Senior Penetration Tester

Dark Wolf Solutions, LLC; Herndon (VA); Remote; USD 155,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Dark Wolf Solutions, LLC is seeking a Senior Penetration Tester to join our security team. This lead role will assess and strengthen the security of hardware, software, firmware, and embedded systems, using advanced testing methods and exploit development to uncover vulnerabilities across diverse technologies.

You will collaborate with multi‑disciplinary teams and guide security improvements across products. The position is remote but may require travel to customer sites in Virginia.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a related field.
• Proven ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Outlining plans to establish or leverage dynamically configurable threat suites and environments for scaled testing.
• Defining testing scenarios and automated test harnesses to characterize detection, mitigation, and response capabilities.
• Performing application security assessments targeting OWASP Top Ten vulnerabilities and API security vectors.
• Assessing wireless and RF security, including Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee networks.
• Executing advanced vulnerability scanning, risk assessments, and manual verification to evaluate impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
• Conducting comprehensive penetration testing across hardware, software, firmware, RF, and network components.
• Developing and executing custom exploits, proof‑of‑concept attacks, and threat‑emulation environments to demonstrate vulnerability impact.
• Documenting detailed technical findings, evaluating exploit effort and risk levels, and delivering actionable remediation strategies.

Skills

Penetration testing

Red team operations

Exploit development

Security assessment

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, or a related field

Job description

Dark Wolf is actively seeking a Senior Penetration Tester to join our innovative team. This individual will play a critical role in assessing and enhancing the security of various products, including hardware, software, and embedded systems. This role demands a deep understanding of penetration testing methodologies and exploit development, focusing on identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities across a wide range of technologies. You will have the chance to work on cutting-edge technologies and contribute to the enhancement of security across a wide range of platforms. If you possess a strong background in penetration testing or red teaming, and have a passion for cybersecurity, we encourage you to apply for this lead role. This position is remote but may require travel to customer sites in VA and field sites, as needed.

Job Responsibilities:

• Outlining plans to establish or leverage dynamically configurable, representative threat suites and network environments for scaled testing.
• Defining testing scenarios and automated test harnesses to characterize system detection, mitigation, and response capabilities against signature- and anomaly-based threats.
• Performing application security assessments targeting OWASP Top Ten vulnerabilities and API security vectors.
• Assessing wireless and RF security, including penetration testing on Wi‑Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee networks.
• Executing advanced vulnerability scanning, risk assessments, and manual verification to evaluate impact on system confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
• Conducting comprehensive penetration testing across hardware, software, firmware, RF, and network components.
• Developing and executing custom exploits, proof‑of‑concept attacks, and threat‑emulation environments to demonstrate vulnerability impact.
• Documenting detailed technical findings, evaluating exploit effort and risk levels, and delivering actionable remediation strategies to strengthen product security.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, or a related field
• Minimum of 5 years of experience across three or more domain areas: intelligence analysis, network engineering, network security, penetration testing, red team operations, hardware engineering, software engineering, exploit development, reverse engineering, or vulnerability assessment
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams, customers, and external stakeholders
• Strong oral communication skills with experience leading briefing sessions, customer outreach, and user training
• Strong written communication skills with experience drafting technical status reports, case details, and system documentation
• Demonstrated experience synthesizing complex system analysis into clear technical reports, findings, and actionable recommendations
• U.S. Citizenship with an active Top Secret security clearance

Desired Qualifications:

• Active professional certifications such as OSCP, PNPT, GPEN, CEH, or similar penetration testing and offensive security credentials
• Proven ability to research, develop, and execute complex exploits and proof‑of‑concept attacks
• Strong technical background in firmware analysis, binary exploitation, and embedded systems security assessments
• Proficiency in assessing cloud architectures and deployments across Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform
• Familiarity with the NIST SP 800‑53 security controls and risk management frameworks

The salary range for this position is $155,000.00 - $170,000.00 commensurate on experience and technical skillset.

We are open to considering a variety of levels of experience for these projects and potential for 1099 hourly opportunity.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Employer Minorities/Women/Veterans/Disabled and other protected categories.
In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity, confirm US Citizenship, and complete the required employment eligibility verification upon hire.

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor required by law to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities.

As set forth in Dark Wolf Solutions’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.