Senior Penetration Tester

When you join Verizon

You want more out of a career. A place to share your ideas freely - even if they’re daring or different. Where the true you can learn, grow, and thrive. At Verizon, we power and empower how people live, work and play by connecting them to what brings them joy. We do what we love - driving innovation, creativity, and impact in the world. Our V Team is a community of people who anticipate, lead, and believe that listening is where learning begins. In crisis and in celebration, we come together - lifting our communities and building trust in how we show up, everywhere & always. Want in? Join the #VTeamLife.

What you’ll be doing...

The Verizon Cyber Security (VCS) organization enables the business by protecting assets and information across Verizon networks, infrastructure and applications. VCS integrates cybersecurity governance, policies, technologies and operations across Verizon, and works to incorporate security into the design of technology systems and services.

Verizon Cybersecurity (VCS) is looking for an Application Penetration Tester to join our Enterprise Pen Test team. You’ll be joining a group of talented, creative thinkers who "act like the enemy" to focus on ensuring that infrastructure and applications (web, mobile, and API) are secure by performing penetration testing from both inside and outside of Verizon. This team isn’t a "copy and paste from a scan tool" reporting team, or a cookie cutter just scanning with tools team, or a team that just monitors and supports security scanning tools used by developers. This team is an Enterprise recognized and supported group of skilled, experienced and certified ethical hacking Verizon employees who are trusted to direct themselves with a lot of unknowns.

The successful candidate will possess an effective aptitude in thinking like an adversary, security of Infrastructure, Web applications, APIs and Mobile Applications, mentoring and leading junior pen testers and effectively translating highly technical information to internal customers in a way that supports VCS and broader Verizon goals.

Role responsibilities include:

• Leading and performing full scope penetration testing on complex, high risk web applications, Infrastructure, APIs and Mobile applications.
• Successfully working complex issues that require the analysis and in-depth evaluation of variable factors.
• Interpreting broad goals with unknown variables and craft, execute plans to achieve these goals with little to no contemporary “clear and transparent” standards.
• Developing resolutions that require the frequent use of creativity and out of the box thinking.
• Configuring and safely utilizing attacker tools, tactics, and procedures for Verizon environments.
• Developing comprehensive and accurate reports and presentations for both technical and executive audiences.
• The ability to make collaborative and independent decisions on the impact of an exposure to Verizon
• Acting as a SME and guide, advising on security vulnerability impact, ratings and remediation recommendations across the organization as needed.
• Helping to lead the definition of Pen Test (with AI) strategy and standards to further enhance the company’s security posture, collaborating with management/exec leadership.
• Supporting, designing and architecting an inhouse developed AI Pen Testing harness.
• Effectively communicating findings and strategy to client stakeholders including technical staff, executive leadership, and legal counsel
• Working closely with stakeholders and developers providing risk-appropriate and pragmatic recommendations to correct found vulnerabilities.
• Translating functional plans into operational processes and guiding execution of the development of scripts, tools, or methodologies to enhance Verizon’s pen testing processes and effectiveness
• Driving technical oversight and mentoring junior pen testers on pen test engagements, vulnerability impact and ratings and remediation recommendations.
• Providing leadership and guidance to advance the offensive capabilities of the team and its subsequent ability to defend the Verizon Enterprise.

What we’re looking for...

For this role, we are looking for an experienced hands on pen tester who thinks like an attacker and outside of the box, who is vocal and can help lead/motivate Jr team members and who is motivated to evolve pen offensive security w/ AI - not just work with it, nor just do small jobs with it but innovate and develop it. Creative thinking, working autonomously and strategic thinking are also critical for this role.

You’ll need to have:

• Bachelor’s degree or four or more years of work experience.
• Six or more years of relevant experience required, demonstrated through one or a combination of work and/or military experience, or specialized training.
• Six or more years of application/network penetration testing or security experience.

Even better if you have one or more of the following:

• A degree in engineering, cyber security or computer science.
• Experience developing AI toolkits and an understanding of AI LLMs and MCPs.
• Knowledge of secure software deployment methodologies, tools, and practices.
• Experience with application security risk procedures, security patterns, authentication technologies and security attack pathologies.
• Certifications such as: GXPN, GPEN, , eWPT, GCIH, GWAPT, OSCP, OSWA, OSCE, OSWE.
• Service Delivery/Governance: ITILv2/3.
• Deep understanding of OWASP Top 10, OWASP API Top 10, MASVS.
• Strong knowledge of tools used for api, Infrastructure, web application, mobile, and network security testing, such as Kali Linux, Metasploit, Wireshark, Burp suite, Cobalt Strike, Nessus, Web Inspect, SQLMap.
• Experience leading small pen test teams, driving process and strategy.
• Solid understanding of common hosting environments such as containerization platforms (e.g., Docker and Kubernetes) and virtual machines running under hypervisors.
• An implementation level familiarity with all common classes of modern exploitation.
• Mastery of Unix/Linux/Mac/Windows operating systems, including bash and Powershell.
• Programming skills preferred and encouraged, as well as the ability to read and assess applications written multiple languages, such as Python, JAVA, .NET, C#, or others.
• Experience with system and application security threats and vulnerabilities and secure configuration management techniques, software debugging principles, software design tools, methods, and techniques, software development models (e.g., Waterfall Model, Spiral Model).
• Knowledge of secure coding techniques.
• Knowledge of application security, application security vulnerabilities and exploitation techniques.
• Some experience with software related information technology (IT) security principles and methods (e.g., modularization, layering, abstraction, data hiding, and simplicity/minimization).
• Knowledge of secure software deployment methodologies, tools, and practices.
• Knowledge of network security architecture concepts including topology, protocols, components, and principles (e.g., application of defense-in-depth).
• Knowledge of security architecture concepts and enterprise architecture reference models.
• Knowledge in discerning the protection needs (i.e., security controls) of information systems and networks.
• Strong organization skills and demonstrated ability to manage multiple, often conflicting priorities to successful completion.
• Be a continuous learner; with a desire to stay current on security trends, tool, technologies and best practices.

If Verizon and this role sound like a fit for you, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every “even better” qualification listed above.

Where you’ll be working

Scheduled Weekly Hours

Equal Employment Opportunity

Verizon is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to veteran status, disability or other legally protected characteristics.

Benefits and Compensation

Our benefits are designed to help you move forward in your career, and in areas of your life outside of Verizon. From health and wellness benefit options including: medical, dental, vision, short and long term disability, basic life insurance, supplemental life insurance, AD&D insurance, identity theft protection, pet insurance and group home & auto insurance. We also offer a matched 401(k) savings plan, up to 8 company paid holidays per year and up to 6 personal days per year, paid parental leave, adoption assistance and tuition assistance, plus other incentives, we’ve got you covered with our award-winning total rewards package. Depending on the role, employees have the opportunity to receive compensation in the form of premium pay such as overtime, shift differential, holiday pay, allowances, etc. Newly hired employees receive up to 15 days of vacation per year, which grows with additional service. For part-timers, your coverage will vary as you may be eligible for some of these benefits depending on your individual circumstances.