Principal Software Validation Engineer

Testing

• Coordinates and manages planning of the system and/or acceptance tests including software security testing, within a development or integration project or programme. 

• Takes responsibility for integrity of testing and acceptance activities and coordinates the execution of these activities. 

• Provides advice, guidance and coaching on any aspect of test planning and execution. 

• Defines and communicates the test strategy for the project. 

• Manages all test processes, including test plans, resources, costs, timescales, test deliverables and traceability.

• Manages client relationships with respect to testing matters. Identifies process improvements and contributes to corporate testing standards and definition of best practice.

Relationship Management

• Leads the development and Implements of comprehensive stakeholder management strategies and plans.

• Translates communications / stakeholder engagement strategies into specific activities and deliverables

• Builds long-term, strategic relationships with senior stakeholders (internal and external).

• Facilitates the engagement of stakeholders and delivery of services and change projects, acting as a single point of contact for senior stakeholders, facilitating relationships between them.

• Negotiates to ensure that stakeholders understand and agree what will meet their needs, and that appropriate agreements are defined.

• Oversees monitoring of relationships including lessons learned and appropriate feedback.

• Leads actions to improve relations and open communications with and between stakeholders.

• Deals with problems and issues, managing resolutions, corrective actions, lessons learned and the collection and dissemination of relevant information.

Methods and Tools

• Provides advice and guidance to support adoption of methods and tools and adherence to policies and standards. 

• Tailors processes in line with agreed standards and evaluation of methods and tools. 

• Reviews and improves usage and application of methods and tools.

Problem Management

• Initiates and monitors actions to investigate and resolve problems in systems, processes and services. 

• Determines problem fixes/remedies. 

• Assists with the implementation of agreed remedies and preventative measures.

Quality Assurance

• Plans, organises and conducts formal independent audits of complex projects, major programmes or functional areas. 

• Evaluates, appraises and identifies non-compliances with organisational standards, and determines whether appropriate quality control has been applied. 

• Prepares and reports audit findings and determines the risks associated with those findings and ensures that corrective actions are carried out.

• Reviews and analyses audit reports to identifycommon areas of non-compliance and identifies opportunities to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the organisational control mechanisms. 

• Performs audits throughout the supply chain. 

• Plans and oversees the assurance activities of others.  

Knowledge

• Is fully familiar with recognised industry bodies of knowledge both generic and specific. 

• Actively seeks out new knowledge for own personal development and the mentoring or coaching of others.

• Develops a wider breadth of knowledge across the industry or business.

• Applies knowledge to help to define the standards on which others will apply.

• Maintains an awareness of developments in the industry

Influence

• Influences organisation, customers, suppliers, partners and peers on the contribution of own specialisms. 

• Buildsappropriate and effective business relationships. 

• Makes decisions which impact the success of assigned work, I.e. results, deadlines and budget. 

• Hassignificant influence over the allocation and management of resources appropriate to given assignments. 

• Leads on user/ customer collaboration throughout all stages of work.

• Ensures users' needs are met consistently through each works stage. 

Autonomy

• Works under broad direction. 

• Is fully responsible for meeting allocated technical and / or project/ supervisory objectives. Establishes milestones and has a significant role in the assignment of tasks and / or responsibilities. 

Complexity

• Performs an extensive range and variety of complex technical and/ or professional work activities. 

• Undertakes work which requires the application of fundamental principles in a wide and often unpredictable range of contexts, understands the relationship between own specialisms and wider customer / organisations requirements 

Business Skills

• Able to indirectly lead and positively influence teams.

• Facilitate collaboration between stakeholders who have diverse objectives to reach an agreed concensus on the path forward.

• Analyses, designs plan, executes and evaluates work to time, cost and quality targets. 

• Analyses requirements and advises on scope and options for continuous operational improvement. 

• Takes all requirements into account when making proposals. #

• Demonstrates creativity, innovation and ethical think in applying solutions forth benefit of the customer/ stakeholder.

• Advises on available standards, methods, tools and applications relevant to own specialisms and can make appropriate choices from alternatives.

• Mentors colleagues to ensure that their knowledge, skills and ability increase. 

• Assesses and evaluates risk. 

• Proactively ensures security is appropriately addressed with their area by self and others.

• Engages or works with security specialists as necessary. 

• Contributes to the security culture of the organisation. 

Other

Skills:

• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills

• A flexible attitude with respect to work assignments and new learning

• Ability to manage multiple and varied tasks with enthusiasm and prioritize workload with attentionto detail

• Ability to effectively delegate work to team members

• Must have the ability to work methodically in a fast-paced, time-sensitive environment

• Demonstratable ability to apply critical thinking to problems and tasks

• Builds and maintains an in-depth knowledge of testing and validation within the life sciences industry and how they affect customers adopting our products

• Ability to identify and plan testing activities to meet testing / validation goals

• Ability to identify tests suitable for automation

• Ability to create automated test scripts that meet the testing objectives or can instruct others to implement the automation approach

• Proactively participates in skills improvement training

• Ability to coach and mentor colleagues in the test team

• Maintains an up-to-date awareness of trends, tools, technology, techniques and processes that affect testing and technology within the Life sciences domain

• A self-starter and able to work under own initiative

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Proven experience leading or mentoring colleagues in a software testing / validation team

• Experience using tools to communicate progress to Stakeholders

• Experience of regulated environments (GxP, Financial, etc…) or relevant testing experience from another domain that is transferable

• Experience of coaching and mentoring a range of junior colleagues and cross functional peers

• ISTQB Foundation or equivalent

• Extensive experience in the same or very similar role

• Experience of working in and knowledge of the life sciences sector

• Bachelor's Degree in a technical discipline (Maths, Science, Engineering, Computing, etc.) or arelated study, or equivalent project-related experience

• English: Fluent