Systems Test Engineer

Job summary

Systems test engineer

Salary: £37,841 per annum
Hours: Full time / Part time (0.8 FTE minimum)
Contract type: Open ended
Location: Research England, Westward House, Lime Kiln Close, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8SR
Grade: UKRI D
Positions available: 1
Closing date: Sunday 8th March 2026
Proposed interview date: Week of the 23rd March 2026

Job description

About us

The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions, with the most recent exercise concluding in 2021. It is a peer review assessment process involving submissions from higher education institutions across the UK. Research England delivered REF 2021 on behalf of the four UK funding bodies and the results have driven the annual distribution of approximately £2 billion of research funding to UK universities.

Purpose

We require systems to be delivered to support:

• Administration of the exercise
• The submission of large volumes of research data from all participating HEIs
• The dissemination and assessment of all elements of the research data submitted.

Working within the REF systems team, you will be a key part of our test function, playing a crucial role in ensuring the quality, reliability, and user-friendliness of our systems. This is an exciting opportunity to work within a full systems delivery team following user centred design and Agile methodologies.

Main outputs and activities

• Review user stories and design test cases for features.
• Maintain and improve regression test cases for our applications.
• Execute test cases and documenting their results in detail.
• Log defects and escalate these when necessary.
• Perform a mix of testing: functional, accessibility, cross-browser, regression, acceptance, verification.
• Represent the test function in Agile ceremonies.
• Be interested in learning about test automation.
• Work closely with our in-house user support function on live issues.

Person specification

The below criteria will be scored during Shortlisting (S), Interview (I) or both (S&I).

Essential

• Experience designing, reviewing and executing test cases for web applications. (S&I)
• Experience using software that supports defect logging/tracking e.g. Jira, Azure DevOps, etc. (S&I)
• Experience working as a tester in an Agile environment, ideally Agile SCRUM. (S&I)
• Experience performing a mix of testing: functional, accessibility, cross-browser, regression, acceptance, verification. (S&I)
• Experience testing web applications using the application’s front end. (I)
• Experience testing web applications using the application’s API e.g. cURL, Postman, etc. (I)
• Experience working with SQL databases during testing activity e.g. Setting up test data, investigating defects, writing simple queries, etc. (I)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,841, Research England contributes £10,962 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package. We are committed to supporting employees' development and promote a culture of continuous learning!

A list of benefits below:

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme.
• 30 days' annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent).
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities.
• Employee assistance programme, providing confidential help and advice.
• Flexible working options.

Plus many more benefits and wellbeing initiatives that enable our employees to have a great work life balance!

For further information on our benefits please see:

Benefits of working at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI is an Equal Opportunity & Disability Confident Employer.

Please apply online, if you experience any issue applying, please contact Recruitment@ukri.org.

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

How to apply:

For full details, please visit our careers site. Please submit an application including your CV and a Cover Letter that showcases how your skills and experience align to the requirements of the role.

A well thought through application providing evidence and examples of how you meet the advertised essential and desirable criteria for the post will be considered far more favourably than a generic covering letter and CV.

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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.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.

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

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 : UKRI Recruitment team
• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org

Recruitment team

• Email : Recruitment@ukri.org