Penetration Tester Senior

About the role

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Cyber Security Directorate (CSD) is leading one of the most comprehensive, mission critical cybersecurity operations in the federal government, protecting the digital infrastructure that safeguards America’s borders. This multifaceted program spans 24/7/365 Security Operations Center (SOC) monitoring, advanced threat intelligence, forensics, incident response, cloud and network security engineering, zero trust modernization, vulnerability assessment, and enterprise-wide risk and compliance activities. The Penetration Tester Senior will support teams at the forefront of national security, supporting sophisticated cyber operations that defend vital systems, enable secure mission execution, and counter rapidly evolving threats. You will find this work uniquely impactful, fast-paced, and deeply collaborative, offering the opportunity to lead high performing technical teams, shape CBP’s cybersecurity strategy, and contribute directly to the protection of the nation.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex penetration testing engagements and guides junior and mid‑level testers in scoping, tooling, exploitation techniques, documentation quality, and professional development.
• Plan test approaches, perform advanced exploitation, and deliver detailed reporting that informs corrective actions across critical systems.
• Define objectives, rules of engagement, and test boundaries in partnership with system owners, ISSOs, engineering leads, and mission stakeholders.
• Design tailored test plans that reflect system architecture, threat scenarios, and compliance requirements.
• Lead hands‑on penetration testing across network, application, wireless, and enclave targets, using modern red‑team methodologies to discover and validate exploitable weaknesses.
• Employ industry tools and frameworks such as Nmap, Nessus, Metasploit, Burp Suite, CANVAS, and Kismet to enumerate, exploit, and confirm vulnerabilities at scale.
• Develop proofs of concept, chained exploits, and post‑exploitation procedures that demonstrate realistic impact and support prioritization of remediation by system owners.
• Produce comprehensive technical reports that include vulnerability descriptions, reproduction steps, affected assets, exploit evidence, and prioritized remediation recommendations suitable for engineering and executive audiences.
• Present findings, defend methodologies, and translate technical risk into mission‑aligned decisions during briefs and touchpoints.
• Partner with developers, system engineers, SOC, and risk teams to advise on mitigation strategies and validate fixes during retesting cycles.

Requirements

• Minimum of five (5) years of offensive security or penetration testing experience, leading complex assessments and delivering authoritative reports.
• Strong leadership and communication abilities.
• Advanced proficiency with penetration testing tooling and exploitation techniques, including network, application, and wireless vectors.
• Strong technical writing and oral presentation skills that meet audit and executive communication standards.
• Ability to collaborate with technical and non‑technical stakeholders across federal and enterprise.
• Preferred certifications: OSCP (highly valued), GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN), CREST Registered Pen Tester (CRT).
• Education and experience in cybersecurity, computer science, information technology, or a related field preferred.
• Previous or current CBP Background Investigation desired.
• US Citizenship Required: Yes.
• Clearance Level Must Currently Possess: None; Clearance Level Must Be Able To Obtain: None.
• Public Trust/Other Required: BI Full 6C (T4).

Skills

• Cybersecurity Operations
• Network Penetration Testing
• Penetration Testing Software
• Vulnerability Management

Benefits

• Medical plan options (some with Health Savings Accounts)
• Dental plan options
• Vision plan
• 401(k) plan with pre‑ and post‑tax contribution options and company match
• Full flex work weeks where possible
• Paid time off plans (vacation, sick, personal, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement, jury duty)
• Short‑ and long‑term disability benefits
• Life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness, and business travel and accident insurance

Pay

The likely salary range for this position is $142,792 -