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We are looking for an experienced Lead Test Automation Engineer to act as the authority on testing within our Defence Delivery function within the Technology division of UKHO. This is a great opportunity to influence and guide testing across the whole defence area. For approximately the first 12 months, this role will provide ‘hands on’ testing expertise within a dedicated scrum team, while also contributing to wider Defence testing needs such as strategy, standards, and approach.

As a Trading Fund of the Ministry of Defence, the UKHO works hand in glove with uniformed colleagues from across the Royal Navy and other allied Defence organisations to ensure the timely and accurate provision of mission-critical data at the point of need. In a rapidly changing landscape, we require experienced and flexible individuals who can work in a close-knit team to use their multi-disciplinary skills to collaborate, problem-solve, and deliver within a highly assured private cloud infrastructure environment. This is a capability-focussed team, working on unique and highly specialised data and insight solutions within a modern secure facility, contributing to capabilities of national significance

As a Principal Developer, you will be a senior technical authority within our defence technology community, shaping how software is designed, built, and sustained across defence services. You will provide strategic technical leadership, influencing engineering direction and ensuring that modern, secure, and sustainable development practices are embedded.

These roles, which sit within Operations Division at the UK Hydrographic Office, are being advertised as development roles, where successful candidates will undertake a comprehensive training and development programme, with an expectation of gaining experience in more than one team, to provide a strong foundation for your future career and some breadth of understanding of work in Operations. Confirmation of temporary promotion to B3/EO and subsequent substantive promotion to the B3/EO grade will be evidence based – incorporating both Civil Service expected Behaviours for the grade and technical competence and subject to approval by a review panel.

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is a trusted provider of hydrographic data, products and services that support safe, sustainable and efficient navigation around the world. Operating in both the defence and commercial sectors, UKHO plays a critical role in enabling global maritime activity. That mission brings complexity, scrutiny and risk — which is why strong risk management and effective governance are fundamental to our success. The Risk and Governance Manager is a pivotal role in ensuring the organisation can take informed decisions, manage uncertainty confidently and deliver its strategic objectives.