PenTester / Ethical Hacker

Planet Group; New York (NY); Remote; USD 91,000 - 98,000; Full time

Job summary

Planet Group is seeking a PenTester / Ethical Hacker to join our remote cybersecurity team on a 6‑month contract. You will conduct comprehensive penetration tests across web apps, APIs, mobile apps, networks, and cloud environments (AWS/Azure/GCP).

The role requires at least 3 years of hands-on testing experience, strong scripting skills, and experience with tools like Burp Suite, Metasploit, Nmap, and Cobalt Strike. You will report findings to leadership with actionable remediation guidance.

Qualifications

• Not a beginner-level role; requires hands-on security work and vulnerability management.
• Minimum 3 years of penetration testing/red-teaming experience in a corporate setting.
• Ability to plan and execute tests, and communicate risks clearly to leadership.
• Comfort operating in terminal environments and scripting in common languages.
• Experience with AWS/Azure/GCP, containers, and diverse tech stacks.

Responsibilities

• Plan and execute penetration tests across apps, APIs, mobile apps, networks, cloud infra, and internal systems.
• Perform manual exploitation and validate findings to reduce false positives.
• Configure and run automated vulnerability scanning pipelines for broad coverage.
• Design AI-assisted testing workflows to accelerate recon and reporting.
• Deliver executive summaries and detailed technical reports to leadership.

Skills

Penetration testing

Red teaming

Networking protocols

Windows & Linux

Python

PowerShell

AI/LLM integration

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT/CS/QA

Tools

Burp Suite

Metasploit

Nmap

Wireshark

Cobalt Strike

Kali Linux tools

Job description

Job Title: PenTester / Ethical Hacker

Location: Remote

Contract length: 6 months

Schedule: Fulltime, 40 hrs/week

Pay: $66/hr to $71.42/hr

Team

The Cybersecurity foundation is multi-faceted and focuses on driving value. Our mission is to establish an integrated program that ensures the overall effectiveness of capabilities that impact information security across business units globally.

Job Responsibilities

• Plan and execute penetration tests across web applications, APIs, mobile apps, networks, cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP), and internal systems
• Perform manual exploitation and validation of vulnerabilities to eliminate false positives and uncover logic flaws automated tools miss
• Design, configure, and run automated vulnerability scanning pipelines to accelerate coverage and consistency across engagements
• Build and deploy AI-agent-driven testing workflows to accelerate reconnaissance, fuzzing, exploit chaining, and report generation
• Ability to analyze the environment from a threat actor's perspective, including the skill to conduct prioritized identification of vulnerable assets and then devise techniques to exploit potential attack paths
• Identifies security risks, threats, misconfigurations, and vulnerabilities of existing networks, systems, and applications and develops solutions to remediate identified threats
• Perform red team engagements simulating advanced persistent threat (APT) tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs)
• Tracking and documenting testing activities and providing updates to leadership through executive summaries and in-depth technical reports
• High performance skillset, which not only understands the threat spaces as they relate to risks but is also able to meet the technical challenge of communicating this out to our teams
• 3+ years of direct experience performing penetration testing / red teaming in an active corporate environment
• Experience consuming and analyzing Cyber Threat Intelligence for actionable takeaways
• Experience explaining testing objectives and findings in plain English and being able to communicate associated risks
• Reporting gaps in a meaningful way that addresses a business risk as well as providing technical solutions to the operations teams in remediation is key
• Relevant experience required
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• This is not a beginner-level position and requires comfort and experience with manual security work, low-level functionality, web application functionality, IT security, and vulnerability and threat management
• Minimum 3 years of experience in the practice of penetration testing / ethical hacking
• Demonstrated experience planning and executing penetration tests and red team engagements
• Comfort operating in terminal environments
• Ability to analyze an architectural document and strategically probe accordingly
• Working knowledge of common (HTTP, DNS, SMB, etc.) networking protocols
• Familiar with operation of both Windows and Linux-based systems
• Proficient with cross-platform scripting languages such as Python or Golang, also PowerShell
• Experience working with various technologies and platforms such as AWS, Azure, O365, GCP, containers, etc.
• Proficiency with industry-standard testing tools such as Burp Suite, Metasploit, Nmap, Wireshark, Cobalt Strike, BloodHound, and the Kali Linux toolset
• Practical experience integrating AI/LLM-based agents or copilots into security testing workflows (e.g., AI-assisted recon, automated exploit suggestion, agentic fuzzing frameworks) to accelerate results
• Understanding of the current cyber threat landscape, the different tactics commonly used by adversaries, and how one would exploit, chain, and report against similar attack paths

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong work ethic with attention to detail
• Demonstrated analytical abilities
• Attention to detail, verbal and written communication, initiative, and motivation to learn
• Strong written/oral communication skills are required along with the desire and ability to communicate with business leaders through all levels of the organization
• Self-motivated with excellent planning and organizational skills and the ability to prioritize tasks to meet deadlines and effectively manage changing priorities
• Refined interpersonal skills with the ability to liaise confidently and professionally with a diverse range of people
• Professional customer orientation with a strong commitment to providing a high standard of customer satisfaction
• Ability to deliver client-ready documentation and participate in relevant client meetings
• Working understanding of project management principles, processes, and documentation
• Able to work across teams effectively and efficientlyRelevant industry standard certification(s) preferred: OSCP; other possibilities: OSCE, OSWE, GPEN, GXPN, CEH, CISSP
• Bachelor's degree in information technology, Computer Science, Quality Assurance, or equivalent