Job title: Principal Test Engineer
Job type: Permanent
Emp type: Full-time
Salary type: Annual
Salary from: GBP £80,000.00
Salary to: GBP £90,000.00
Location: Manchester
Job published: 19/05/2026
Job ID: 43592
Contact name: Georgia Field
Contact email: Georgia@Talentlocker.co.uk

Job Description

Are you a Principal Test Engineer looking to harness AI-powered testing tools to shape the future of modern QA engineering?

A leading organisation is undergoing an exciting evolution in their testing capability and they’re looking for a Principal Test Engineer with a genuine passion for AI-powered testing automation, innovation, and modern engineering practices.

This is a senior-level opportunity for a testing expert who thrives in complex environments, enjoys influencing strategy, and wants to play a key role in how AI enhances software quality, automation, and delivery standards.

Location: London
Salary: £80,000 - £90,000 + bonus + benefits (life and medical package) 
Hybrid: 2 days onsite

What you’ll be doing:

  • Leading end-to-end testing strategy across large-scale, complex programmes and multiple delivery teams
  • Designing, maintaining, and evolving test automation frameworks and modern engineering standards
  • Driving AI-powered testing automation, championing the ethical, secure, and effective use of AI testing tools
  • Owning the full software testing lifecycle from planning and estimation through to execution, defect management, and reporting
  • Influencing senior stakeholders, architects, developers, and third parties on testing best practice and governance
  • Enhancing CI/CD testing capability and improving automation maturity across engineering teams
  • Coaching, mentoring, and developing engineering talent while promoting a culture of continuous improvement

What we’re looking for:

  • Proven experience operating as a Principal / Lead / Senior Test Engineer in complex enterprise environments
  • Deep expertise in test automation plus strong technical capability across coding and modern engineering practices
  • Experience testing distributed systems, APIs, microservices, and large-scale integrations
  • Strong understanding of non-functional testing including performance, security, and accessibility
  • Knowledge of test data management and orchestration
  • A keen interest in AI-powered test tooling, emerging technologies, and how AI can responsibly transform testing and quality engineering
  • Excellent stakeholder management and the ability to influence at senior level

If you’re excited by the idea of combining technical testing leadership with the future of AI-driven quality engineering, this could be an excellent next step.