Junior QA Engineer

Location: Liverpool City Centre, UK; hybrid working options available

Salary: £30,000–£35,000 per year, depending on experience

Company

Acorn Insurance is a UK-based specialist insurance broker with more than four decades of experience providing insurance cover for customers with non-standard needs.

What you will do

• Understand PBIs and requirements, clarify acceptance criteria, and contribute QA input to sprint planning and ceremonies.
• Create, maintain, and execute manual test cases covering functional, regression, smoke, exploratory, risk-based, cross-browser, edge-case, negative, and boundary scenarios.
• Raise and track clearly documented defects in Azure DevOps, including reproduction steps, severity, evidence, and initial root-cause analysis.
• Test native iOS and Android applications using BrowserStack, TestFlight, and Intune, including offline behaviour, push notifications, and device-specific scenarios.
• Identify accessibility issues on customer-facing pages using WAVE and axe DevTools, supporting basic WCAG 2.2 checks.
• Handle test data responsibly, identify GDPR and data privacy concerns, and collaborate with Developers, Product Owners, Business Analysts, and QA colleagues.

Requirements

• Some experience in QA, software testing, or a similar role, with a strong interest in developing a career in quality assurance.
• Understanding of manual functional, regression, smoke, exploratory, and cross-browser testing principles.
• Ability to analyse requirements, identify gaps, write and execute test cases, and investigate edge cases and negative scenarios.
• Experience reporting defects in a test management or delivery tool; Azure DevOps experience is preferred.
• Awareness of accessibility principles, WCAG 2.2, GDPR, and data privacy when working with test data.
• Applicants must have at least one year remaining on a Graduate or Post-Study Work visa; visa sponsorship is not available. DBS and financial checks are required.

Nice to have

• Exposure to Playwright automation, Git, SQL, AI-assisted tools such as GitHub Copilot or Cursor, and Azure DevOps CI/CD pipelines.
• Willingness to work toward ISTQB Foundation certification with company support.

Culture & Benefits

• Supportive, collaborative squad working with designers, engineers, and product specialists.
• Training, mentorship, career progression, and opportunities to influence working practices.
• Up to 35 days of holiday including bank holidays, with buy and sell options.
• 24/7 mental health support, free counselling, flexible benefits, and early salary access.
• Recognition awards, social events, flexible working options, and inclusive workplace support.