Junior QAT Engineer

Job summary

Ofgem is working at the forefront of the fight to combat inefficiencies in digital services, ensuring the systems that support the UK’s energy future are robust, reliable and built to deliver for consumers. We’re looking for a Junior QAT (Quality Assurance Tester) Engineer to join us and help ensure our digital services meet the highest standards of quality and performance.

Ofgem is Great Britain’s independent energy regulator. We’re at the forefront of change across the energy sector, driving toward Net Zero whilst protecting energy consumers, especially vulnerable people.

We’re offering a permanent role with the chance to build your career in quality assurance within a supportive and fast-paced digital environment. This is a great opportunity to develop your technical skills while contributing to services that make a real difference to consumers across the UK. You’ll be part of a multidisciplinary team, gaining practical experience and building your confidence in delivering high-quality digital solutions.

Working within an Agile squad, you’ll contribute to testing and quality activities that support the delivery of complex digital services. You’ll play a key part in ensuring that products are reliable, accessible and secure, while learning from experienced colleagues and developing your understanding of modern testing practices.

This role offers exposure to a range of testing approaches and tools, giving you the chance to grow your technical capability while working collaboratively with developers, analysts and product teams. You’ll be part of an environment that values curiosity, teamwork and continuous improvement.

We’re looking for someone with practical experience of manual testing within an Agile delivery environment and a good understanding of software testing principles. Alongside this, your technical capabilities will need to encompass an awareness of test automation tools or frameworks, non-functional testing areas, and a basic understanding of CI/CD pipelines and shift‑left testing concepts.

In return, you’ll join a collaborative and inclusive team where your development is supported from day one. You’ll have access to a wide range of learning opportunities,
experience with modern tools and technologies, and the chance to build a strong foundation for your career in digital delivery.

We have a critical purpose to advance digital service quality. Join us in combating risk and ensuring the systems that support energy regulation are reliable, secure and fit for the future.

Read on and find out more.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Execute manual tests for functional, regression, and integration scenarios in line with agreed test plans.
• Support the creation and maintenance of automated test scripts and regression packs.
• Collaborate closely with developers, product owners, and business analysts to understand requirements and acceptance criteria.
• Identify, log, and re‑test defects using agreed tooling and standards.
• Participate in Agile ceremonies including sprint planning, stand‑ups, reviews, and retrospectives.
• Support shift‑left testing practices through early engagement in design and refinement activities.
• Maintain test documentation including test cases, evidence, and test data.

Key Outputs and Deliverables

• Clearly executed test cases with supporting evidence.
• Accurate and timely defect reporting and re‑
• Up‑to‑date test documentation and traceability.
• Contributions to automated test suites and quality improvements.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Understanding of software testing principles and testing types (Lead Criteria).
• Hands‑on experience of manual testing within an Agile delivery environment (Lead Criteria).
• Awareness of test automation tools or frameworks such as Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, or Postman, and exposure to test automation or scripting languages.
• Awareness of non‑functional testing areas such as accessibility, performance, or security.
• Basic understanding of CI/CD pipelines and shift‑left testing concepts.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Developing Self and Others

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,232, OFGEM contributes £10,206 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.Ofgem can offer you a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes; 30 days annual leave after 2 years; Excellent training and development opportunities; The opportunity to join the generous Civil Service pension which also includes a valuable range of benefits; hybrid working (currently 1 day a week in the office but this is kept under review), flexible working hours and family friendly policies. Plus lots of other benefits including clean and bright offices based centrally, engaged networks and teams and an opportunity to contribute to our ambitious and important targets of establishing a Net Zero energy system by 2050. This exciting blend of professional challenge and personal reward identifies career opportunities at Ofgem as something to get excited about.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

When you press the ‘Apply now’ button, you will be asked to complete personal details (not seen by the sift panel) and upload a copy of your CV anonymising all personal details such as name/age/contact details. Please do not remove names of previous employers.

You will then be asked to provide a 1250 word ‘personal statement’ evidencing how you meet the essential skills and capabilities listed in the role profile. Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your supporting statement, how you meet each of the criteria listed in the role profile.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected, you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found by [https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn].

At Ofgem, we expect our staff to carry out their roles with honesty, fairness and openness. They should follow the Civil Service code and be free from any influence or bias. We are committed to making sure interests are recognised, declared and managed appropriately so that we can fulfil our duties as an energy regulator. Our Conflicts of Interest policy outlines the types of interests Ofgem staff must declare before onboarding, and the rules they must follow throughout employment so that we can clearly demonstrate that our decisions are not influenced by private interests.

Please note, this role is being recruited to in Ofgem. During 2027, it is expected that this role will move department as part of the Warm Homes Plan. The home department or organisation will be confirmed during 2026. The move between departments will be managed in line with the relevant staff transfer regulations.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Lewis Buckley
• Email : recruitment@ofgem.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ofgem.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of these Recruitment Principles.

In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via recruitment@ofgem.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website.

Attachments

Junior QAT Engineer, Role Profile Opens in new window (pdf, 207kB)Junior QAT Engineer, Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1389kB)Terms and Conditions April 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 366kB)