Senior Penetration Tester

Placements24; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance bonuses

Fully remote

Health/Dental/Vision insurance

Professional development allowance

Access to security tools

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Senior Penetration Tester to join a remote security team. You will proactively identify vulnerabilities in systems, networks and applications through testing and simulated attacks, helping the organization understand weaknesses and implement countermeasures before exploitation.

You will conduct tests on web apps, APIs, networks and mobile apps; develop attack scenarios; perform scans; document findings with remediation steps; advise on secure coding and infrastructure

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional experience in penetration testing and vulnerability assessment.
• Certifications such as OSCP/CEH/GPEN/GWAPT are highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of networking protocols, OSs (Windows/Linux) and web app security.
• Excellent report-writing skills and ability to explain findings to technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive penetration tests on web apps, APIs, networks, and mobile apps.
• Develop and execute custom attack scenarios and exploit techniques.
• Perform vulnerability scanning and analysis, correlating findings from tools and manual testing.
• Document findings in detailed reports with clear remediation steps.
• Collaborate with Dev and Ops teams on secure coding practices and hardening.
• Stay current with latest pentesting methodologies, tools and threats.

Skills

Penetration testing

Vulnerability assessment

Report writing

Threat modeling

Education

OSCP

CEH

GPEN

GWAPT

Tools

Metasploit

Burp Suite

Nmap

Kali Linux

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking an elite Senior Penetration Tester to join their highly skilled security team, operating in a fully remote capacity. In this role, you will be responsible for proactively identifying vulnerabilities within systems, networks, and applications through rigorous testing and simulated attacks. Your expertise will be crucial in helping the organization understand its security weaknesses and implement effective countermeasures before malicious actors can exploit them. This is an outstanding opportunity for a seasoned penetration tester to leverage their advanced skills in ethical hacking and vulnerability analysis in a flexible, remote-first environment, contributing to the overall security resilience of critical digital assets.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive penetration tests on web applications, APIs, network infrastructure, and mobile applications.
• Develop and execute custom attack scenarios and exploit techniques to uncover deep-seated vulnerabilities.
• Perform vulnerability scanning and analysis, correlating findings from various tools and manual testing.
• Document findings in detailed, actionable reports, including clear explanations of risks and recommended remediation steps.
• Collaborate with development and operations teams to provide guidance on secure coding practices and infrastructure hardening.
• Stay current with the latest penetration testing methodologies, tools, and industry threats.

Requirements

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in penetration testing and vulnerability assessment.
• Proven expertise in using various penetration testing tools such as Metasploit, Burp Suite, Nmap, and Kali Linux.
• Strong understanding of networking protocols, operating systems (Windows, Linux), and web application security.
• Demonstrated ability to think like an attacker and uncover complex security flaws.
• Excellent report writing skills, with the ability to clearly articulate technical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Relevant certifications such as OSCP, CEH, GPEN, or GWAPT are highly desirable.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Fully remote work arrangement, offering maximum flexibility and work-life balance.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Generous allowance for professional development, including training and conference attendance.
• Access to state-of-the‑art security tools and technologies.