Expert Test Engineer

NTT DATA is looking for a freelance Expert Test Engineer for a public agency in Brussels.

Location: Brussels (3 days on-site)

Contract until at least end of 2028

About the organisation

You will be joining an independent federal administration responsible for offering protection to individuals at risk of persecution or serious harm in their country of origin. In accordance with Belgian, European, and international standards, each request for international protection is evaluated in an objective, individual, and impartial manner.

As part of its digital transformation, the organisation has launched the programme, an ambitious modernisation initiative comprising multiple projects with tight timelines.

Your role

We are seeking an Expert Test Engineer (minimum 10 years' experience) with a strong hands-on mindset to ensure the quality, reliability, and security of the platform.

You will be responsible for defining and implementing test strategies within a modern, cloud-native architecture (APIs, microservices, zero-trust). You will work as part of a skilled and motivated agile team.

This is not a purely advisory or leadership role; the focus is on analysis, design, and implementation.

Key responsibilities

• Define and implement test strategies and operational test plans (functional and technical)
• Design and maintain automated test frameworks within CI/CD pipelines
• Perform functional, integration, and end-to-end testing
• Conduct API testing, including contract validation and performance checks
• Execute performance, load, and stress testing
• Carry out security testing in environments focused on authentication, authorization, and encryption
• Validate business logic across microservices and ensure data integrity
• Simulate failure scenarios to ensure system robustness
• Contribute to monitoring and observability (logging, metrics, dashboards)
• Participate actively in agile ceremonies (planning, refinement, retrospectives, demos)

Your profile

Required experience (hands-on):

• Minimum 10 years in testing, including:
  • Cloud-native environments (preferably Azure)
  • Test automation and TDD
  • Integration of tests in CI/CD pipelines (e.g. Azure DevOps)
  • API testing tools (e.g. Bruno)
  • UI testing (Cypress, strong knowledge of HTML DOM)
  • Performance testing (JMeter, Gatling)
  • Contract testing, mocking, and service virtualization
  • Monitoring and observability (e.g. Grafana)
• Programming: Java, Python, JavaScript
• Scripting: Bash and/or PowerShell
• Experience with NoSQL databases

Working style and competencies:

• Strong experience in agile delivery teams
• Analytical mindset and ability to propose alternative solutions
• Strong communication skills with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Proactive, collaborative, and continuously learning

Nice to have:

• Experience in microservices and API design
• Knowledge of event-driven architecture, Domain Driven Design, or Behaviour Driven Development
• Familiarity with federal or public sector IT environments

Languages

• Fluent English required
• Good knowledge of Dutch or French required

Working model

• Hybrid working model with three days per week on-site in Brussels (near Brussels South Station)
• On-site presence is important to support collaboration and team cohesion

Requirements

• Degree in IT (Bachelor's or Master's) from an EU-recognised institution

Why join

• Contribute to a role with significant societal impact
• Work on a large-scale, modern cloud transformation programme
• Collaborate with highly skilled and motivated professionals
• Play a key role in delivering a secure and robust digital platform