Academy Software Tester

Audacia is a Leeds and London based software development company. We specialise in building complex and integral bespoke software solutions for clients including global mechanical seals manufacturer AESSEAL; leading telecommunications provider O2; and award-winning offshore solutions provider, Specialist Marine Consultants (SMC).

We’re looking for intelligent and driven individuals to join our Academy programme, providing a solid learning foundation to get into software testing. You’ll be joining our team to work on interesting and challenging technology projects based out of our Leeds City Centre waterfront location on The Calls.

We hire talented people based on their potential rather than their experience. Our teams have a variety of backgrounds; from chemistry and engineering, to music and astronomy. But all share curiosity and analytical thinking, and love to solve complex problems. You’ll be working in an open office, with a culture focused on collaboration, transparency and working as a single team, with each other and with clients.

You’ll benefit from a structured three month training programme, delivered by our senior technical staff, consisting of both seminar-led and hands on testing sessions; covering topics from programming with C#, unit testing and test-driven development, to UI and API automated testing – overall working together as a team, with our Academy developers, to build and test a functional project. In addition, you’ll be assigned a mentor to guide and support you throughout the programme, equipping you with the knowledge, technical skills and experience to reach your full potential.

At the end of your training programme, you’ll be using the latest tools and techniques to ensure systems are robust, secure and performant for clients across multiple industries. From commodities trading platforms for one of the largest agricultural companies in the world, to applications to manage people across one of the biggest offshore wind farms in the world.

Our Academy roles aren’t based on fixed term programmes. You’re here for the long run, if you want to be. As you progress through your career at Audacia, you’ll have opportunities to move into different roles that suit your abilities and interests. For example, becoming a Technical Lead, supporting mission-critical projects, or training future junior testers.

You’ll be part of a community here, working with people who like to engage inside and outside of work. You’ll normally find us in evenings at the pub, playing in a pool league, board games or D&D, at yoga sessions, whisky nights or the cinema, or simply building Augmented Reality (AR) prototypes over pizza and beer.

What you’ll learn:

1. Programming with C#
Learn C# as an introduction to basic, fundamental object orientated programming concepts, moving on to explore advanced programming paradigms and concepts, such as concurrency, reflection and the correct way to dispose resources.

2. Data Access and Databases
Understand the concepts for persisting data within an application, including an introduction to SQL server.

3. Unit Testing and Test-Driven Development
An introduction to the benefit and different approaches for automated testing.

4. Web Development Fundamentals
Understand how web applications work, as well as the different approaches, languages (JavaScript and TypeScript) and techniques for development; from MVC to RESTful APIs.

5. Fundamentals of Testing
An introduction to testing as a function, including why software fails and how bugs occur, to understanding testing principles, processes, levels and techniques.

6. Automated Testing
Covering both UI automated testing and API automated testing, you’ll benefit from practical sessions to install and run tools, setting up tests using our framework.

7. Performance Testing
An introduction to testing the durability of an application and it’s infrastructure, learning how to test the speed, responsiveness and stability of a system.

What previous cohorts said:

“I really enjoyed the programme at Audacia. The testing training was comprehensive, with modules in API automation, UI automation and performance testing, in addition to the manual testing training. I was given the opportunity to work on a real project alongside the training, which helped me consolidate my learning and gave me experience of testing in an Agile team early on. I’ve since moved on to the TechOps team, which is providing valuable experience and opportunities to develop my testing skills.”
— Melanie Hanson

What we look for:

– A passion for problem solving, thriving on providing solutions to complex challenges.
– An ability to collaborate and work effectively with peers, as part of a single team.
– Self-motivated, driven and proactive people with an eagerness to learn and develop, striving to improve knowledge and abilities.
– An ability to work independently and take ownership of work assigned to you.
– Good verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate your thoughts, ideas and work.
– A willingness to challenge and ask questions in order to continuously improve.

Our recruitment process:

1. Initial application
2. Telephone interview (approx. 30 mins)
3. Video interview (approx. 2hrs 30 mins)
4. Decision made & next steps

We’re accepting applications until 23rd January.

Following this, our process normally takes around three weeks, depending on availability. That includes from initial application window to decision made, if successful through each stage of the process. We don’t like to keep you waiting, so aim to respond to initial applications as quickly as possible following the deadline.

When you’ll start:

Our next cohort start date is Summer 2022.