New Starter Guide

Welcome to Cancer Research UK (CRUK) — we’re delighted to have you on board!

By now, you’ll likely have had your first conversation with your line manager about your onboarding journey and been introduced to your buddy — a fellow member of the QA Capability. Your buddy is here to offer friendly guidance and support as you settle into your new role and get to know how we work.

To help you feel confident and set you up for success, we’ve put together a QA Orientation Guide that supports you through your first six months. This is designed to align with your probation period and gives you a clear path to follow, while allowing space for flexibility and exploration.

The guide is structured into three key phases:

Month 1 – A warm introduction to CRUK, our culture, ways of working, and where to find things.

Months 2–3 – Gaining confidence with our tools, systems, and testing practices.

Months 3–6 – Growing your impact, taking ownership of your work, and embedding yourself into your team and the wider QA community.

Your line manager will walk through the checklist with you in regular check-ins, making sure you have everything you need — from access to systems, to context, support, and learning opportunities.

📝 You can find the full onboarding checklist in the QA Team Onboarding Document

We are excited to have you with us and look forward to supporting you on this journey!