Penetration Tester

Description

Leidos is seeking a Penetration Tester to support an enterprise IT program. We are looking for a cyber security professional to conduct penetration testing and ethical hacking, to target, assess, and exploit risk and vulnerabilities of information systems. This candidate is expected to have hands on penetration testing experience. In addition to technical skills, the candidate should be a self-starter who doesn't always need to be provided direction. Critical thinking skills are a must; the Customer wants someone who can come up with ideas and investigate to validate those ideas as well as have a curiosity on the unknown and continuously push for outcomes.

Primary Responsibilities:

• This team provides a highly technical and in-depth penetration testing service, in support of enterprise cyber security equities.
• The role requires support specializing in penetration testing and ethical hacking, to target, assess, and exploit risk and vulnerabilities of information systems.
• The intent is to provide senior decision makers with documented and actionable data to aid in making strategic investment decisions.
• The team will document all identified system risks, planned test procedures, and results; perform analyses of vulnerabilities identified during testing; and review program-level documentation (e.g., requirements specification, system architecture, design documents, test plans, security plans, etc.).
• They will recommend changes to program-level documentation with an eye to reducing system vulnerabilities, create and document penetration testing plans and procedures, and approved testing plans and procedures to conduct hands-on penetration testing.
• The team will also analyze test results, document risks, and recommend countermeasures to uncovered risks; participate or lead technical exchange meetings and application review boards; document action items and results from technical exchange meetings and application review boards; and brief management on the status of action items and results of activities.

Basic Qualifications

• Must have an active TS/SCI with Poly to be considered
• Must have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or other related scientific or technical discipline and at least 12 years of relatable experience OR Masters in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or other related scientific or technical discipline and at least 10 years of relatable experience.
• Experience in cyber security or related IT field
• Experience with cyber penetration testing
• Experience applying computer attack methods and system exploitation techniques
• Working knowledge of cyber security principles for Linux, Windows, and virtual platforms
• Experience designing, testing, or implementing IT security architecture
• Experience performing network security analysis
• Experience analyzing network architectures
• Experience using network management tools
• Experience leveraging adversarial tactics to conduct hands-on security testing
• Experience developing risk management methodologies
• Experience analyzing test results to develop risk and threat mitigation plans
• Experience testing or reviewing system configuration, development, and design specifically around enterprise systems and hypervisors
• Experience designing, testing, or implementing complex Windows installations

Preferred Qualifications

Experience participating in public and private information security groups and organizations
Experience communicating vulnerability results and risk posture to senior executives
Experience researching, evaluating, and developing security policies and guidance
Experience performing complex technical tasks with minimal direction

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

June 26, 2026

For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

Pay Range $131,300.00 - $237,350.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos' name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system - never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at LeidosCareersFraud@leidos.com.

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.