Jr. Offensive Cyber Engineer

Leidos; Lawton (OK); On-site; USD 70,000 - 126,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

11 holidays per year

401K with company match

Flexible schedules

Stock purchase plan

Technical upskilling

Education and training support

Parental paid leave

Job summary

Leidos is seeking a Jr. Offensive Cyber Engineer in Lawton, OK, to perform security assessments, conduct penetration tests on enterprise and government systems, and work with defensive teams to translate offensive techniques into robust detections.

The role requires 2+ years in penetration testing or red teaming, strong scripting skills, and proficiency with Linux and Windows. On-site work in Lawton is expected, with travel to testing events as needed.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hands-on experience in penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, or red teaming.
• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field; or equivalent experience.
• Experience with Linux distributions and Windows OS; scripting skills in Python, Bash, or PowerShell.

Responsibilities

• Develop exploits, payloads, and automated scripts based on identified vulnerabilities.
• Conduct vulnerability assessments and penetration tests across networks, web apps, and cloud environments.
• Collaborate with CRS and detection teams to translate offensive tactics into detectors.
• Participate in operational testing to verify exploit effectiveness in mission-critical environments.
• Research system documentation and security guides; document findings and remediation steps.

Skills

Penetration testing

Detection engineering

Linux and Windows

Scripting (Python Bash PowerShell)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity/CS/CE/EE

Tools

Burp Suite

Metasploit

Nmap

OWASP ZAP

Cobalt Strike

Job description

Leidos has a new and exciting opportunity for a Jr. Offensive Cyber Engineer in our INTEL Sector's Cyber & Analytics Business Area (CABA). Our talented team is at the forefront in Security Engineering, Computer Network Operations (CNO), Mission Software, Analytical Methods and Modeling, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Cryptographic Key Management. At Leidos, we offer competitive benefits, including Paid Time Off, 11 paid Holidays, 401K with a 6% company match and immediate vesting, Flexible Schedules, Discounted Stock Purchase Plans, Technical Upskilling, Education and Training Support, Parental Paid Leave, and much more. Join us and make a difference in National Security! The Jr. Offensive Cyber Engineer needs to have hands-on experience in penetration testing and/or detection engineering to join our team in Lawton, OK. In this role, you will perform technical security assessments, execute penetration tests on enterprise and government systems, and collaborate with defensive security teams (CEMA Resiliency System [CRS]) to translate offensive tactics into robust threat detections.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Develop custom exploits, payloads, and automated scripts based on identified system vulnerabilities.
• Conduct vulnerability assessments and assist in penetration tests across network protocols, web applications, and cloud environments.
• Collaborate with CEMA Resiliency System (CRS) and detection engineering teams to validate, test, and improve threat detectors based on offensive tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
• Participate in operational testing events to verify exploit effectiveness in realistic, mission-critical environments.
• Research technical system documentation, architecture diagrams, and security classification guides.
• Document findings clearly and author comprehensive technical reports, remediation guidance, and after-action reviews for technical and project stakeholders.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline with 2+ years of relevant experience; OR a Master's degree with 0+ years of experience; OR an additional 4 years of related experience in lieu of a degree (6+ years total).
• 2+ years of hands‑on technical experience in penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, or red teaming.
• Working proficiency with Linux distributions (e.g., Kali, Parrot, Ubuntu) and Windows operating systems.
• Demonstrated ability to write scripts/tools in languages such as Python, Bash, or PowerShell.
• Solid understanding of core networking protocols (TCP/IP), network architecture, and common vulnerability classes.
• Must be a US Citizen with the ability to obtain and maintain an active Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance.
• Willingness to work on‑site in Lawton, OK (or relocate prior to start date) and travel to testing events as required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Certifications: Industry-recognized certifications such as OSCP, GPEN, GWAPT, CPTS, PNPT, CEH, CompTIA PenTest+, or GSEC.
• Testing Tooling: Experience using standard assessment and exploitation tools (e.g., Burp Suite, Metasploit, Nmap, OWASP ZAP, Cobalt Strike).
• Cloud & Modern Tech: Hands‑on exposure to evaluating cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP) and cloud assessment tools (e.g., ScoutSuite, Pacu, Prowler).
• Defensive Alignment: Familiarity with MITRE ATT&CK, threat detection engineering, SIEM/EDR rule development, or SOC operations.
• Low‑Level Knowledge: Coursework or practical experience in reverse engineering, assembly, or binary analysis.
• Defense / Government Experience: Prior experience supporting DoD or government systems and working with classified data handling procedures.

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones that disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting: October 29, 2026 For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range: Pay Range $69,550.00 - $125,725.00 The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

Leidos Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available here.

Securing Your Data Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information at any part of the employment application process. And Leidos will communicate with you only through emails that are sent from a Leidos.com email address. If you receive an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information, please report the email to [e-mail].

Commitment and Diversity All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.