Principle Penetration Tester

DWP Digital; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 78,000 - 94,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

Hybrid working

Pension plan

Career development

Job summary

DWP Digital is seeking a Principal Penetration Tester to lead security testing across a large, complex UK digital environment. You’ll shape engagements, decide what to test and how, using advanced exploitation to challenge defences while mentoring a team of testers.

Hybrid working in Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle or Sheffield with flexible hours and a strong focus on security by design. You’ll communicate findings clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders and help drive

Qualifications

• Structured penetration tests following OWASP, NIST CSF or PTES.
• Plan, execute and document assessments with minimal supervision.
• Understanding of NIST SP 800-115 for testing.
• Configure and interpret results from security tools.
• Identify, analyze and document vulnerabilities; communicate risk to stakeholders.
• Familiarity with ISO 27001, PCI DSS, SOC 2, NIST CSF and risk mapping.
• Experience in client-facing reports and presenting findings.

Responsibilities

• Lead penetration testing across a large, complex environment.
• Shape each engagement: decide what and how to test; use advanced techniques.
• Mentor and support other testers; provide guidance.
• Collaborate with teams and senior stakeholders to embed security by design.

Skills

Penetration testing

Security assessment planning

NIST SP 800-115

Security testing tools

Vulnerability analysis

Regulatory standards

Stakeholder communication

Mentoring junior testers

Tools

Security testing suites

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.

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.

We have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• 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: