Software Tester
Software Tester
- Posted 01 April 2026
- Salary UofG Grade 7, £41,064 - £46,049 per annum
- End date 29 April 2026
- LocationGlasgow
- Job Type Technical And Specialist
- Reference196474
- Expiry 29 Apr 2026 23:45
Job description
Job Purpose
The Software Tester will play a critical role in ensuring the delivery of high-quality clinical trial software applications and systems. We are seeking an experienced Software Tester to lead the end-to-end transformation of our testing strategy, processes, and tooling for Clinical Trial Database systems and API integrations. This role will drive improvements in efficiency, robustness, compliance, automation, and quality assurance practices. They will support quality assurance processes aligned with Agile/Scrum and Waterfall methodologies, ensuring compliance with standards relevant to clinical trials (including GDPR, Good Clinical Practice (GCP), Computer Systems Validation, ISO 27001 and ISO 9001).
This role contributes to the reliable delivery of electronic data capture (EDC) systems, system integrations, data management tools and other applications used by specialist technical staff, researchers, commercial clients and study participants. The successful candidate will act as a process leader and quality champion in a regulated clinical research environment.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
1. Lead the design, development and execution of a scalable, risk-based testing strategy across Clinical Trial Database systems, web applications and API integrations. Develop, maintain and optimise comprehensive manual and automated test plans covering functional, non-functional, security, performance and data integrity requirements. Establish and maintain validated regression test packs, increasing automation coverage where appropriate.
2. Lead the validation of Electronic Data Capture (EDC) systems, including OpenClinica and bespoke in-house clinical systems, ensuring full compliance with Computer System Validation (CSV) requirements and regulatory expectations.
3. Design and execute tests to ensure clinical trial data integrity in accordance with ALCOA+ principles (Attributable, Legible, Contemporaneous, Original, Accurate, Complete, Consistent, Enduring and Available), as defined in the GxP Data Integrity Guidance issued by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
4. Oversee and perform system integration, API, data migration and user acceptance testing (UAT) activities, ensuring traceability between requirements, risks and test cases. Implement robust data validation practices to verify clinical data accuracy, completeness and audit trail integrity.
5. Establish and maintain validated regression test packs, increasing automation coverage where appropriate, and integrate testing within CI/CD pipelines to enhance efficiency and release quality.
6. Own defect lifecycle management and quality governance, ensuring accurate logging, prioritisation, root cause analysis and resolution tracking using tools such as Jira, monday.com, QMetry or equivalent systems. Establish metrics to reduce defect leakage and improve release quality.
7. Develop and report quality metrics and KPIs to senior stakeholders, including defect trends, regression efficiency, automation coverage, validation status and audit readiness indicators. Provide clear risk-based reporting to support informed release decisions.
8. Lead the preparation, review and maintenance of validation documentation in accordance with Computer System Validation (CSV) principles, including validation plans, test specifications, traceability matrices, change control documentation, deviation reports and summary validation reports.
9. Ensure all QA activities comply with controlled working practices aligned with GCP, GDPR, ISO 27001 and related regulatory requirements.
10. Ensure computerised systems remain audit and inspection ready by maintaining the Validation Traceability Matrix (VTM) and acting as a Subject Matter Expert during internal audits and regulatory inspections, including MHRA GCP inspections.
11. Contribute to the development of robust IT and QA infrastructures to support data integrity, confidentiality, availability and system resilience, including secure test environments and appropriate data anonymisation or pseudonymisation strategies.
12. Lead the prioritisation and coordination of QA activities across multiple concurrent projects, ensuring deadlines, compliance obligations and quality standards are consistently met.
13. Duties of the post outlined are not exhaustive and the post-holder will be expected to undertake duties as may be reasonably expected by management. The duties of the post will be subject to review in line with changing requirements, both internal and external.
Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience
Knowledge/Qualifications
Essential:
A1 Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills in a similar related role(s). Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9 (Ordinary Degree, Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4) or equivalent (including professional accreditation with relevant formal training) and experience of personal development in a similar or related role(s).
A2 Expert knowledge of software testing principles, including risk-based testing, validation methodologies, test governance, and quality metrics in regulated environments.
A3 Advanced understanding of the software development lifecycle (SDLC), including validation, change control, and controlled deployment.
A4 ISEB / ISTQB Software Testing Certification.
A5 Working knowledge of Agile/Scrum and Waterfall methodologies.
A6 Strong knowledge of Computer System Validation (CSV) and requirements traceability.
