Senior Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing

Responsibilities- Client Engagement & Leadership- Act as a trusted security advisor for multiple high-value clients.- Manage end-to-end security assessment projects, including scoping, execution, reporting, and remediation guidance.- Conduct technical and executive-level briefings to communicate findings, risks, and strategic recommendations clearly.- Translate complex technical vulnerabilities into business risk insights to help clients prioritize actions.- Collaborate closely with client stakeholders to ensure security recommendations are practical and actionable.- Advanced Threat Modelling & Risk Assessment- Design and maintain threat models tailored to client applications, networks, and cloud environments.- Perform risk assessments focusing on business impact and likelihood of exploitation.- Develop attack scenarios based on the latest threat intelligence and real-world attacker techniques.- Guide clients in integrating security into their software development lifecycle (SDLC) and cloud infrastructure designs.- Penetration Testing & Red Team Operations- Lead advanced black-box, grey-box, and white-box penetration testing engagements for web applications, APIs, networks, and cloud environments.- Conduct sophisticated Red Team exercises to simulate targeted attack campaigns.- Design and develop custom exploits and testing tools to replicate specific attacker techniques.- Perform social engineering tests (phishing campaigns, physical security assessments) in controlled and ethical scenarios.- Provide detailed post-exercise analysis, including actionable remediation strategies and long term improvement plans.- Comprehensive Reporting & Documentation- Produce clear and technically thorough vulnerability assessment and penetration testing reports.- Create executive-level summaries focused on business impact and compliance risks.- Maintain structured and up-to-date testing methodologies and playbooks.- Contribute to internal knowledge base, documenting research, custom tools, and successful testing strategies.- Technical & Programming Expertise- Expert in vulnerability assessment and exploitation techniques across a wide range of technologies.- Proficient in security testing tools such as Burp Suite, Nessus, Metasploit, Nmap, OpenVAS, Cobalt Strike, Wireshark, and tcpdump.- Strong scripting and automation skills (Python, Bash, PowerShell) to automate repetitive testing tasks and tool workflows.- Capable of custom tool development and advanced exploit research to target unique client environments.- Strong knowledge of application security vulnerabilities (OWASP Top 10, SANS Top 25) and attack surface analysis.- In-depth understanding of cloud security risks, identity and access management, and container security (Docker, Kubernetes).- Social Engineering & OSINT Expertise- Design and execute social engineering and phishing simulations tailored to client environments.- Perform physical security assessments through tactics like tailgating and badge cloning.- Apply Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) techniques to gather reconnaissance data for assessments.- Provide training and awareness recommendations based on assessment outcomes.- Professional Attributes & Mindset- Strong analytical, problem-solving, and creative thinking skills.- Ethical hacker mindset with a continuous drive to research emerging threats, attack techniques, and defense bypass methods.- Methodical and detail-oriented approach to testing with the ability to think like an attacker.- Strong communication and presentation skills, able to engage both technical teams and business leadership.- Proactively innovate by developing new tools, scripts, or methodologies to improve testing efficiency and depth.Qualifications- 7+ years of hands-on experience in Vulnerability Assessment, Penetration Testing, and security consulting.- Strong technical expertise in application security, network security, cloud security (AWS, Azure, GCP), and infrastructure security testing.- Proven experience using VAPT tools such as Burp Suite, Nessus, Qualys, Nmap, Metasploit, Nikto, OpenVAS, etc.- Solid knowledge of exploitation techniques, post-exploitation frameworks, and manual testing methodologies.- In-depth knowledge of web application vulnerabilities (OWASP Top 10) and network protocol analysis.- Experience conducting cloud security assessments, including misconfigurations, IAM permissions analysis, and container security.- Proficiency in scripting and automation (Python, Bash, PowerShell) to customize tests and tools.- Familiarity with security frameworks and standards such as NIST, ISO 27001, MITRE ATT&CK.- Strong reporting and documentation skills, able to translate technical findings into business friendly recommendations.- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, able to lead client-facing engagements.- Relevant certifications are a strong plus (e.g., OSCP, CREST, CISSP, CEH, GIAC GPEN).Preferred Qualifications:- Certifications such as OSCP, GPEN, CREST CRT, CRTO are highly desirable.- Experience in DevSecOps, CI/CD pipeline security, or automated security testing frameworks.- Familiarity with industry compliance frameworks like PCI-DSS, GDPR, HIPAA, SOC2, and ISO 27001.- Prior consulting experience in a service delivery or customer-facing environment.- Experience with threat intelligence platforms and indicators of compromise (IoCs).