Expert Penetration Tester

IBM; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

IBM is seeking a Penetration Tester based in Austin, Texas, with deep technical expertise in assessing IT security risks. The position involves conducting tests and simulations to find vulnerabilities in systems, and includes preparing reports with recommendations for remediation.

The ideal candidate should have a Bachelor’s degree and strong experience with penetration testing tools such as NMap and Metasploit, along with solid programming skills.

Qualifications

• Penetration Testing experience with operating systems and web applications.
• Ability to document and present penetration testing results.
• Familiarity with network infrastructure and security protocols.

Responsibilities

• Conduct hacker simulations and demonstrate vulnerability exploits.
• Prepare and execute operational penetration tests.
• Provide recommendations to fix identified vulnerabilities.

Skills

Penetration Testing tools expertise

Knowledge of TCP/IP networking

Programming languages (C, C++, Java, C#)

Experience with AI tools

Documentation and presentation skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Tools

NMap

Nessus

Metasploit

BurpSuite

Nikto

Tcpdump

Job description

Introduction

At IBM Infrastructure & Technology, we design and operate the systems that keep the world running. From high‑resiliency mainframes and hybrid cloud platforms to networking, automation, and site reliability, our teams ensure the performance, security, and scalability that clients and industries depend on every day. Working in Infrastructure & Technology means tackling complex challenges with curiosity and collaboration. You’ll work with diverse technologies and colleagues worldwide to deliver resilient, future‑ready solutions that power innovation. With continuous learning, career growth, and a supportive culture, IBM provides the opportunities to build expertise and shape the infrastructure that drives progress.

Your Role and Responsibilities

A Penetration Tester with deep technical expertise in the processes, procedures, tools, and methodology for assessing IT Security risk. The role requires an individual who can independently visualize the network topology from information provided, prepare tests, conduct hacker simulations, and demonstrate the likelihood of data compromise via “proof of concept exploitation” of a given vulnerability. Further to the tests, the candidate must be able to clearly describe the problem, the concerns, and provide recommendations to fix.

Preferred Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Required Technical and Professional Expertise

• Penetration Testing experience with operating systems, web applications and network infrastructure. Experience with using Penetration Testing Tools such as NMap, Nessus, Metasploit, BurpSuite, Nikto, Tcpdump. Required certification: OSCP or higher Offensive Security qualification.
• AI Skills: Ability to work with LLMs, agentic tools, MCP, and administrator level knowledge of server operating systems specifically Unix and Windows.
• Intricate technical knowledge of TCP/IP networking/routing, intranet/internet architectures and segregation technologies/VLANs, firewalls, intrusion detection, intrusion prevention, SQL databases. Ability to test web technologies such as web applications, containers, and container managers.
• Programming ability to create, read, and modify exploit code to achieve system penetration. C, C++, Java, C#, scripting knowledge is an asset.
• Ability to document and present penetration testing results, including recommendations to fix.

Preferred Technical and Professional Experience

• Penetration Testing experience with operating systems, web applications and network infrastructure.
• Experience with using Penetration Testing Tools such as NMap, Nessus, Metasploit, BurpSuite, Nikto, Tcpdump.
• Required certification: OSCP or higher Offensive Security qualification.
• AI skills: Ability to work with LLMs, agentic tools, MCP.
• Administrator level knowledge of server operating systems specifically Unix and Windows.
• Intricate technical knowledge of TCP/IP networking/routing, intranet/internet architectures and segregation technologies/VLANs, firewalls, intrusion detection, intrusion prevention, SQL databases.
• Ability to test web technologies such as web applications, containers, container managers.
• Programming ability to create, read, and modify exploit code to achieve system penetration. C, C++, Java, C#, scripting knowledge is an asset.
• Ability to document and present penetration testing results, including recommendations to fix.