Principal Test Automation Engineer, Senior Roles

Hastings Direct

Test Automation Engineer developing automation capabilities supporting Scrum Teams at Hastings Direct, a digital insurance provider. Utilizing AI tools for test automation and mentoring junior staff while improving quality and efficiency.

Posted 7/29/2026full-timeBexhill • 🇬🇧 United KingdomSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in Test Automation, Agile Methodologies, and AI Integration, with a strong focus on mentoring and transformational leadership to enhance team capabilities and drive continuous improvement in automation practices.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Test AutomationAgile MethodologiesAI IntegrationMentoring SkillsTransformational Leadership

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Hard Skills

Test AutomationCoding in JavaCoding in JavaScriptCoding in TypescriptCoding in C#User Interface Automation with SeleniumAPI Testing with SoapUIAPI Testing with PostmanContinuous Integration with AzureDevOpsContinuous Integration with Jenkins

Soft Skills

Critical ThinkingInfluencing Decision MakingSupporting Development

Tools & Technologies

JiraOctaneGitHubSelenium GridPlaywrightCypressCucumberGherkin

Industry Keywords

ScrumKanbanSAFeAutomation FrameworksAI-Enabled SolutionsTest Case ManagementContinuous ImprovementSecurity and Privacy Compliance

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

CypressJavaJavaScriptJenkinsSeleniumTypeScript

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Provide automation capabilities that support the Scrum Teams to deliver on the Automation Only approach, reducing the percentage of tests that cannot be automated through designing and implementing extensions / adjustments to the Automation Frameworks
Ensure SCRUM teams apply critical thinking to validate AI-generated outputs, support the testing and continuous improvement of AI-enabled solutions, and help drive the responsible and effective adoption of AI within everyday delivery
Use AI tools extensively to accelerate the creation, maintenance and optimisation of test automation and test cases while improving quality and efficiency
Promotes effective human lead AI practices within SCRUM teams
Create effective prompts and critically evaluate AI-generated outputs, identifying inaccuracies, gaps and improvement opportunities
Supports colleagues in adopting AI effectively and responsibly
Contribute to the testing of AI-enabled solutions and ensure that AI tools are used in line with security, privacy, cost and governance requirements
Stays informed about emerging AI capabilities and recommends improvements to engineering practices
Identify new opportunities to enhance / extend our test automation capabilities with new and/or updated tooling, supporting the evaluation, decision making, implementation and maintenance of these tools
Provide capabilities to support the provision of timely and accurate Test Automation MI for all Scrum Teams, which includes quality measures where possible supporting continuous improvement
Mentoring all direct reports, junior staff, and new joiners to achieve the necessary competencies to progress

Requirements

What you’ll need

Proficient practical experience working in a Testing Automation role
Extensive experience working in an agile environment
Transformational leadership skills being able to influence decision making and implement new tools, processes and procedures in support of the company’s vision
Good mentoring skills to support direct reports in their ongoing development
Proficient knowledge of at least one agile methodology (e.g. Scrum, Kanban, SAFe)
Familiar with backlog and test case management in a system of record such as Jira or Octane
Excellent knowledge using declarative Gherkin to capture business rules, run as automated tests with Cucumber
Strong coding skills to implement automated tests in one or more of Java, JavaScript, Typescript, C#
Comfortable with source control using GitHub
Skilled in user interface automation with Selenium & Selenium Grid, Playwright or Cypress
Ability to implement tests against API either in code or via tools such as SoapUI, Postman
Good understanding and experience using continuous integration platforms such as AzureDevOps or Jenkins (or equivalent)

Benefits

Comp & perks

Flexible working – we champion a flexible hybrid working approach – please speak to your recruiter to discuss in more detail
Competitive bonus scheme - all colleagues are eligible for our annual 4Cs performance bonus
Physical wellbeing – as a Band 4 colleague, Hastings pay for you to receive private medical Insurance (also known as PMI)
Financial wellbeing – as well as providing you with 4x your salary with our life assurance cover, income protection at no extra cost, and matched pension contributions up to 10%
27 days annual leave + bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell one of your weeks
Access to our health care cash back plans, dental plans, discounted health assessments, Cycle to work and tech schemes, discounted and free onsite facilities, social events throughout the year