Senior Penetration Tester

Yolk Recruitment Ltd; London; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consultancy is seeking a Senior Penetration Tester for a contract role supporting UK Central Government in Cyber Security. The ideal candidate will have significant red teaming experience, strong QA background, and eligibility for SC Clearance. This position allows for mostly remote work with occasional on-site meetings. Excellent rates offered based on expertise.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in penetration testing and red teaming, especially in operational settings.
• Experience in coaching and mentoring team leads.
• Familiarity with quality assurance in technical outputs.

Responsibilities

• Review and assess technical reports for quality standards.
• Mentor and support team leads in red teaming practices.
• Advise on best practices in adversary simulation.

Skills

Penetration testing

Red teaming

Technical QA

Adversary simulation

Education

CREST certification

OSCP certification

GIAC certification

Job description

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Senior Penetration Tester | 12 Month Initial Contract | £750 - £850 per day (Inside IR35) | Cheltenham or London | 1 day per week on-site | SC Clearance Eligibility Required

MERITUS Talent are working with a boutique Defence consultancy supporting a UK Central Government department in their Cyber Security function. We're looking for an experienced Senior Penetration Tester with a strong background in adversary simulation and technical quality assurance to join a high-impact project within the UK cyber security space. This role is ideal for someone who's not only delivered high-end red team engagements but has also overseen the work of others and provided expert-level guidance.

You may have worked as a CHECK Team Leader, led adversary simulation teams, or assessed others for recognised exam bodies such as CREST or OSCP. This is a contract position working remotely, with occasional meetings or workshops as required.

The role is a 12 month initial contract (inside IR35) & can be mostly remote with 1 day a week on-site in either Cheltenham or London.

Main Responsibilities:

Reviewing and sampling technical reports to ensure they meet internal and external quality standards.

Coaching and mentoring team leads, particularly those working independently without peer support.

• Advising the wider project team on best practices in red teaming and adversary simulation.

Skills Required:

Solid hands-on experience in penetration testing and red teaming, particularly in operational environments.

A background in technical QA - reviewing, validating, and improving the output of other testers.

Experience as an assessor or contributor to recognised exam bodies (e.g. CREST, OSCP, GIAC) is highly desirable.

If you believe that you have the skills and experience for the role - then please get in touch. We also offer a referral scheme for any candidates whose details are passed to us that we successfully place. If you have any further questions then please contact Ryan Harris at MERITUS Talent.