Senior AI Application Security Engineer

1001 Absa Bank; Randburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Absa Bank Limited seeks a Senior Application Security Engineer to lead advanced penetration testing across web, mobile, API and cloud-native workloads. You will combine hands-on testing with security architecture awareness and implement security testing solutions across platforms.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years in penetration testing, deep OWASP knowledge, and experience with AI-assisted tooling. You will help shape security standards, mentor juniors, and deliver practical remediation guidance

Qualifications

• 5+ years of penetration testing experience.
• Deep knowledge of OWASP Top 10 (Web, API) and related exploitation techniques.
• Experience with AI-assisted penetration testing tools.
• Understanding of LLM-based attacks, prompt injection risks and AI model abuse vectors.

Responsibilities

• Lead advanced security assessments across web, mobile, API and cloud-native environments.
• Perform manual and automated testing; validate findings and demonstrate business risk.
• Produce executive and technical reports; provide remediation guidance to executives, engineers and stakeholders.
• Mentor junior testers and contribute to security standards and processes.

Skills

Penetration testing

OWASP Top 10

AI assisted testing

LLM-based attacks

Burp Suite

Nessus

Metasploit

Certifications

Education

Bachelor's Degree & Advanced Diploma

Tools

MobSF

Frida

Objection

Job description

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together...one story at a time. With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

To provide advice and support in practice formulation and associated best practice improvement tactics; enabling the provision of specialist information technology security expertise.

Job Description

Senior Application Security Engineer with extensive penetration testing skills to lead advanced security assessments across web, mobile, APIs, cloud-native environments and AI-driven autonomous penetration testing platforms. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise with architecture awareness and hands‑on experience deploying and integrating security testing solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Advanced Penetration Testing Conduct manual and automated penetration testing across:
  • Web applications
  • API (REST, GraphQL, SOAP)
  • Mobile applications (iOS & Android)
  • Cloud-native workloads and containerized environment
• Infrastructure Perform black-box and white box testing Perform business logic testing Validate and exploit findings to demonstrate real business risk Conduct threat modeling and attack surface analysis.
• AI & Autonomous Pentesting Design, operate and optimize AI-Driven autonomous pentesting platforms Tune LLM-Based testing agents and attack orchestration workflows Validate AI generated findings and reduce false positives Reporting & Leadership Produce executive level reporting and technical reports Present findings to business, engineering and executive stakeholders Provide remediation guidance with practical implementation advice Mentor junior testers Contribute to internal security standards and processes.

Required Skillsets

• Technical Skills
  • 5+ years of penetration testing experience
  • Deep knowledge of: OWASP Top 10 (Web, API) Business Logic Exploitation Authentication and session management flows SSRF, RCE, injection flaws
  • Experience with AI assisted penetration testing tools
  • Understanding of LLM-based attacks, prompt injection risks, AI model abuse vectors
  • Experience with tools such as: Burp Suite (Advance Usage) Nmap Nessus Metasploit SAT/DAST tools Mobile testing tools (MobSF, Frida, Objection)
  • Certifications (Preferred) eJPT CEH OCSP AI security (Advantageous)
• Soft Skills
  • Excellent problem solving and analytical skills‑solving and analytical skills
  • Ability to translate technical risk into business impact
  • Strong communication and collaboration abilities
  • Ability to work independently as well as contribute effectively within a team
• Education
  • Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences (Required)

Equal Opportunity and Diversity

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer.

In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised.

Our Culture

At Absa, our story is not a single narrative. It’s thousands of individual journeys unfolding across Africa and beyond. From colleagues serving customers in local communities to teams shaping financial solutions across borders, Absa is built on people who bring their lived experiences, ambitions and perspectives into the workplace every day. Whether you’re starting your career, a seasoned leader or somewhere in between, your contribution is seen, valued and connected to something bigger. Our presence across Africa – which spans personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management, and insurance – exists because of the people who show up in their roles with purpose. Across Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, our colleagues are shaping what Absa becomes in each market. Beyond the continent, teams in global offices and a technology hub support and extend the stories that prove that African talent can lead, influence and innovate on the global stage. At Absa, your story matters because progress is driven by human experience, not hierarchy. When people are enabled to bring their whole selves to work, they don’t just build careers. They help shape the future of Africa’s financial services landscape.