Senior Software Engineer - Quality & Reliability

Darktrace is a global leader in AI-driven cybersecurity, helping organizations stay ahead of evolving threats every day.

Darktrace was built on a genuinely differentiated idea: that Adaptive AI could detect and respond to novel, real-time cyber threats. That approach matters more than ever in the era of AI. Today, our customers depend on us to stay ahead.

At Darktrace, we are energized by that responsibility. We work across teams and rally around a shared goal. We own outcomes end to end - step in, step up and see things through without waiting to be asked. We make decisions with urgency, say the hard thing, and hold each other to high standards with care and directness. We move first and learn fast anticipating where our customers are going next, continuously challenging ourselves.

We invest in the skills, learning and opportunities that help people deliver at the level their roles demand, and reward the aptitude and curiosity to grow beyond them.

Our Values: Own It | Win as One | Raise Our Bar | Move First. Learn Fast

Job Description:

We are looking for a Senior Python Developer to own and grow the software engineering, automation and testing infrastructure within our R&D Engineering division. The role covers end-to-end testing, CI/CD, internal tooling, automation frameworks and engineering quality across our products, platforms and backend infrastructure. Day-to-day is primarily writing Python and building the systems, tools and frameworks that enable our engineering teams to develop, test and release software with confidence. This is a hands-on Software Engineering role, not a manual QA position.

Please note this is a hybrid role with a minimum expectation of being in the office at least 2 times a week.

About the Role

We're looking for a Senior Python Developer to join the R&D Engineering division at Darktrace.
You'll design, build and maintain the software, tooling and infrastructure that support the development and delivery of our products. This includes developing automated test suites, CI/CD pipelines, internal developer tools and automation frameworks that improve engineering efficiency, software quality and release confidence.

What will I be doing:

While testing and automation are important aspects of the role, this is fundamentally a Software Engineering position. You'll write production-grade Python, contribute to shared libraries and engineering tools, and help shape the way our R&D teams build, test and deliver software across different technologies and platforms. In addition you will be responsible but not limited to:

• Designing and implementing automated test solutions across unit, integration, end-to-end and system-level testing,
• Building and maintaining automation tooling, including CI/CD pipelines, test orchestration, infrastructure provisioning and internal developer tools,
• Developing and owning and improve Python-based frameworks, shared libraries and reusable engineering components,
• Working across different technologies, platforms and infrastructure to support reliable software development and delivery,
• Collaborating with engineers across R&D to define testing and automation strategies for new features, products and services,
• Identifying opportunities to improve test coverage, system reliability, engineering efficiency and developer experience, then drive those improvements,
• Contributing to broader software engineering initiatives, including code reviews, architecture discussions, technical documentation and best practices,
• Taking ownership of engineering projects from design and implementation through to deployment, maintenance and continuous improvement.
  

What Experience Do I Need?

We're looking for someone with strong Python development experience, ideally gained within a SaaS environment, who is confident writing clean, maintainable and well-structured production code. You'll have a deep understanding of the Python ecosystem, its libraries and modern development tooling, alongside strong software engineering fundamentals, in addition you will:

• Have a good understanding of software testing principles and strategy, including the differences between unit, integration and end-to-end testing

• Experience building automation frameworks, developer tooling or internal engineering platforms would be particularly valuable.

• You'll be comfortable working with Linux systems, networking, shell scripting and general infrastructure concepts.

• Experience with Docker, CI/CD systems and infrastructure automation.

Above all, you'll have an engineering mindset towards automation and quality. You see testing infrastructure and developer tooling as software products in their own right, taking ownership of building and improving systems that make engineering teams more efficient.

Nice to Have

It would be beneficial if you also have experience in some of the following areas:

• Working across multiple operating systems or technology platforms,
• A background in cybersecurity, networking, distributed systems or large-scale software infrastructure,
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure and virtualisation, such as AWS, cloud provisioning or virtual machines,
• Building or maintaining custom test frameworks, automation platforms or developer tooling,
• Contributing to shared or internal Python libraries,
• Working within a large-scale R&D or product engineering environment.

As a growing business strengthening its governance and controls, this role plays a part in supporting high standards of integrity and accountability.

Darktrace is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Darktrace is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable laws. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact your Talent Partner.

For over a decade, Darktrace has pioneered a proactive, AI-native approach to cybersecurity. Our passion, creativity and determination to succeed is helping us build something completely novel and extraordinary. Join us on our mission to keep our customers ahead of the changing cyber threat landscape every day.