Software Developer Contract jobs

Software development engineers in test are central to modern delivery. This opportunity could involve building automated testing frameworks and quality infrastructure that help development teams move faster while maintaining confidence in product quality.

Please note the content of this advert does not represent a live vacancy.

About the opportunity

This is a registration of interest for future SDET opportunities within a collaborative software delivery environment. Roles of this type may sit within cross-functional engineering teams working on cloud-native, microservices-based applications. The work could involve designing and maintaining test automation frameworks, integrating quality checks into CI/CD pipelines, and partnering with developers to shift quality left. You could contribute to testing strategy across APIs, distributed systems and containerised infrastructure, with scope to improve testing efficiency and reduce time-to-market.

Typical role overview

• Location: Manchester, Greater Manchester, England — hybrid
• Type: Contract · Full-time
• Rate: £450–550 per day
• Domain: Quality engineering · test automation · cloud-native delivery

What you would do

Typical responsibilities could include:

• Designing and building automated test frameworks for microservices and APIs
• Developing test automation in Java, Python or similar languages, supporting both unit and integration testing
• Integrating test suites into CI/CD pipelines using tools such as Docker, Kubernetes and Terraform
• Collaborating with development teams to define test strategy and shift quality left in the delivery cycle
• Testing distributed systems and cloud infrastructure across Azure, AWS or GCP environments
• Maintaining data quality frameworks and supporting data pipeline validation
• Supporting quality assurance processes and contributing to test documentation

What you could bring

Most roles of this type require the following:

• Experience designing and building test automation frameworks, with demonstrable work in Java, Python or comparable languages
• Solid understanding of APIs, microservices and distributed systems
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD tooling and containerisation (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Working knowledge of cloud platforms (Azure, AWS or GCP)
• Familiarity with SQL and data quality concepts
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent professional experience
• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with .NET, ASP.NET, React or Spring Boot ecosystems
• Knowledge of infrastructure-as-code tools such as Terraform
• Exposure to SAP systems (S/4HANA, ECC, RISE) or enterprise platforms
• Understanding of BPMN, UML or quality management systems (QMS)
• Linux and shell scripting (Bash)

What roles of this type could offer

Most roles of this type offer the following, dependent on the industry and seniority of the role:

• Opportunity to shape testing practices within a modern, cloud-first engineering culture
• Exposure to cutting-edge technology stacks and distributed system challenges
• Potential to influence product quality and delivery velocity across teams
• Contract-based flexibility with competitive daily rates (£450–550 per day)
• Collaboration with experienced engineers and opportunity to develop deeper expertise in test automation and quality engineering
• Potential for progression into strategic quality leadership or specialist technical roles, where supported by performance and business need

About SThree

SThree is the global STEM workforce consultancy.
We advise businesses, build expert teams and deliver project solutions to outpace tomorrow, together.

Across the UK, we connect talented specialists with cutting-edge opportunities across technology, engineering, life sciences and financial services supported by our offices in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Leeds

How to register interest

If you are interested in being added to our database to be considered for future opportunities, registering is quick and easy. No cover letter required. We will be in touch when we are instructed on these roles to discuss the next step in your career.