A7 Knowledge of risk-based validation frameworks such as GAMP5 and their application in system validation.
A8 Understanding of ALCOA+ data integrity principles and their application in clinical trial databases and integrated systems.
A9 Qualification or training related to regulated environments (e.g., ISO standards or GCP frameworks).
A10 Knowledge of regulatory inspection expectations for computerised systems, including audit readiness and validation traceability.
Desirable:
B1 Experience with test and defect management platforms (e.g., Jira, monday.com, QMetry) or equivalent enterprise systems.
B2 Knowledge of SQL for data validation and experience testing RESTful APIs and web services.
B3 Understanding of risk management principles in regulated clinical software environments.
B4 Exposure to automation and performance testing tools (e.g., Selenium, JMeter, Playwright).
B5 Familiarity with Electronic Data Capture (EDC), Clinical Trial Management Systems (CTMS), or similar clinical data platforms.
B6 Understanding of ISO-aligned quality and information security frameworks (e.g., ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 9001) and awareness of GDPR requirements.
B7 Experience using API testing tools such as Postman, REST Assured, or equivalent.
Skills
Essential:
C1 Proven ability to lead and implement risk-based testing and validation frameworks across complex, regulated systems.
C2 Ability to drive QA process improvements, including automation, CI/CD quality gates, and enhanced test governance and traceability.
C3 Experience producing and reviewing validation documentation (e.g., test plans, protocols, scripts, traceability matrices, deviation reports, validation summaries).
C4 Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including root cause analysis and risk assessment.
C5 Excellent communication skills, able to present technical findings and risk assessments to technical and non-technical audiences.
C6 Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise QA activities across multiple projects while maintaining compliance and quality standards.
C7 Ability to work independently as a subject matter expert, including supporting audits and regulatory inspections within multidisciplinary teams.
C8 Reliable, trustworthy, and able to maintain confidentiality.
Desirable:
D1 Technical skills in automation frameworks or unit testing tools (e.g., JUnit, NUnit, PHPUnit).
D2 Ability to build effective collaborative relationships across complex environments.
D3 Experience designing test data management strategies, including anonymisation or pseudonymisation approaches for GDPR-compliant testing.
Experience
Essential:
E1 Significant experience across the software development lifecycle, including system, integration, API, and user acceptance testing in regulated environments.
E2 Experience developing test plans, validation documentation, and risk-based testing strategies with stakeholder engagement.
E3 Experience producing validation evidence and inspection-ready documentation, including maintaining Validation Traceability Matrices (VTM) and compliance reports.
E4 Experience conducting functional and non-functional testing, including performance, security, and data integrity testing.
E5 Practical experience implementing or expanding automated testing frameworks.
E6 Experience with programming languages such as SQL or C#.
E7 Hands-on experience with API testing, data migration validation, and database-level verification.
E8 Experience validating system integrations with external platforms (e.g., eCOA, IRT, central laboratory systems) to ensure end-to-end data integrity.
Desirable:
F1 Experience working in Clinical Trials, Healthcare, Life Sciences, or Higher Education research environments.
F2 Experience with enterprise integration platforms (e.g., Boomi, MuleSoft) or similar API-based integration frameworks.
F3 Experience handling NHS, clinical trial, or other highly sensitive regulated datasets.
F4 Experience working within regulated frameworks such as GCP, ISO 27001, ISO 9001, GDPR, or 21 CFR Part 11.
F5 Experience supporting internal or external audits, inspections, or compliance reviews in regulated sectors.
Terms and Conditions
Salary will be Grade 7, £41,064 - £46,049 per annum.
This post is full time and fixed term for up to 2 years from start date.
Informal enquiries are welcomed and should be directed to Kirsty Jordan at Kirsty.Jordan@glasgow.ac.uk
Working hours are normally Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, with a one-hour lunch break. There is a requirement to work in the CTU offices on the Gilmorehill campus a minimum of 50% of the working week. We are open to either remote working or on campus working for the other 50% of the week (hybrid working offered on a non-contractual basis). Candidates must reside within commuting distance of Glasgow.
The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.
Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. For more information please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.
2 An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension - pensions handbook https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/payandpensions/pensions/, benefits and discount packages.
3 A flexible approach to working.
4 A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/staff/healthwellbeing/.
We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/.
We endorse the principles of Athena Swan https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/athenaswan/ and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.
We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.
Closing date: 23:45 on Wednesday 29th April 2026