Cyber Security Engineer – Penetration Testing Specialist

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Labor Category: Cyber Security Engineer – Penetration Testing Specialist

Clearance Level: TS/SCI w/ FS Poly required

Employment Type: Full-time

Position Overview:

We are seeking an experienced Cyber Security Engineer with Penetration Testing expertise to conduct red team operations, vulnerability assessments, and exploit development to assess the security posture of classified networks, applications, and cloud environments. The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of adversarial tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and be proficient with industry-standard penetration testing tools.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Plan, execute, and report on penetration tests against classified networks, applications, cloud platforms, and ICS/SCADA systems.

  • Utilize red team methodologies to simulate real-world adversarial attacks against mission-critical systems.

  • Identify and exploit vulnerabilities in operating systems, applications, cloud environments, embedded devices, and network infrastructure.

  • Develop custom exploits, scripts, and tools to test zero-day vulnerabilities and improve offensive security capabilities.

  • Perform social engineering, phishing, wireless network testing, and physical security assessments.

  • Reverse-engineer malware, analyze attack vectors, and recommend mitigation strategies.

  • Utilize threat intelligence frameworks (MITRE ATT&CK, Cyber Kill Chain) to develop realistic attack scenarios.

  • Collaborate with blue teams, SOC analysts, and incident response teams to enhance cyber resilience.

  • Conduct post-exploitation activities, including privilege escalation, lateral movement, and persistence techniques.

  • Document findings and provide comprehensive reports with risk assessments and remediation recommendations.

  • Ensure compliance with DoD, NIST 800-53, RMF, and IC cyber security directives.

Required Skills and Demonstrated Experience:

  • U.S. Citizenship required.

  • Active TS/SCI with FS Polygraph (required, no exceptions).

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

  • Strong expertise in ethical hacking, vulnerability assessment, and exploit development.

  • Proficiency in offensive security tools such as:

  • Kali Linux, Metasploit, Burp Suite, Cobalt Strike, Empire, Mimikatz, Responder

  • Nmap, Wireshark, BloodHound, Hashcat, SQLmap, Nessus, OpenVAS

  • PowerShell, Python, Bash, or C/C++ scripting for exploit development

  • Hands-on experience with Windows, Linux, cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP), and Active Directory exploitation.

  • Familiarity with ICS/SCADA security, IoT hacking, and wireless penetration testing.

  • Strong understanding of encryption, authentication protocols, and network security.

  • Experience working within classified environments with strict cybersecurity controls.

  • Ability to analyze, document, and report vulnerabilities with clear risk assessments and remediation strategies.

Preferred Qualifications & Certifications:

  • Experience conducting adversary emulation against classified systems.

  • Knowledge of Threat Hunting, Incident Response, and Digital Forensics.

  • Experience with AI/ML-driven cyber defense techniques.

  • Certifications that enhance credibility for this role:

    • Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)

    • Offensive Security Certified Expert (OSCE)

    • Certified Red Team Professional (CRTP)

    • Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

    • GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN)

    • GIAC Exploit Researcher and Advanced Penetration Tester (GXPN)

    • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)

    • Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

Experience Levels:

  • Full Performance: 3+ years of experience plus a bachelor’s degree.

  • Senior: 6+ years of experience plus a bachelor’s degree.

  • Expert: 11+ years of experience plus a bachelor’s degree.

  • Subject Matter Expert: 16+ years of experience plus a bachelor’s degree.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement:

IT Availability LLC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.