Sr. Associate, Offensive Security

Pfizer; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 79,000 - 132,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan with Pfizer matching

Generous benefits package

Paid vacation/holidays

Job summary

Pfizer is seeking a Senior Associate, Offensive Security to safeguard digital assets across on‑premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. You will contribute to penetration testing, adversary simulation, and purple team exercises, working closely with detection, remediation, engineering, and risk teams to translate findings into measurable improvements.

Responsibilities include conducting offensive testing, documenting weaknesses with remediation guidance, and supporting tooling and playbooks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Security, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field with 2+ years in cybersecurity focused on offensive security, or Master's with more than 0+ years, or Associate's with 6+ years, or high school diploma with 8+ years.
• Experience executing penetration tests or security assessments, including recon, exploitation validation, and reporting.
• Strong understanding of attack techniques and enterprise security concepts across identity, endpoints, networks, and cloud.
• Ability to document findings clearly and communicate risk and remediation guidance to technical stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of scripting/programming languages commonly used for security work (Python, PowerShell, Bash).
• Strong collaboration skills and ability to operate in a regulated environment.

Responsibilities

• Conduct offensive security testing, including penetration tests and adversary simulations across on‑premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
• Support red team and purple team engagements by executing test plans, collecting evidence, and evaluating defense effectiveness.
• Identify, validate, and document security weaknesses with technical details and remediation recommendations.
• Translate offensive findings into actionable improvements for detection, engineering, and remediation teams.
• Map observed techniques to attacker behaviors to highlight realistic attack paths.
• Maintain high-quality reporting aligned with ethical testing standards and internal requirements.
• Support tooling, automation, repeatable test methods, and playbooks for offensive security.
• Collaborate with detection, incident response, vulnerability management, infrastructure, and cloud teams to coordinate testing and minimize disruption.
• Escalate complex issues or high-risk findings as needed.

Skills

Penetration testing

Adversary emulation

Scripting (Python/PowerShell/Bash)

Security tooling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Information Security/CS/Engineering

Master's degree (advantageous)

Tools

Metasploit

Burp Suite

Kali Linux

Nessus

Job description

Role Summary

Our Global Cyber Defense team is responsible for safeguarding Pfizer’s digital assets and infrastructure through proactive threat detection, response, and risk mitigation across on‑premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.

The Senior Associate, Offensive Security supports offensive security activities that proactively identify, validate, and help prioritize security weaknesses across the digital environment. This role contributes to penetration testing, adversary simulation, and purple team exercises that continuously assess the organization’s exposure to real‑world threats. Operating within a highly regulated pharmaceutical environment, the Senior Associate partners closely with detection, remediation, engineering, and risk teams to ensure findings are clearly documented, actionable, and translated into measurable security improvements. This role will report to the Sr. Manager, Offensive Security.

Role Responsibilities

• Conduct offensive security testing activities including penetration tests and adversary simulation exercises across on‑premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
• Support red team and purple team engagements by executing test plans, collecting evidence, and helping evaluate defensive control effectiveness.
• Identify, validate, and document security weaknesses, including technical details, proof of concept evidence, and clear remediation recommendations.
• Assist with translating offensive findings into actionable improvement items for detection, engineering, and remediation teams.
• Contribute to threat‑informed testing by mapping observed techniques to common attacker behaviors and helping highlight realistic attack paths.
• Maintain high quality reporting standards and ensure deliverables are accurate, complete, and aligned to ethical testing expectations and internal requirements.
• Support continuous improvement efforts for offensive security tooling, automation, repeatable test methods, and playbooks.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional partners (e.g., detection, incident response, vulnerability management, infrastructure, cloud) to coordinate testing logistics and minimize business disruption.
• Escalate complex technical issues, high‑risk findings, or unexpected conditions.

Basic Qualifications

• Applicant must have a Bachelor's degree in Information Security, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field with at least 2 years of experience in cybersecurity with hands‑on focus in offensive security, penetration testing, vulnerability research, or security engineering; OR a master's degree with more than 0+ years of experience; OR an associate's degree with 6 years of experience; OR a high school diploma (or equivalent) with 8 years of relevant experience.
• Practical experience executing penetration tests or security assessments, including reconnaissance, exploitation validation, and reporting.
• Strong understanding of common attack techniques and enterprise security concepts across identity, endpoints, networks, and cloud services.
• Ability to clearly document technical findings and communicate risk and remediation guidance to technical stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of at least one scripting/programming language commonly used for security work (e.g., Python, PowerShell, Bash).
• Strong collaboration skills and ability to operate in a process‑driven, highly regulated environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong hands‑on knowledge of:
  • Red team and adversary emulation methodologies (MITRE ATT&CK–aligned)
  • Application, cloud, network, and identity penetration testing
  • Social engineering and phishing simulations (where appropriate)
  • Tooling and frameworks commonly used in offensive security
  • Experience in pharmaceutical, biotech, life sciences, or similarly regulated industries.
  • Demonstrated capability supporting offensive security testing in cloud or hybrid environments.
  • Exposure to partnering with detection engineering / SOC teams to improve detections based on offensive findings.
  • Experience working in regulated industries (e.g., healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceuticals) or environments with high compliance expectations.
  • Relevant certifications (e.g., CISSP, OSCP, CRTO, GPEN/GXPN), or similar offensive security credentials.
  • Demonstrated interest in improving repeatability through tooling, automation, and standardized playbooks.

Physical/Mental Requirements

• No special physical requirements.
• Applicants should be capable of working through a personal laptop computer or mobile device for extended periods.

Non‑standard Work Schedule, Travel Or Environment Requirements

• Travel as required by the business (less than 5% domestic and/or international)
• Work Location Assignment: Must be able to work in assigned Pfizer office 2-3 days per week, or as needed by the business
• This role is NOT remote

Other Job Details:

• Last Date to Apply for Job: August 24th, 2026
• Work Location Assignment: Hybrid. Must be able to work from assigned Pfizer office 2-3 days per week, or as needed by the business

The annual base salary for this position ranges from $79,400.00 to $132,400.00. In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer’s Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 7.5% of the base salary. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life’s moments. Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Learn more at Pfizer Candidate Site – U.S. Benefits | (uscandidates.mypfizerbenefits.com). Pfizer compensation structures and benefit packages are aligned based on the location of hire. The United States salary range provided does not apply to Tampa, FL or any location outside of the United States. This role is posted in multiple locations. If you are applying for the role in an secondary job posting location where pay transparency regulations apply, your Talent Advisor will share the local pay information with you during the first interview. Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility. Candidates must be authorized to be employed in the U.S. by any employer. U.S. work visa sponsorship (such as TN, O-1, H-1B, etc.) is not available for this role now or in the future.

Pfizer reports payments and other transfers of value to health care providers as required by federal and state transparency laws and implementing regulations. These laws and regulations require Pfizer to provide government agencies with information such as a health care provider’s name, address and the type of payments or other value received, generally for public disclosure. Subject to further legal review and statutory or regulatory clarification, which Pfizer intends to pursue, reimbursement of recruiting expenses for licensed physicians may constitute a reportable transfer of value under the federal transparency law commonly known as the Sunshine Act. Therefore, if you are a licensed physician who incurs recruiting expenses as a result of interviewing with Pfizer that we pay or reimburse, your name, address and the amount of payments made currently will be reported to the government. If you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact your Talent Acquisition representative.

Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA. Pfizer is an E‑Verify employer. This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.

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