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Penetration Tester
TechnologyYou're an ethical hacker with a more formal job title and a scope-of-work document that says exactly what you're allowed to break. You'll simulate real attacks against applications, networks, and physical security — sometimes walking into buildings with a clipboard to see how far social engineering gets you. Spoiler: it gets you pretty far.
Salary Range
Low
$80k
Median
$120k
High
$180k
10-Year Growth
much faster
US Workers
55K
Education
Bachelor's in CS or Cybersecurity + OSCP, GPEN, or equivalent certifications
Environment
remote
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Kali Linux and offensive security tools
- ▸Exploit development and payload crafting
- ▸Active Directory attack and defense
- ▸Cloud security testing (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- ▸Reverse engineering and malware analysis
- ▸OSCP, GPEN, or PNPT certification
- ▸Red team operation planning
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Methodical thinking
- ▸Report writing for executive audiences
- ▸Curiosity and persistence
- ▸Ethical boundary awareness
- ▸Teamwork in red team exercises
Learn the skills
Courses and certifications to get you job-ready
Kali Linux and offensive security tools
Cloud security testing (AWS, Azure, GCP)
What you'll actually do
- 01Conduct authorized attacks against web applications, networks, and infrastructure following a defined scope
- 02Social engineer your way past reception desks and into server rooms using a clipboard and confidence
- 03Exploit vulnerabilities and chain them together to demonstrate real business impact
- 04Write penetration testing reports with findings ranked by severity and remediation steps
- 05Debrief clients on findings and watch the color drain from the CISO's face
- 06Maintain a lab environment of vulnerable systems to practice new techniques without going to jail
Related Shifts
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