Principle Penetration Tester

Manchester Digital; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 85,000 - 103,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Flexible hours

Pension contributions

Work-life balance

Job summary

DWP Digital is recruiting a Principal Penetration Tester to lead security testing across one of the UK's largest digital ecosystems. You will shape engagements, perform advanced testing, and communicate findings to senior stakeholders to strengthen defences by design.

Join a team delivering security at scale with hybrid working, focus on secure-by-design services, mentoring others and influencing across the organisation.

Qualifications

• Experience conducting structured penetration tests using established frameworks (e.g., OWASP, NIST, PTES).
• Able to plan, execute and document security assessments with minimal supervision.
• Understanding of NIST SP 800-115 for technical testing.
• Experience configuring and interpreting results from security assessment tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead penetration testing across a large, complex digital environment and shape each engagement.
• Mentor and guide other testers; collaborate with teams and senior stakeholders to embed security by design.

Skills

Structured pen tests

Security frameworks

Security assessments

NIST SP 800-115

Security tools configuration

Vulnerability analysis

Risk assessment & comms

Compliance frameworks

Stakeholder communication

Client-facing reporting

Tools

Security assessment tools

Job description

Pay up to £93,927 plus 28.97% employer pension contributions, choice of locations, hybrid working, flexible hours and great work life balance.

DWP. Digital with Purpose.

How would you lead penetration testing across one of the UK's largest and most complex digital environments?

We're looking for a Principal Penetration Tester to join DWP Digital, leading security testing, challenging our defences and helping make our services secure by design.

With around £280 billion in payments every year and a third of all UK BACS traffic, the scale of DWP is extraordinary.

It's security work at serious scale, with a purpose that matters, and we'd love you to join us on the journey.

What skills, knowledge and experience will you need?

• Demonstrative experience of conducting structured penetration tests following 2 out of 3 of the following established frameworks (OWASP, NIST Cybersecurity Framework, PTES).
• Experience in planning, executing and documenting security assessments with minimal supervision.
• Understanding of NIST SP 800-115 for technical security testing and assessment.
• Proven experience with commercial and open-source security testing tools - demonstrated ability to configure, operate and interpret results from various security assessment tools.
• Evidenced experience in identifying, analysing and documenting security vulnerabilities. Understanding of risk assessment methodologies and ability to communicate findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven experience working with security standards and compliance frameworks (ISO 27001, PCI DSS, SOC 2, NIST Cybersecurity Framework). Understanding of regulatory requirements and their impact on security testing. Familiarity with NIST risk management principles and controls mapping.
• Demonstrable experience in client-facing roles, preparing technical reports and presenting findings. Proven ability to communicate complex security issues in clear, actionable terms.
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, using effective influencing and negotiation skills to navigate competing priorities, resolve complex issues and secure agreement on actions and outcomes.

You and your role

You'll be getting hands-on with penetration testing across a large and complex digital environment, looking for weaknesses, testing our defences and helping us stay one step ahead of emerging threats. From the start, you'll shape each engagement, deciding what to test and how to test it, using advanced exploitation and network-evasion techniques to really challenge our security.

As a technical leader, you'll be someone the wider team can turn to for guidance and mentoring. Supporting other penetration testers and sharing your expertise, you'll work closely with teams and senior stakeholders to make security part of how we design and build services, not something we simply check at the end.

Details. Wages. Perks.

Location:

You’ll join us in one of our brilliant digital hubs in Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield, whichever is most convenient for you.

Hybrid Working:

We work a hybrid model - you'll spend some time working at home and some time collaborating face to face in a hub.

Benefits and Perks:

• Pay: We offer competitive pay of up to £93,927.
• Pension: You’ll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions worth 28.97%, worth over to £22,000 per year.
• Holidays: A generous leave package starting at 26 days rising to 31 days over time.
• You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi-time. You'll also get all the usual public holidays.