Penetration Tester / Active Secret

Joint Activities

$86K — $138K *
Technical Services
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's in a related field and 5 years experience, or Master's with 3 years; 4 years of additional experience accepted in lieu of a degree.
  • At least 2 years of hands-on penetration testing experience.
  • Active certification in relevant security domains; options include CEH, Security+ CE, CySA+, and others, or ability to obtain before starting.
  • Proficiency in Kali Linux required.
  • Experience with penetration testing tools like Nmap, Burp Suite, Metasploit, etc.
  • Demonstrated ability to evaluate vulnerabilities and report findings using recognized methodologies like NIST SP 800-115 and PTES.
  • Leadership experience in guiding junior testers and conducting penetration tests.

Responsibilities

  • Support the Red Cell Team by conducting and leading penetration tests on client systems.
  • Identify vulnerabilities and suggest remediation strategies aligned with NIST 800-53 controls.
  • Report and present findings to system owners and engineering teams.
  • Maintain the infrastructure of the Red Cell Team.
  • Develop or enhance tools for automating vulnerability discovery and exploitation.

Benefits

  • Flexible hybrid working model with occasional on-site requirements.
  • Thorough training and development opportunities.
  • A focus on working with a federal client base in cybersecurity.
  • Exposure to advanced security methodologies and compliance frameworks.
Full Job Description
Responsibilities

Peraton is seeking an experienced Cyber Penetration Tester to become part of Peratons’ Federal Strategic Cyber programs. 

 

Location: Northern VA; Hybrid - flexible as long as person can come on-site as & when needed. 

 

In this role, you will:

  • Support the Red Cell Team by performing and leading penetration tests to assess the security of customer systems.
  • Identify vulnerabilities and develop recommended remediations to satisfy mandated NIST 800-53 security controls.
  • Report and demonstrate findings to system owners and engineers.
  • Maintain Red Cell infrastructure.
  • Develop or modify tools to automate discovery or exploitation.

 

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor of Science and 5 years experience, or a Master's of Science and 3 years of experience. In lieu of a degree, 4 years of additional  experience may be considered.
  • Minimum of 2 years with penetration testing experience. 
  • Possess one of the following certifications, OR be able to obtain before start date:
    • CCNA Cyber Ops, CCNA-Security, CEH, CFR, Cloud+, CySA+, GCIA, GCIH, GICSP, SCYBER, Security+ CE, SSCP
  • Demonstrated experience with Kali Linux.
  • Demonstrated penetration testing tools experience with Nmap, Burp Suite, Metasploit, etc.
  • Demonstrated ability in evaluating vulnerabilities, performing root cause analysis, and reporting findings utilizing assessment methodologies such as NIST SP 800-115, Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES), Information Systems Security Assessment Framework (ISSAF), OWASP Web Security Testing Guide (WTG), etc.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead a penetration test and guide Senior/Junior Penetration Testers.
  • U.S. citizenship required. 
  • An active Secret security clearance. 
    • Must have the ability to obtain a final Top Secret security clearance.

Preferred:

  • Active Top Secret or TS/SCI clearance.
  • One of the following certifications or an alternate, verifiable certification demonstrating IT security competence:
    • CompTIA CASP+
    • ISC2 Certified Information Security Professional (CISSP)
    • ISC2 Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
    • ISC2 Information Systems Security Engineering Professional (ISSEP)
  • One of the following certifications or an alternate, verifiable certification demonstrating practical penetration testing competence:
    • Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
    • Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
    • Hack the Box Certified Penetration Testing Specialist (CPTS)
    • TCM Security Practical Network Penetration Tester (PNPT)
    • GIAC Exploit Researcher and Advanced Penetration Tester (GXPN)
    • Zero Point Security Red Team Ops II
  • Advanced understanding of the following:
    • NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) and the Assessment and Authorization (A&A) process.
    • Security principles such as CIA, IAAAA, access control models, risk management, etc.
    • Networking principles and technologies such as IP routing, TCP/UDP, VPNs, firewalls, NAT, etc.
    • Common network protocols such as SSH, FTP, SMTP, SMB, HTTP, etc.
    • Operating system principles such as process management, device management, user management, file systems, etc.
    • Data processing principles such as encoding, hashing, encryption, etc.
    • Scripting and programming languages such as Bash, Python, PowerShell, JavaScript, etc.
    • Common application vulnerabilities and exploits such as outdated components,
    • permissions mis-configurations, lack of input validation, logging/monitoring failures, etc.
    • Common web application vulnerabilities and exploits such as XSS, SQLi, LFI, file uploads, broken authentication mechanisms, etc.
    • Active Directory (AD) enumeration and attacks such as kerberoasting, AS-REP roasting, abusing mis-configured privileges, crafting golden tickets, etc.
    • Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and navigating IT environments implementing multifactor authentication.
    • Cloud technologies and platforms such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), etc.
Target Salary Range$86,000 - $138,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position. Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the individual’s experience, education, knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as geographic location and business and contract considerations. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Joint Activities

More Technical Services Jobs

Find similar Penetration Tester / Active Secret jobs: