Vulnerability Assessment & Penetration Testing Specialist ? Level III (DC, Washington)

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and conduct comprehensive penetration testing engagements for DHS Intelligence Enterprise systems, networks, applications, cloud environments, and infrastructure.
• Perform penetration testing using industry-recognized methodologies, including: MITRE ATT&CK Framework OWASP Web Security Testing Guide NIST penetration testing guidance PTES (Penetration Testing Execution Standard)
• MITRE ATT&CK Framework
• OWASP Web Security Testing Guide
• NIST penetration testing guidance
• PTES (Penetration Testing Execution Standard)
• Plan and execute all phases of penetration testing, including: Pre-engagement planning Rules of Engagement (ROE) Threat intelligence gathering Threat modeling Vulnerability identification Exploitation Post-exploitation analysis Reporting and remediation recommendations
• Pre-engagement planning
• Rules of Engagement (ROE)
• Threat intelligence gathering
• Threat modeling
• Vulnerability identification
• Exploitation
• Post-exploitation analysis
• Reporting and remediation recommendations
• Utilize advanced manual testing techniques to identify vulnerabilities that are not detectable through automated scanning tools.
• Perform network, web application, wireless, cloud, and infrastructure penetration testing using ethical hacking techniques while ensuring no disruption to production environments.
• Validate Security Operations Center (SOC) detection and incident response capabilities through controlled adversary emulation and red team testing.
• Assess logging, monitoring, detection, and response mechanisms to identify gaps in defensive capabilities.
• Perform software assurance reviews by conducting security and compliance testing of software requests and applications prior to deployment.
• Review Software Assurance Request Forms and provide technical adjudication and security recommendations.
• Conduct vulnerability assessments of enterprise systems and deliver comprehensive Security Assessment Reports (SARs) and Vulnerability Assessment Reports (VARs) within established service-level agreements.
• Perform Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) and Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) assessments for software, hardware, and third-party technologies supporting DHS IE.
• Conduct secure source code reviews using both automated and manual analysis techniques to identify software vulnerabilities and coding weaknesses.
• Utilize static application security testing (SAST), dynamic application security testing (DAST), and software composition analysis (SCA) tools to evaluate software security.
• Maintain the penetration testing toolkit, ensuring monthly software updates, quarterly configuration reviews, and compliance with approved security baselines.
• Develop comprehensive penetration testing reports documenting: Testing methodology Attack paths Exploited vulnerabilities MITRE ATT&CK mappings Risk ratings Technical findings Executive summaries Remediation recommendations
• Testing methodology
• Attack paths
• Exploited vulnerabilities
• MITRE ATT&CK mappings
• Risk ratings
• Technical findings
• Executive summaries
• Remediation recommendations
• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) supporting penetration testing, software assurance, vulnerability assessment, and SCRM activities.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity engineering, DevSecOps, cloud engineering, and system administration teams to remediate identified vulnerabilities.
• Support cybersecurity audits, security assessments, authorization activities, and continuous monitoring initiatives.
• Participate in cybersecurity working groups and provide technical guidance on emerging threats, offensive security techniques, and vulnerability management best practices.

Minimum Qualifications

• Active Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance.
• Minimum 7?10 years of experience performing penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, software assurance, and offensive cybersecurity activities within Federal Government or Intelligence Community environments.
• Current Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification.
• Current Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification.
• Expert knowledge of: MITRE ATT&CK Framework OWASP Testing Methodology OWASP Top 10 NIST Cybersecurity Framework Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES)
• MITRE ATT&CK Framework
• OWASP Testing Methodology
• OWASP Top 10
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework
• Penetration Testing Execution Standard (PTES)
• Demonstrated experience with penetration testing and vulnerability assessment tools such as: Burp Suite Professional Nessus / ACAS Nmap Metasploit Framework Wireshark Kali Linux WebInspect Nikto Other industry-standard offensive security tools
• Burp Suite Professional
• Nessus / ACAS
• Nmap
• Metasploit Framework
• Wireshark
• Kali Linux
• WebInspect
• Nikto
• Other industry-standard offensive security tools
• Experience performing software assurance using: SonarQube GitLab Security Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) Software Composition Analysis (SCA)
• SonarQube
• GitLab Security
• Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
• Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)
• Software Composition Analysis (SCA)
• Minimum 2 years of experience in each of the following: Software Assurance Penetration Testing Vulnerability Assessment Patch Management Secure Cloud and Hybrid Cloud Security Engineering
• Software Assurance
• Penetration Testing
• Vulnerability Assessment
• Patch Management
• Secure Cloud and Hybrid Cloud Security Engineering
• Experience performing secure code reviews and identifying application security vulnerabilities.
• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, or a related technical discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

• Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) certification.
• GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN) certification.
• Experience conducting penetration testing of Cross Domain Solutions (CDS) and classified information systems.
• Experience supporting DHS Intelligence & Analysis (I&A) or other Intelligence Community cybersecurity programs.
• Familiarity with: DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) Container security (Docker, Kubernetes) Kubernetes security Serverless application security Secure DevSecOps pipelines
• DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs)
• Container security (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Kubernetes security
• Serverless application security
• Secure DevSecOps pipelines
• Experience supporting Cloud Service Provider (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud) penetration testing and cloud-native security assessments.
• Experience performing adversary emulation, purple team, or red team exercises.
• Familiarity with NIST SP 800-161 Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management (C-SCRM) guidance.

Required Certifications

Preferred certifications include