Software Test & Automation Engineer - System Operations
United Kingdom, Belfast
Job benefits
Your responsibilities and tasks
We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Software Test & Automation Engineer to strengthen our Development and Validation organization. In this hybrid role, you will be responsible for the verification, validation, and automated testing of software components, systems, and applications used in digital agriculture and operational platforms.
You will support the entire product lifecycle—from early development and integration to main release and beyond (bugfix, hotfix, and update releases)—ensuring that our software is delivered with outstanding quality, robustness, and security. The position combines hands-on test engineering, test automation, infrastructure development, and compliance with international cybersecurity standards (IEC‑62443‑3‑3 / IEC‑62443‑4‑1).
Testing & Validation
Design, implement, and maintain test plans, test cases, and test strategies for software modules, interfaces, and complete systems
Execute functional, non-functional, security, integration, system, and regression tests functional, integration, system, and regression tests‑functional, integration, system, and regression tests
Analyze failures, debug issues (logs, traces, debuggers, monitoring tools), and support corrective actions
Define test coverage, acceptance criteria, and quality metrics for releases
Ensure full traceability of all test activities and test results
Contribute to design and code reviews with focus on testability and quality
Test Automation & Infrastructure
Develop and maintain automated test scripts and using frameworks (Selenium, Playwright, Robot Framework, etc.)
Build automated test environments for API, UI, integration, and regression testing
Integrate automated test execution into the software development workflow using CI/CD pipelines
Maintain and optimize test environments, tools, and infrastructure
Ensure automation and validation processes comply with IEC‑62443‑3‑3 and IEC‑62443‑4‑1
Support PLC‑related validation tasks where applicable
Continuously improve test methodologies, test coverage, and automation strategy
Collaboration & Reporting
Work closely together with development and QA teams
Identify, document, and track defects and inconsistencies
Analyze test results and create detailed reports and documentation
Contribute to continuous improvement programs and KPI development
Stay up to date with industry trends in automated testing and secure development
Your profile and qualifications
Technical Qualifications
Degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or similar
Proven experience in software testing, validation, and automated testing
Strong proficiency in Robot Framework/Selenium, Playwright, Git, and CI/CD‑based automation
Experience with tools such as Selenium, Robot Framework, JUnit, Postman
Solid understanding of testing methodologies, ISTQB standards, and version control
Familiarity with embedded systems, firmware workflows, and interfaces (GraphQL, REST, MQTT, JSON Schema, AsyncAPI, OpenRPC)
Knowledge of IEC‑62443 cybersecurity standards
Experience with test documentation and configuration management tools
Working knowledge of ISO/CE/EMC regulatory environments
Familiarity with Windows and Linux; SAP/PLM experience is a plus
Strong automation mindset: “I’m too lazy not to automate this.”
Soft Skills
Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities
Structured and detail‑oriented working style
Proactive mindset, capable of working independently
Strong communication and teamwork skills
Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks
Good written and spoken English
Willingness to travel internationally
Why Join Us?
Work in an innovative environment shaping the future of digital agriculture and intelligent systems
Take ownership of the full testing lifecycle from concept to release
Collaborate with cross‑functional teams across software, firmware, hardware, and operations
Opportunity to drive automation excellence and influence testing strategy
A role with real impact on product quality, reliability, and security
About GEA
GEA is one of the largest suppliers for the food and beverage processing industry and a wide range of other process industries. Approximately 18,000 employees in more than 60 countries contribute significantly to GEA’s success – come and join them! We offer interesting and challenging tasks, a positive working environment in international teams and opportunities for personal development and growth in a global company.
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Join a top employer
GEA is certified as a Top Employer by the Top Employers Institute for Europe. We have high scores for Leadership, Ethics & Integrity and Sustainability.
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A world of opportunities
We’re a global industrial engineering company and one of the world’s largest systems suppliers for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical sectors, and many others. GEA offers exciting and diverse training and career opportunities around the world.
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About GEA
GEA’s heritage stretches back more than 140 years. Today, we operate in resilient customer industries with a dedicated workforce of more than 18,000 employees and conduct business with more than 150 countries.
