Creative Assembly are looking for a Senior QA Lead to join our Total War Team based at our studio in Horsham, in the heart of West Sussex. This is an excellent opportunity to join a team and have an impact on a wide range of projects within the studio.

In this role, you will be responsible for the planning and organising of the test strategy and the QA team on a project such as a DLC or our latest Tentpole title. You will need to have a passion for QA with previous experience as a Lead working in QA in a development environment and be familiar with the development process. Staff development and mentoring through 1 to 1s, resolving issues both personal and professional will play a big part of the role.

We are looking for someone who is comfortable leading staff, who can drive the completion of tasks for both themselves and their team and follow the direction of the QA Manager and Development Managers to establish and execute a test strategy for a Total War release.

Key Responsibilities

As a Senior QA Lead, the primary functions of the role are to enable the finding, grading, and reporting of defects completely and concisely, communicating key defects, feedback and testing requirements to stakeholders in both QA and the rest of the development team. You will aim towards releasing the highest overall quality product possible by the given deadlines achieved through effective management of a group of testers.

On a day to day basis you will:

Be responsible for recording test results and task progress daily, including completion info status, in the requested formats as well as verification and regression of defects that have been fixed
Oversee the day to day task running, mentoring and organisation of a project team
Acquire in-depth knowledge of core features for titles in development and use in house tools to improve bug quality and accuracy for yourself and the team
Mentor and develop your team of testers as well as working closely with the QA Lead to assist in the running of the team in their absence

Knowledge, Skill and Experience

Essential

Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to relay important information in the most suited format
Previous experience in a QA role, preferably in a development studio
Proficient time management and organisational skills, able to handle multiple tasks and meet set deadlines and priorities
Ability to follow a set process and implement this among the team
Ability to self-manage and generate tasks to drive the process and testing of an area
A desire to lead, mentor and develop staff in a fast-paced agile working environment
Wide-ranging experience playing a variety of PC video games including the Real-Time Strategy genre of games
A passion for video games and a desire to be part of the creative process involved in developing video games

Desirable

Previous leadership experience working in Games or other related fields is highly desirable
A University degree or equivalent in a relevant field that can be applied to Games Development
Previous experience working on a AAA title in a development studio
Experience playing the latest titles in the Total War franchise
Knowledge of the development process and the various disciplines involved
Experience using Jira, DevSuite and Perforce
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills
Experience with BI reporting software, such as Microsoft Power BI
Experience with animation or database-related game tools

Creative Assembly is about the right people making the best games. We are united through our values; Quality, Focus, Teamwork, Respect and Trust.

Winner of multiple Best Place to Work Awards, we house many talented people, from trainees to industry veterans who constantly challenge us and make sure we are striving for the best within our games and our studio life.

We have studio sites in Horsham UK and Sofia Bulgaria, including a number of bespoke state-of-the-art audio suites and a dedicated motion capture site.

Currently we are working fully remotely, and we continue to assess the COVID-19 situation with the safety of our staff our number one priority. We are still actively recruiting and onboarding new staff each week. Our expert IT and HR teams will set you up with everything you need to join remotely whether you will need to relocate to the UK (or within the UK) now, or at a later date.

We offer many benefits to support you and your family including:

Bespoke and funded relocation package for you and your dependents, with support throughout the process from our dedicated Relocation Specialist
Enhanced maternity and paternity, private medical and dental insurance, life insurance, permanent health insurance, critical illness cover and free health care screening
Generous holiday allowance plus full studio closure over the Christmas and New Year period, as all UK Bank holidays
Annual discretionary studio bonus
Join our award-winning education and social responsibility programme; the Legacy Project, as an industry ambassador to mentor and educate others
Defined career development pathways and personalised training support including; SEGA Dev Day, internal masterclasses, prestigious creative workshops, on-site training with renowned specialists and global conference attendance
Season ticket travel loans and cycle to work scheme with free bike servicing and discounted car valet service on site
Free games and merchandise plus access to our extensive games library
Free breakfast every day - toast, bagels, pancakes, cereals, yoghurts, fresh fruit, smoothies, juices, milkshakes and more in our fully stocked kitchen*
Wellbeing support with an employee assistance programme and onsite confidential sessions
In-studio heavily subsidised massage therapy*
Discounts for home technology, travel insurance, corporate gym membership, cinema tickets, holidays, trips out and Ikea vouchers, and many local businesses including estate agents
Studio parties for you and your family; such as our Summer Festival, Christmas Party plus a separate Children’s Christmas Party. We also have Cinema days and wrap parties for game releases*
Studio community activities such as free Japanese lessons, life drawing, creative writing, Pilates, Walking Challenges, Couch to 5k, basketball, game and movie evenings, board game club, 5-a-side football, CA Choir, Sword fighting (yes, sword fighting) and loads more*

*some of the above in-studio benefits are on hold while we work remotely during COVID-19.

Our studio sites have disabled access. We are an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion or belief.