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QA engineers ensure software quality through testing strategies that span unit tests, integration tests, end-to-end automation, and performance testing. The role has evolved far beyond manual testing — modern QA engineers write code, build test frameworks, and integrate quality checks into CI/CD pipelines. Shift-left testing and quality engineering are the current paradigm.
London remains Europe's largest tech hub, with Manchester, Edinburgh, and Bristol growing rapidly. Post-Brexit, the UK operates its own immigration system with a Skilled Worker visa route. Salaries in London are among the highest in Europe, though the high cost of living offsets some of the advantage. Financial services and healthtech drive significant demand.
Work authorization: The UK Skilled Worker visa requires employer sponsorship. Tech roles typically qualify under the shortage occupation list, which reduces visa fees and salary thresholds. The Global Talent visa offers an alternative for those with exceptional talent or promise in tech.
Junior QA → QA Engineer → Senior QA → QA Lead/SDET → QA Architect → Director of Quality Engineering. Senior QA engineers increasingly take on "quality engineering" or "SDET" (Software Development Engineer in Test) titles that reflect the programming-heavy nature of modern testing.
Automation skills are non-negotiable for mid-level and above. Show frameworks you've built, not just tests you've written. Understanding of testing pyramids, shift-left strategies, and CI/CD integration demonstrates strategic thinking. A GitHub repo with a well-structured test suite is worth more than certifications.
QA engineers write and maintain automated tests, review test results from CI pipelines, investigate test failures, perform exploratory testing for new features, update test plans, collaborate with developers on testability, and track quality metrics. They advocate for quality practices across the engineering organization.