Software Test Automation Developer (Engineering Operations)

Active in the Aerospace, Defense, and Security sectors, Thales Netherlands is the leading provider of high-tech jobs, with over 2,500 employees. Product innovation and rapid adaptation to the latest technological possibilities drive us. Examples include radar, fire control and command & control systems for naval ships, as well as communication, security, and payment systems for the business sector. Thales Netherlands is part of the Thales Group with 68,000 employees in over 50 countries, making it one of the largest electronics companies in Europe.

Within our Engineering department, high-end data processing applications are automatically tested using simulators to ensure seamless integration at the system level.

Our approach offers flexibility and transparency to our customers. The development teams have all the necessary professionals and disciplines on board to perform their work well and reliably. People are coached, and personal development tailored to individual needs and desires. Work is carried out in short iterations as a team, with continuous improvements to our processes. Our products meet the required international quality standards.

Within Engineering Operations, we as Craftsmanship support our Engineers in other disciplines with processes and best practices. We empower engineers from all engineering disciplines to focus on their core tasks. We do this by helping to onboard new projects, supporting them with their build pipelines, model repositories and test automation to accelerate quality delivery. 

About the job

As a Software Test Engineer, you are involved in the development of our test automation software, which is vital during the development cycle of our products (Sensors, Combat Management Systems, and Fire Control Systems). From the initial development of software modules by engineers to the qualification of the product for system integration.

Alongside the DevOps teams, your team is responsible for a reliable test automation system, ensuring that all processes of the release and test strategy are aligned across multiple teams and product segments. In addition, you are supporting other teams with test automation implementations.

Key tasks include:

• development of new functionalities in our software test framework,
• being a first line of contact for critical support,
• maintaining relationships with our stakeholders,
• resolving issues in the test framework,
• support the implementation of the test framework across different Software Engineering disciplines

About you

If you have a passion for technology and would like to contribute to our solutions for fast and reliable delivery to our customers, you might be the person we are looking for. We are looking for someone with a completed Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or related field.

As a software test engineer, you have experience with:

• Software development in complex environments (minimum 5 years)
• Strong Java development skillset
• Agile/Scrum development methods
• BDD, Cucumber preferably and Selenium
• Build pipelines (Jenkins or Gitlab CI/CD runners)
• Code storage and artifact storage (Gitlab, Artifactory or similar)
• Build tools (Maven and Gradle, Bazel as a pré)
• Experience with building in Containers as a pré (docker, podman)
• Testing knowledge
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively with team members and stakeholders
• Analytical skills and problem-solving abilities
• Proficiency in English and as a pré in Dutch, both spoken and written
• Solution-oriented mindset and pro-actively initiative taking
• Defense industry affinity

As a person, you are creative, open, and flexible, capable of operating as a team player. Additionally, you are results-oriented and proactive. You will work in a small team where a proactive mindset is a key to success.

What’s in it for you

• Become part of a great team in a high tech, innovative international organization
• (International) opportunities for growth in tech-, management- and commercial roles
• Attention for personal development and own initiative
• A nice workplace in a modern building, where we value a good work-life balance and flexibility
• 40 leave days per year, travel expenses and a flexible benefits à la carte package with options like purchase/sale of leave hours, internet costs, bicycle plan, company fitness, trade union contribution or relocation costs

Diversity Statement

We actively support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions. That means that equal opportunities, inclusion and an informal culture are integral to our success. It also means that your well-being and happiness matter to us! That’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part-time hours, job sharing, remote working, or the ability to be flexible with your start and finish times.

Security Requirements

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in The Netherlands and employment and/or education history. This vacancy requires, a security clearance which may require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for security clearance, please refer to the General Intelligence and Security Service.