Senior Penetration Tester/ Red Team Lead

Security 1st Consulting; Newport News (VA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Security 1st Consulting is seeking a Senior Penetration Tester and Red Team Lead to design and execute external, internal, and wireless testing across a live district network. You will manage testing across 50+ facilities, 40,000 devices, and two data centers, delivering actionable findings and remediation guidance.

The role requires OSCP, 5+ years of hands-on pentesting, and strong technical writing. You will coordinate with the client and ensure testing does not disrupt operations, while

Qualifications

• Active OSCP certification
• 5+ years of hands-on penetration testing across external, internal, and wireless environments
• Proficiency with Metasploit, Nmap, Burp Suite, Aircrack-ng, Wireshark
• Experience identifying privilege escalation paths and lateral movement
• Strong technical writing skills — findings reports must be clear, accurate, and actionable
• Ability to manage testing activities without disrupting production systems

Responsibilities

• Lead all external, internal, and wireless penetration testing activities within the approved scope.
• Develop and submit the written test plan, including scope confirmation, attack vector mapping, and communication protocols, before testing begins.
• Conduct external penetration testing from outside the network perimeter via the internet, mimicking an attacker with no credentials or prior network knowledge.
• Conduct internal penetration testing from inside the organization, testing internal systems for exploitable vulnerabilities including privilege escalation and lateral movement.
• Perform wireless penetration testing across four identified wireless networks, validating security mechanisms against unauthorized access.
• Communicate with third-party vendors to obtain authorization as required for scoped systems.
• Document all findings with CVSS severity ratings, technical detail, business impact analysis, and step-by-step remediation guidance.
• Coordinate testing timing with the client IT team to avoid disruption to classroom instruction — network-intensive testing is conducted after hours.
• Ensure no hardware or software is used that would interrupt network connectivity or production systems; disclose in advance any testing with potential network impact.

Skills

Penetration testing

Red Team Leadership

Technical Writing

Networking

Tools

Metasploit

Nmap

Burp Suite

Aircrack-ng

Wireshark

Job description

IT

Location

Work Mode

Employment Type

Experience Level

Security Clearance

Type: Active Secret

Status: Preferred

Job Description

The Senior Penetration Tester and Red Team Lead is responsible for designing and executing all external, internal, and wireless penetration testing for this engagement. You will work against a real-world network with 50+ facilities, 40,000 devices, and two geographically diverse data centers. This is not a simulated lab — you are testing a live district network with real users and real systems, which requires both technical skill and professional discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead all external, internal, and wireless penetration testing activities within the approved scope.
• Develop and submit the written test plan, including scope confirmation, attack vector mapping, and communication protocols, before testing begins.
• Conduct external penetration testing from outside the network perimeter via the internet, mimicking an attacker with no credentials or prior network knowledge.
• Conduct internal penetration testing from inside the organization, testing internal systems for exploitable vulnerabilities including privilege escalation and lateral movement.
• Perform wireless penetration testing across four identified wireless networks, validating security mechanisms against unauthorized access.
• Communicate with third-party vendors to obtain authorization as required for scoped systems.
• Document all findings with CVSS severity ratings, technical detail, business impact analysis, and step-by-step remediation guidance.
• Coordinate testing timing with the client IT team to avoid disruption to classroom instruction — network-intensive testing is conducted after hours.
• Ensure no hardware or software is used that would interrupt network connectivity or production systems; disclose in advance any testing with potential network impact.

Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Active OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional) certification.
• 5 or more years of hands‑on penetration testing experience across external, internal, and wireless environments.
• Proficiency with standard penetration testing tools including Metasploit, Nmap, Burp Suite, Aircrack‑ng, Wireshark, and equivalent platforms.
• Experience identifying and exploiting privilege escalation paths and lateral movement opportunities.
• Strong technical writing skills — findings reports must be clear, accurate, and actionable.
• Ability to manage testing activities without disrupting production systems.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• CEH, GPEN, GWAPT, or equivalent offensive security certifications.
• Experience testing K-12, higher education, or state/local government networks.
• Familiarity with OpenVAS (current scanning tool in the environment).
• Experience conducting white box, black box, and grey box testing engagements.
• Active security clearance or Public Trust eligibility.