Principle Penetration Tester

DWP Digital; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 56,000 - 94,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Flexible hours

Pension contributions 28.97%

Great work-life balance

Job summary

DWP Digital in the UK is seeking a Principal Penetration Tester to lead security testing across a large and complex digital environment. You will shape engagements, decide what to test, and use advanced exploitation techniques to challenge our defences while staying ahead of threats.

As a technical leader, you will mentor other testers, produce clear reports for senior stakeholders, and help embed security by design across services.

Qualifications

• Structured penetration tests using OWASP, NIST CSF or PTES.
• Experience documenting security assessments with minimal supervision.
• Ability to communicate security findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead security testing across a large, complex digital environment.
• Plan engagements, decide testing scope, and apply advanced exploitation techniques.
• Mentor and support other penetration testers.
• Present findings to senior stakeholders and drive secure-by-design decisions.

Skills

Penetration testing

OWASP

NIST CSF

PTES

Vulnerability analysis

Stakeholder communication

Tools

Security testing tools

Job description

Principle Penetration Tester 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.

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.

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.

Benefits

• Flexible working including flexible hours and flex-friendly policies
• Time off volunteering and charitable giving
• Bring your authentic self to work with 'I Can Be Me in DWP'
• Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more
• Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it's even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference
• Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.

And we have an award-winning environment and culture: DWP have been recognised as 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards Diverse and Inclusive Leadership at Digital Leaders Awards 2024 Commended as Best Place to Work in Digital category in the Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards 2025 Recognised as one of the Best Public Sector Employers at 2025 Women In Tech Employer Awards.

Process

We know your time is valuable, so our application and selection process are just two stages.

Interview: a single stage interview online.

Jobs are provided by the Find a Job Service from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).