Senior Engineer

About the role

The College Board is seeking a Lead Offensive Security Engineer to serve as the technical leader of our Red Team capability. This role requires a proven track record in offensive security, red teaming, and advanced penetration testing.

Responsibilities

• Translate strategic direction into disciplined, high-impact offensive security campaigns that improve the security posture.
• Own the technical design and execution quality of red team engagements, ensuring that assessments are planned, executed, and measured effectively.
• Define and continuously refine the red team engagement model, including methodology, scope development, rules of engagement, evidence standards, and quality controls.
• Shape offensive assessment strategy in partnership with leadership, translating program priorities into technically sound attack approaches and campaign plans.
• Determine tooling, infrastructure, and C2 frameworks used in approved environments, ensuring tradecraft reflects relevant real-world threat actors and techniques.
• Establish standards for multi-stage adversary simulation, ensuring engagements are realistic, repeatable, and aligned to MITRE ATT&CK and current threat intelligence.
• Continuously assess and improve how red team effectiveness is measured, including coverage, repeat findings, and defensive validation outcomes.
• Lead execution of high-impact offensive campaigns, orchestrating multi-stage attack simulations and driving purple team exercises to validate and strengthen detection and response capabilities.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of security controls, including SIEM, EDR, and network monitoring, and drive re-testing to confirm measurable improvement.
• Coordinate and guide other red team engineers during engagements, ensuring consistency, technical rigor, and high-quality deliverables.
• Drive measurable defensive impact and organizational enablement by translating offensive findings into prioritized, actionable remediation guidance and partnering with system owners to drive meaningful risk reduction.
• Produce executive-ready reports and briefings that clearly articulate risk, impact, and recommended actions for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain standardized red team artifacts, including playbooks, adversary emulation plans, reporting templates, and documentation that improve repeatability and knowledge transfer.
• Provide technical guidance to Vulnerability Management and Threat Hunting teams on attacker behaviors, custom detection approaches, and validation techniques.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and continuous learning across Cyber Operations teams through knowledge sharing, mentorship, and contribution to shared playbooks and best practices.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience leading complex red team engagements or adversary simulations across applications, endpoints, APIs, and cloud environments.
• Proven ability to influence technical direction and raise operational standards without formal people management authority.
• 7+ years of experience in cybersecurity, with at least 3–5 years in offensive security, red team, or advanced penetration testing roles.
• Deep hands-on expertise with modern C2 frameworks and adversary simulation tooling, with the ability to adapt tradecraft to evolving defensive controls.
• A strong understanding of attacker methodologies, including MITRE ATT&CK, OWASP Top 10, CWEs, and real-world threat intelligence, and the ability to translate those into practical attack scenarios.
• Experience conducting purple team exercises and validating SIEM, EDR, and network detection capabilities through controlled simulation and evidence-based testing.
• Experience delivering executive-ready briefings that clearly communicate technical risk, business impact, and prioritized remediation actions.
• A high degree of discretion, integrity, and operational discipline when conducting sensitive offensive security work.
• A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical offensive security experience.
• Authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• Ability to travel 3-5 times a year to our NYC or Reston, VA office.

Qualifications

• High degree of discretion, integrity, and operational discipline when conducting sensitive offensive security work.
• A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical offensive security experience.
• Authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• Ability to travel 3-5 times a year to our NYC or Reston, VA office.

Skills

• Experience leading complex red team engagements or adversary simulations across applications, endpoints, APIs, and cloud environments.
• Proven ability to influence technical direction and raise operational standards without formal people management authority.
• Deep hands-on expertise with modern C2 frameworks and adversary simulation tooling, with the ability to adapt tradecraft to evolving defensive controls.
• A strong understanding of attacker methodologies, including MITRE ATT&CK, OWASP Top 10, CWEs, and real-world threat intelligence, and the ability to translate those into practical attack scenarios.
• Experience conducting purple team exercises and validating SIEM, EDR, and network detection capabilities through controlled simulation and evidence-based testing.
• Experience delivering executive-ready briefings that clearly communicate technical risk, business impact, and prioritized remediation actions.
• A high degree of discretion, integrity, and operational discipline when conducting sensitive offensive security work.
• A bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical offensive security experience.
• Authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• Ability to travel 3-5 times a year to our NYC or Reston, VA office.

Benefits

At College Board, we offer a comprehensive package designed to help you thrive. This includes:

• Annual bonuses and opportunities for merit-based raises and promotions.
• Mission-driven workplace where your impact matters.
• A team that invests in your development and success.

Pay

The hiring range for this role is $168,000-$183,000. Your exact salary will depend on your location, experience, and how your background compares to others in similar roles at the College Board.

Schedule

This is a fully remote role. Candidates who live near CB offices have the option of being fully remote or hybrid (Tuesday and Wednesday in office).