Penetration Tester

Leidos; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 87,000 - 157,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid Time Off

11 Holidays

401K with company match

Flexible schedules

Technical upskilling

Job summary

Leidos in Huntsville, AL is seeking a Penetration Tester to perform live customer tests and deep-dive preparatory analysis across system lifecycles. The role includes recommending mitigations, testing at multiple stages, and red team tool development for stand-alone and networked systems.

On-site position requiring US citizenship and TS/SCI eligibility. Candidates should have 4–8 years in security testing, strong Linux/Windows proficiency, scripting in Python or Bash, and experience with OWASP

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Cyber Security, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related Technical Degree.
• 4–8 years of experience in penetration testing/red teams or related security field, or a master’s degree in a related field with +2 years of experience. Experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Proficient with Linux (Kali/Parrot) and Windows OS.
• Experience with scripting languages such as Bash, Python.
• Hands-on experience performing penetration tests, vulnerability assessments, and security analysis on enterprise systems.
• Proven experience with web application penetration testing, including OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities.
• Experience conducting cloud security assessments (AWS, Azure, GCP) and cloud-native penetration testing.
• Familiarity with API security testing (REST, SOAP, GraphQL) and authentication/authorization mechanisms.
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP network architecture, protocols, and security concepts.
• Must be located in Huntsville, AL or willing to relocate; on-site; US citizen; TS/SCI eligibility.

Responsibilities

• Perform live penetration tests for customers.
• Conduct deep-dive preparatory analysis for systems under test.
• Recommend specific mitigation strategies for discovered vulnerabilities.
• Test at multiple stages of the system development/acquisition lifecycle.
• Develop red team tools for stand-alone and networked systems.
• Ensure survivability and resiliency of customer systems under test.
• Deliver development updates and after-action reports after each assessment.

Skills

Penetration testing

Red team

Linux

Python

Windows

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Cyber Security, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related Technical Degree

Master’s degree in related field

Tools

Nmap

Burp Suite

OWASP ZAP

Metasploit

Cobalt Strike

PowerShell

Bash

Job description

Description

Leidos has a new and exciting opportunity for a Penetration Tester 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!

Primary Responsibilities

This is a full-time position with the Leidos office in Huntsville, AL. The position consists of performing live penetration tests for customers and performing deep-dive preparatory analysis for any system under test. The position also includes recommending specific mitigation strategies to the customer for discovered vulnerabilities, and testing at multiple stages of the system development/acquisition lifecycle. This also includes red team tool development for use in stand-alone and network-connected systems. The position is responsible for ensuring survivability and resiliency of customer systems under test, and timely delivery of development updates and after-action reports after each assessment.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Cyber Security, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related Technical Degree
• 4-8years of experience in penetration testing/red teams or related security field, or amaster’sdegree in a related field with +2year of experience.Experiencemay be consideredin lieu of adegree.
• Proficient with Linux (preferably Kali, Parrot, or similar distros) and Windows Operating systems
• Experience with using scripting languages such as bash, python,etc
• Hands‑on experience performing penetration tests, vulnerability assessments, and security analysis on enterprise systems
• Proven experience with web application penetration testing, including OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities
• Experience conducting cloud security assessments (AWS, Azure, GCP) and cloud-native penetration testing
• Familiarity with API security testing (REST, SOAP,GraphQL) and authentication/authorization mechanisms
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP network architecture, protocols, and network security concepts
• Candidate must be located in Huntsville, AL area or be willing to relocate to the Huntsville, AL area as this is an ON-SITE Position.
• Candidate must be a US CITIZEN and be able to obtain a TS/SCI security clearance.

Tools & Technical Skills

• Extensive experience with reconnaissance and scanning tools (Nmap, Nikto, Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, etc.)
• Extensive experience with exploitation frameworks and tools (Metasploit, Cobalt Strike, Empire, etc.)
• Demonstrated ability to develop custom exploits and automation scripts using Python, Bash, PowerShell, or similar languages
• Experience with cloud security tools and methodologies (ScoutSuite, Prowler, Pacu, etc.)

Professional Experience

• Prior Department of War (DoW) experience or work with government/defense sector clients

Certifications & Continuous Learning

• Completion of or active pursuit of industry certifications such as OSCP, GPEN, GWAPT, GCIH, GSEC, CPTS, CEH, or equivalent technical certifications
• RF security experience or amateur (HAM) radio certification is a plus

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 who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Pay Range

Pay Range $87,100.00 - $157,450.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline onlyand 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.

About 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 $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. 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 at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legality, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at [e-mail].

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

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.