Principal QA Engineer

TL;DR

Principal QA Engineer: Lead QA approach in agile squad, driving automation-first strategy for functional and non-functional testing with an accent on test-driven development and SDLC compliance. Focus on owning test plans, preventing defects, and mentoring teams for continuous quality improvement.

Location: Liverpool, England, United Kingdom (Flexible, hybrid working model)

Company

We combine brands and products with flexible payments on Very.co.uk to help families.

What you will do

• Lead and develop QA capability within your agile squad per tech standards.
• Drive automation-first strategy for functional and non-functional testing.
• Own test plans, documentation, and evidence for QA activities.
• Coach offshore teams and promote value-add delivery practices.
• Review lessons learned and collaborate to embed quality in SDLC.

Requirements

• 5+ years QA and testing experience at leadership and practitioner levels
• Expertise in software testing, modern QA methodologies, and SDLC frameworks.
• Experience with Test-Driven approaches (ATDD, BDD, TDD).
• Proficiency in programming for automation and API testing tools (Postman, Swagger, etc.).
• Strong non-functional testing knowledge, especially performance and security.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, and exploratory testing skills.

Nice to have

• Experience in Financial Services, Retail, or Logistics.

Culture & Benefits

• Inclusive culture and flexible hybrid working.
• 30 days holiday + bank holidays, £1000 flexible benefits allowance.
• LinkedIn Learning access, bonus potential, up to 25% Very.co.uk discount.
• Matched pension up to 6%.

Hiring process

• Talent acquisition manages applications directly.
• Requires credit, CIFAS, Right to Work, and possible DBS checks.
• Disclose any relevant information prior to checks if application progresses.