Craig Knights
Software Development Engineer in Test @CGI
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WORK HISTORY
Software Development Engineer in Test @CGI
Bristol, GB
First six years of this role was working for BJSS, before acquisition by CGI) As one of BJSS’s go-to QA leads, I architected and drove end-to-end quality assurance for multiple clients; spanning public sector, financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and aeronautics. I owned test strategy, planning, automation and non-functional testing - building robust Cypress suites (API, UI, component) alongside Grafana K6 and JMeter performance tests to validate everything from routine releases to weather-driven traffic spikes. I embedded accessibility (WCAG 2.2 AA), compatibility (BrowserStack across devices/browsers), and security (OWASP ZAP) into release pipelines, and refined CI/CD workflows on AWS to boost efficiency and resilience under pressure.Day-to-day, I wrote, extended and refactored BDD scenarios in SpecFlow/Cucumber (C#, JavaScript), maintained Selenium/WebdriverIO scripts, and ran RestAssured/TestNG/Maven suites - ensuring nightly smoke runs and on-demand regression checks kept defects at bay. My test exit and operational acceptance reports gave stakeholders confidence, while my mentorship of junior testers fostered a culture of quality in Agile/DevOps teams. I even rolled up my sleeves to patch React.js front-ends, tweak.NET backends, and enhance user reporting - demonstrating my flexibility to switch between testing and hands-on development whenever the project demanded it.Certified in ITIL and ISTQB, I standardised QA best practices, introducing shift-left testing and test data management. I regularly partnered with product owners and architects to bake quality into sprint planning through production, accelerating releases and boosting client satisfaction across every engagement.By championing shift-left QA, facilitating early requirement reviews, acceptance-criteria workshops, and automated test scaffolding, I caught defects before a single line of code was written, reducing rework by and boosting overall delivery velocity.
EDUCATION
Colchester Institute
BTEC National Diploma, Public Services
ABOUT CRAIG KNIGHTS
I’m a highly experienced Senior Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) with nearly 15 years across sectors including local government, financial services, healthcare, and high-tech manufacturing.Specialising in Test Automation, Test Strategy Leadership, and Performance & Non-Functional Testing, I build quality assurance processes that deliver resilient, scalable solutions.My technical expertise spans JavaScript/Node.js/React.js.NET/C#, and Java, with deep experience across frameworks like Selenium, WebdriverIO, and Cypress. I architect and execute performance tests (Grafana K6, JMeter, Gatling) and deliver non-functional testing covering Accessibility (WCAG 2.2 AA compliance), Compatibility (BrowserStack), and Security (OWASP ZAP).Backed by ITIL and ISTQB Foundation and Agile certifications, my career is driven by a commitment to excellence, fast skill assimilation, and a client-centric strategic vision.In Lead roles, I own end-to-end testing strategy: crafting test plans, writing detailed exit reports, integrating QA within Agile and DevOps environments, and mentoring cross-functional teams to embed quality at every development phase.Whether it’s driving CI/CD quality assurance pipelines, leading accessibility audits, or guiding teams through high-pressure delivery cycles, I deliver outcomes rooted in technical excellence, leadership, and reliability.Open to Test Lead, Senior SDET, and QA Leadership roles - Automation, Performance, Accessibility, and Cloud-Native Quality Engineering.
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