**Introduction** In this role, you’ll work in one of our IBM Consulting Client Innovation Centres (Delivery Centres), where we deliver deep technical and industry expertise to a wide range of public and private sector clients around the world. Our delivery centers offer our clients locally based skills and technical expertise to drive innovation and adoption of new technology. A career in IBM CIC is rooted by long-term relationships and close collaboration with clients across the globe. You’ll work with visionaries across multiple industries to improve the hybrid cloud and AI journey for the most innovative and valuable companies in the world. Your ability to accelerate impact and make meaningful change for your clients is enabled by our strategic partner ecosystem and our robust technology platforms across the IBM portfolio; including Software and Red Hat. Curiosity and a constant quest for knowledge serve as the foundation to success in IBM Consulting. In your role, you’ll be encouraged to challenge the norm, investigate ideas outside of your role, and come up with creative solutions resulting in ground breaking impact for a wide network of clients. Our culture of evolution and empathy centers on long-term career growth and development opportunities in an environment that embraces your unique skills and experience **Your role and responsibilities** Are you ready to work in this new era of technology and solve some of the world’s most challenging problems? We understand that re-joining employment after a career break can be nerve-racking and difficult. That is why we have introduced the tech re-entry programme to enable talented individuals like you the opportunity to re-start your career. In your first six-months with the CIC the tech re-entry programme will provide opportunities to update your skills, access to the latest tools and technologies and work alongside multi-disciplinary teams to hone expertise and deliver on client-critical solutions. Over the six-month programme, your expertise will be updated, skills developed, and new relationships forged. So why join the programme? * The program offers flexibility and ease of transition from your career break to getting back to the workforce * A community of like-minded re-joiners will support you as you restart your journey together * You will have the opportunity to update your skills and expertise as you work on real projects with real impact * A dedicated mentor will help you get up to speed with the environment and new technology. Job Summary: Join our team as a Backend Functional Test Engineer specializing in biometric systems, making a significant contribution to groundbreaking technology in the public sector arena. Our tech re-entry program is designed to support individuals re-entering the workforce after a career break, offering a comprehensive six-month initiative to update skills, gain practical experience with advanced tools, and collaborate on high-impact projects. Key Responsibilities: * Develop and implement automated testing solutions for biometric workflows and matching using back-end web-services without a UI. * Design, construct, and automate input test messages and expected outputs for various scenarios to expedite delivery processes. * Conduct comprehensive functional and non-functional tests to guarantee the robustness, efficiency, and reliability of biometric systems. * Utilize test automation tools such as SOAP-UI, JMeter, Jira, and Zephyr to design, develop, and maintain automated test scripts. * Demonstrate strong expertise in XML and SOAP Web Services for seamless communication with back-end systems. * Collaborate effectively with diverse teams to understand system requirements, define test strategies, and interpret results accurately. * Continuously refine existing test automation frameworks and processes to enhance efficiency and coverage. Although this is a predominantly hybrid/remote role, successful candidates must be able to commit up to 80%/4 days per week on-site if the project or client demand requires, either in Hursley or Leicester. As an equal opportunities’ employer, we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds. However, for you to be eligible for this role, you must have the valid right to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we do not offer visa sponsorship and have no future plans to do so. You must be a resident in the UK and have been living continuously in the UK for the last 5 years. You must be able to hold or gain a UK government security clearance **Required technical and professional expertise** Requirements: * Proven experience in developing and executing automated tests for back-end web-services. * Familiarity with biometric systems and related workflows is beneficial. * Strong understanding of XML and SOAP Web Services. * Proficient in using test automation tools including SOAP-UI, JMeter, Jira, and Zephyr. * Scripting skills in languages such as Java or Python. * Knowledge of Agile/Scrum methodologies and tools like Jira and Zephyr. * Outstanding problem-solving abilities and meticulous attention to detail. * Superior communication and collaboration skills for multidisciplinary team environments. * Adaptable mindset with the capacity to rapidly learn and integrate new technologies and processes. **Preferred technical and professional experience** Must-Have Skills/Requirements: * Proven experience in developing and executing automated tests for back-end web-services. * Proficient understanding of XML and SOAP Web Services. * Expertise in using test automation tools including SOAP-UI, JMeter, Jira, and Zephyr. * Scripting skills in languages such as Java or Python. * Knowledge of Agile/Scrum methodologies and tools like Jira and Zephyr. * Outstanding problem-solving abilities and meticulous attention to detail. * Superior communication and collaboration skills for multidisciplinary team environments. * Adaptable mindset with the capacity to rapidly learn and integrate new technologies and processes. Nice-to-Have Skills/Requirements: * Familiarity with biometric systems and related workflows. * Experience in the public sector or government environment. * Understanding of security protocols relevant to biometric data. * Knowledge of database querying languages (SQL, etc.). * Experience with CI/CD pipelines and tools (Jenkins, GitLab CI, etc.). * Familiarity with containerization technologies (Docker) and orchestration platforms (Kubernetes). * Experience with Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud). * Participation in open-source projects or contribution to tech communities. IBM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, caste, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, veteran status, or other characteristics. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.