-to-date functional testing techniques
assess and peer-review the work of others
coach and mentor others
write test approaches for major projects and provide guidance on risk approaches
devise new test techniques and provide recommendations

You can:

advise on up-to-date non-functional testing techniques
assess and peer-review the work of others
coach and mentor others
write non-functional test approaches for major projects and provide guidance on risk approaches
devise new non-functional test techniques and provide recommendations

You can:

act as an adviser with a strategic understanding of IT trends and technologies
write and publish papers
demonstrate knowledge of emerging tools and techniques
set up frameworks based on the needs of the team
effectively work across different tools and software languages

You can:

think creatively, ask the right questions and critically evaluate and communicate findings to a larger team
lead investigative work into problems and opportunities in existing processes
drive the collection of information and the creation of recommendations for improvements
absorb large amounts of conflicting information and use it to determine solutions

Role	Shared skills
Quality assurance testing (QAT) analyst	Functional testing Non-functional testing Technical breadth Test analysis
Test manager	Functional testing Non-functional testing Technical breadth Test analysis
Solution architect	Technical breadth

Functional testing

Non-functional testing

Technical breadth

Test analysis

Functional testing

Non-functional testing

Technical breadth

Test analysis

Technical breadth