Penetration Tester Junior

VulnU; Ashburn, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 91,000 - 124,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Retirement match

Paid parental leave

Job summary

GDIT in Ashburn, VA is seeking a Junior Penetration Tester to support the CBP Cyber Security Directorate. You will assist in testing applications, endpoints, networks, and cloud systems, under senior testers, to uncover security gaps and document evidence for remediation.

You will draft findings, collaborate with owners and engineers, and help close gaps through retesting and remediation tracking. A minimum of three years in cybersecurity or vulnerability assessment is required, with hands-on

Qualifications

• Minimum of three (3) years of cybersecurity or vulnerability assessment experience.
• Experience executing penetration tests, gathering evidence, documenting vulnerabilities, and validating system weaknesses.
• Proficient with common penetration testing tools (Nmap, Nessus, Burp Suite, Metasploit).

Responsibilities

• Assist in performing penetration tests across applications, endpoints, networks, cloud systems, and mission-critical environments to uncover security gaps.
• Run discovery and enumeration tasks using standard testing tools.
• Execute basic exploitation steps under the direction of senior testers to validate vulnerabilities.
• Document vulnerabilities with clear descriptions, reproduction steps, and severity scoring.
• Draft technical sections of reports and summarize findings for stakeholders.
• Collaborate with system owners to clarify findings and support remediation.
• Participate in retesting cycles to confirm remediation and closure.

Skills

Cybersecurity Ops

Incident Response

Penetration Testing

Security Operations

Vulnerability Remediation

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT / CS

Tools

Nmap

Nessus

Burp Suite

Metasploit

Job description

# Penetration Tester JuniorGDIT · gdit.comCategory: Red Team / OffensiveLocation: USA VA AshburnLevel: JuniorSalary: $91,375 – $123,625Clearance: Public Trust## Quality of lifeWhat the posting states. Hover or tap a perk to see the line it came from.* Retirement match* Paid parental leaveType of Requisition:RegularClearance Level Must Currently Possess:NoneClearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:NonePublic Trust/Other Required:BI Full 6C (T4)Job Family:Cyber and IT Risk ManagementJob Qualifications:Skills:Cybersecurity Operations, Incident Response, Network Penetration Testing, Security Operations, Vulnerability RemediationCertifications:NoneExperience:3 + years of related experienceUS Citizenship Required:YesJob Description:The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cyber Security Directorate (CSD) is leading one of the most comprehensive, mission critical cybersecurity operations in the federal government, protecting the digital infrastructure that safeguards America’s borders. This multifaceted program spans 24/7/365 Security Operations Center (SOC) monitoring, advanced threat intelligence, forensics, incident response, cloud and network security engineering, zero trust modernization, vulnerability assessment, and enterprise-wide risk and compliance activities. The Penetration Tester Junior will support teams at the forefront of national security, supporting sophisticated cyber operations that defend vital systems, enable secure mission execution, and counter rapidly evolving threats. You will find this work uniquely impactful, fast-paced, and deeply collaborative, offering the opportunity to lead high performing technical teams, shape CBP’s cybersecurity strategy, and contribute directly to the protection of the nation.MEANINGFUL WORK AND PERSONAL IMPACTThe Penetration Tester plays a critical role in strengthening enterprise cybersecurity by ensuring vulnerabilities are accurately identified, validated, documented, and communicated. Through hands‐on testing and collaboration with technical teams, the Penetration Tester Junior helps reduce risk exposure and supports the continuous improvement of security controls across mission‐critical systems. The candidate will:Assist in performing penetration tests across applications, endpoints, networks, cloud systems, and mission‐critical environments to uncover security gaps.Run discovery and enumeration tasks using industry‐standard testing tools such as Nmap, Nessus, Burp Suite, Metasploit, and similar utilities.Execute basic exploitation steps under the direction of senior testers to help validate identified vulnerabilities.Gather and document exploitation artifacts, screenshots, logs, payload outputs, and supporting evidence to ensure complete audit and reporting trails.Support post‐exploitation analysis by capturing privilege escalation paths, lateral movement opportunities, or insecure configurations.Document vulnerabilities with clear descriptions, reproduction steps, and appropriate severity scoring.Contribute to penetration testing reports by drafting technical sections and summarizing findings for stakeholder awareness.Work with system owners, developers, engineers, and cybersecurity teams to clarify findings and support remediation efforts.Participate in retesting cycles to confirm vulnerability remediation and track closure progress.WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO SUCCEEDMinimum of three (3) years of cybersecurity or vulnerability assessment experience.Experience executing penetration tests, gathering evidence, documenting vulnerabilities, and validating system weaknesses.Experience with common penetration (e.g., Nmap, Nessus, Burp Suite, Metasploit) testing tools to run scripts, supports senior testers, and contributes to improving assessment quality.Strong analytical and documentation skills.Strong analytical, problem‐solving, and documentation skills.Understanding of exploit development concepts, offensive tooling, and common security control weaknesses.Strong skills in testing notes, scripts, and tool configurations to support repeatability and compliance.Ability to develop structured documentation, perform technical writing, and have effective communication with both technical and non‐technical audiences.Preferred certifications:CompTIA PenTesteJPT / eCPPT EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCEBachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, cybersecurity or a related field preferred.Previous or Current CBP Background Investigation desired.OWN YOUR OPPORTUNITYExplore a career in cyber security at GDIT and you’ll find endless opportunities to grow alongside colleagues who share your passion for securing the mission.The likely salary range for this position is $91,375 - $123,625. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.Scheduled Weekly Hours:40Travel Required:Less than 10%Telecommuting Options:OnsiteWork Location:USA VA Ashburn