At AQA, we’re committed to advancing education and we’re committed to our people. As the largest provider of academic qualifications in the UK, we mark over 10 million exam papers each year and it’s our people who make this happen.
Manual Software Tester
Permanent
North: £41,100 – £45,900
South: £42,700 - £47,800
Hybrid, with requirement to travel to the Bristol office one day every three weeks
Introduction
At AQA GradeMaker, our mission is to revoluntise how assessments are created, managed and delivered. As a Manual Software Tester, you’ll play a critical role in ensuring the quality of reliable and scalable solutions that drive our cutting-edge platform. GradeMaker is an assessment authoring and item banking solution, trusted by exam providers around the world to create high stakes examination papers and other assessments
Purpose
Collaborating with a close-knit team of talented professionals, you’ll be involved in all phases of the development lifecycle
In this role, you'll be responsible for:
- Reviewing user stories and acceptance criteria, giving early feedback to improve clarity, identify risks and help prevent issues before development begins.
- Carrying out manual functional, exploratory, edge-case and regression testing to support stable, high-quality delivery.
- Investigating and reporting bugs clearly, including symptoms, context, reproduction steps and supporting evidence so issues can be resolved efficiently.
What We Are Looking For
You will thrive in this role if you are curious, methodical and comfortable working in a collaborative agile team where quality is everyone's responsibility.
- Proven experience in manual testing within an agile environment, including testing complex user stories and bug fixes using functional and exploratory testing approaches.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a cross-functional team, engaging proactively with other testers, developers and business analysts.
- Strong investigation and reporting skills, with a methodical and pragmatic approach to understanding issues and supporting efficient resolution.
What's in It for You
This role gives you the opportunity to make a visible impact on product quality while working in a supportive team that values collaboration, learning and continuous improvement.
- You will be part of a cross-functional pod with manual testers, automation testers, developers and business analysts.
- You will work across the full development lifecycle, contributing early insight as well as hands-on testing.
- A 35‑hour working week with flexible, hybrid working
- 25 days’ annual leave (rising to 30), plus Christmas closure days
- Excellent pension (up to 11.5% employer contribution)
Diversity and Inclusion Statement
At AQA, we are committed to fostering a workplace that celebrates diversity and promotes equity and inclusion. We believe that a diverse team brings richer perspectives and drives better outcomes. Our ED&I strategy ensures that everyone-regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender identity or expression, age, disability, sexual orientation, or background-is valued, respected, and empowered to thrive. We actively promote inclusive language, avoid stereotypes, and strive for representation across all dimensions of diversity. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and lived experiences.
Application Process
To apply, please submit your CV through the AQA careers site.
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Recruitment Agencies
We have a preferred supplier list (PSL) in place.
Unsolicited CVs will be treated as a gift. We will not be subject to or liable under your terms and conditions for agency fees.
Full Job Description
Summary
Purpose:
To play a key role in delivering high quality software through thorough manual testing, early and ongoing feedback, and close collaboration within a cross functional team. The role contributes to reliable and efficient delivery by identifying risks and defects and sharing testing insights as the product evolves.Landscape:
We’re entering an exciting scale‑up phase and are looking for people who enjoy working closely with others, are comfortable with change, and want to make a meaningful impact while the product and ways of working continue to evolve.
As a Manual Software Tester, you’ll be part of a cross‑functional pod made up of Manual and Automation Testers, Developers and Business Analysts. You’ll be involved across the full development lifecycle; from reviewing user stories and providing early feedback, manually testing new features and bug fixes, carrying out manual regression testing, attending sprint ceremonies, and playing an active role in delivering high‑quality work.
This role is focused on manual testing, and while automation experience is not a requirement, an interest in test automation or broader quality practices is valued and may be supported over time depending on team and product needs.
Activities:
Review user stories and acceptance criteria, providing early feedback to help prevent issues and improve clarity before development begins.
Perform functional testing of new features using defined acceptance criteria, alongside exploratory and edge‑case testing informed by strong product and domain knowledge.
Apply analytical and problem‑solving skills to understand complex functionality and system behaviour, assessing risk, dependencies, and potential impacts of changes across the wider product.
Investigate and report bugs by analysing symptoms and context, capturing clear reproduction steps and supporting evidence to enable effective resolution.
Identify usability issues, inconsistencies and potential improvements, and communicate them effectively to relevant stakeholders.
Take ownership of investigating bugs and unexpected behaviour, using available tools and product knowledge, and collaborating with others as required.
Perform regression testing to ensure existing functionality remains stable as the product evolves.
Use database queries to validate data and support testing activities where required.
Collaborate proactively with stakeholders, engaging in discussions around proposed solutions, quality outcomes, and adapting to evolving requirements.
Participate in team ceremonies such as daily stand‑ups, retrospectives, story refinement, and estimation sessions.
Share testing insights and product knowledge across the team, contributing to continuous improvement of quality practices and processes.
Manage own testing activities with a high degree of autonomy, taking ownership of quality within assigned work while knowing when to seek collaboration or support.
To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate:
Essential Criteria
Extensive experience in manual software testing within an agile development environment.
Experience performing functional, exploratory, and regression testing, applying analytical thinking to assess risk, dependencies, and edge cases.
Ability to review user stories and acceptance criteria, identifying gaps, risks, and ambiguities early and providing constructive feedback.
An understanding of risk based testing and prioritising testing effort effectively.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to investigate unexpected behaviour and identify root causes.
Ability to work collaboratively in a cross‑functional team, engaging proactively with other testers, developers and business analysts.
A proactive mindset, comfortable working in a fast‑moving, evolving environment and taking ownership of assigned work.
Desirable Criteria
Ability to validate data using database queries tools where required.
Exposure to or interest in test automation, quality engineering, or improving quality processes.
Experience contributing to continuous improvement of testing practices, tools, or documentation.
Experience working in agile environments where testing is guided by acceptance criteria, exploratory testing, and collaboration rather than detailed test scripts.
