Cybersecurity Engineer (Test & Evaluation)

New York City Office of Technology & Innovation; New York (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Cybersecurity Engineer (Test & Evaluation) at New York City Office of Technology & Innovation leads technical security testing for City agencies, including red teaming, penetration testing, and threat emulation, translating findings into risk-aware guidance for leadership and technical staff.

Based in Brooklyn, NY, this role supports Cyber Command’s mission, develops actionable reports, maps findings to CIS/NIST controls, and collaborates across risk, compliance, and IT teams to strengthen

Qualifications

• Hands-on exposure to penetration testing and vulnerability assessments.
• Understanding of translating technical findings to risk language for diverse audiences.
• Familiarity with CIS Controls, NIST CSF/800-53, and MITRE ATT&CK frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute technical security assessments including pentests, red team engagements, and adversary emulation.
• Identify vulnerabilities and assess real-world exploitability and impact.
• Document findings, methodology, and evidence in clear reports for technical/non-technical stakeholders.
• Evaluate risk submissions and review testing artifacts for risk acceptance and policy exceptions.
• Translate findings for agency needs and collaborate with Cyber Command and partner agencies.
• Map findings to control frameworks to support defensible risk determinations.
• Stay aware of threat actor TTPs and incorporate intelligence into testing and risk discussions.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of testing methodologies and reporting standards.
• Handle special projects as assigned.

Skills

Penetration testing

Vulnerability assessments

Red team operations

Threat emulation

Technical reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Burp Suite

Nmap

Metasploit

Job description

The Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) leverages technology to drive opportunity, improve public safety, and help government run better across New York City. From delivering affordable broadband to protecting against cybersecurity threats and building digital government services, OTI is at the forefront of how the city delivers for New Yorkers in the 21st century. Follow us on social media @NYCOfficeofTech, and visit www.nyc.gov/oti to learn more.

At OTI, we offer great benefits, and the chance to work on projects that have a meaningful impact on millions of people. You'll have the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technology and collaborate with other passionate professionals who share your drive and commitment to making a difference through technology.

About Cyber Command

Cyber Command is charged with protecting all City systems against cyber threats, including systems that deliver vital services to New Yorkers. Headed by the Chief Information Security Officer of the City of New York, we provide in-depth support to over 100 agencies and offices to protect, detect, identify, respond to, and recover from cyber threats.

Job Description

The Cybersecurity Engineer (Test & Evaluation) will support the Cyber Test team’s mission of conducting technical security testing, including red teaming, penetration testing, and threat/adversary emulation, against systems and environments belonging to City agencies, as well as the team's role in providing technical subject matter expertise to Cyber Command and partner agencies on vulnerability exploitability, technical risk, and review of testing artifacts submitted in support of risk acceptance and policy exception determinations.

Responsibilities will include:

• Assist in planning and executing technical security assessments, including penetration tests, red team engagements, and adversary/threat emulation exercises, against City agency systems, applications, and network environments.
• Help identify and validate vulnerabilities, and assess their real-world exploitability and operational impact, both to support individual testing engagements and to inform broader risk-related decisions across Cyber Command and partner agencies.
• Document findings, methodology, and evidence in clear, actionable testing reports for technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Assist in evaluating the technical validity of risk review submissions, such as risk acceptance and policy exception requests, including review of supporting testing artifacts, scan results, and assessment documentation, and testing the effectiveness of claimed compensating controls through red teaming or threat emulation.
• Translate technical testing findings into language and context tailored to the needs of an agency, or Cyber Command function.
• Assist in analyzing findings across multiple engagements to identify recurring patterns, systemic weaknesses, or root causes, and share recommendations with relevant teams and stakeholders to inform broader remediation and mitigation strategies.
• Map testing findings and assessments to recognized control frameworks (e.g., CIS Controls, NIST) to support consistent, defensible risk-informed determinations.
• Maintain awareness of current threat actor tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and incorporate relevant threat intelligence into testing scenarios, risk discussions, and trend analysis.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of Cyber Test's methodologies, tooling, and reporting standards.
• Handle special projects and initiatives as assigned.

HOURS/SHIFT

Day - Due to the necessary technical duties of this position in a 24/7 operation, candidate may be required to work various shifts such as weekends and/or nights/evenings.

WORK LOCATION

Brooklyn, NY

IT SECURITY SPECIALIST - 95622

OTI participates in E-Verify

Minimum Qualifications

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and four years of satisfactory full-time experience related to projects and policies required by the particular position; or,

Education and/or experience which is equivalent to "1" above.

Preferred Skills

The successful candidate should possess the following:

• Hands-on exposure to or experience supporting penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, or red team operations, including familiarity with common testing tools (e.g., Burp Suite, Nmap, Metasploit, C2 frameworks, or network scanners).
• Understanding of how technical findings translate into risk-relevant language for technical and non-technical audiences, with an understanding of how testing evidence supports risk assessment, risk acceptance, and policy exception decisions.
• Basic familiarity with control, risk, and threat frameworks such as CIS Controls, NIST (e.g., NIST CSF, SP 800-53), and MITRE ATT&CK, particularly as applied to threat emulation and adversary-based testing exposure to ISO 27001, SOC 2, or FedRAMP.
• Exposure to or interest in using AI tools to support technical testing, as well as testing and assessing the security of AI systems (e.g., prompt injection, model evasion, adversarial inputs) familiarity with MITRE ATLAS is a plus.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to document technical findings clearly, identify recurring root causes, and explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Ability to work collaboratively across technical, risk, and compliance teams. Experience in public sector, government, or critical infrastructure environments is a plus.
• Active pursuit or completion of foundational or associate-level testing and security certifications are a plus (e.g., eJPT, CompTIA PenTest+, Security+, CEH, or GPEN).

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.gov/pslf/.

Residency Requirement

New York City Residency is not required for this position.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.