Penetration Tester

Penetration Tester

Alexandria, VA

Type: Contract-to-Hire

Category: Security

Industry: Government

Reference ID: JN -082026-108252

Date Posted: 08/11/2026

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Description:

Hybrid 2-3 days per week on-site in Alexandria, VA. The first 30 days of work will be full-time on-site. in Alexandria, VA

Our client seeks an experienced penetration testing professional to plan and execute comprehensive security assessments across applications, systems, and infrastructure in alignment with federal standards and industry best practices. The role will coordinate assessment scoping, develop and maintain testing procedures, conduct multi-team exercises, and produce clear reporting with prioritized remediation guidance to strengthen defensive posture and SOC effectiveness.

Due to federal security clearance requirements, applicant must be a United States Citizen. This is a contract to hire opportunity. Applicants must be willing and able to work on a w2 basis and convert to FTE following contract duration. For our w2 consultants, we offer a great benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits, 401k with company matching, and life insurance.

Rate: $75.00 to $85.00/hr. w2

Responsibilities:

• Coordinate and conduct Agency penetration testing on systems operated by and on behalf of NCUA, ensuring access occurs only through specified authentication methods and is limited to vetted personnel.

• Develop, maintain, and update the Penetration Testing CONOPS and SOPs aligned to NIST guidance, applicable Federal regulations, and industry best practices.

• Coordinate prior to each assessment to determine the appropriate assessment model and identify the technology to be tested.

• Draft Rules of Engagement and test-specific penetration testing documentation for each engagement.

• Perform testing and detection activities including red teaming, blue teaming, penetration testing, adversary emulation, purple teaming, and breach and attack simulation to improve SOC operations and defensive posture.

• Document findings and vulnerabilities with risk categorization, impact evaluation, and prioritized remediation, and provide regular status updates to stakeholders.

• Simulate APT scenarios by emulating adversary TTPs to evaluate system resilience and inform enhanced protective measures.

• Conduct red and blue team exercises with post-exercise reviews highlighting detections and areas for improvement.

• Execute the full assessment lifecycle including onboarding, active assessment, findings development, triage, detailed reporting, and patch validation.

• Draft and publish reports for each penetration test including results, findings, and proposed remediation.

• Maintain tracking of penetration testing activities across engagements.

• Integrate penetration testing with vulnerability assessments, threat modeling, event detection evaluation, continuous monitoring tool verification, incident response, and incident reporting compliance.

Experience Requirements:

• US Citizenship required.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience conducting, supporting, or leading penetration tests across enterprise environments.

• Strong understanding of Windows and Linux/Unix operating systems and core networking protocols such as TCP/IP, DNS, and SMB.

• Ability to identify, validate, and exploit vulnerabilities across networks, systems, and applications.

• Working knowledge of web technologies and common vulnerability classes including the OWASP Top 10.

• Proficiency with tools such as Burp Suite, Metasploit, Nmap, Nessus, and Cobalt Strike or equivalents.

• Scripting or automation ability in Python, Bash, or PowerShell.

• Experience performing reconnaissance, vulnerability identification, exploitation, and post-exploitation per approved rules of engagement.

• Capability to develop and deliver findings reports that translate technical issues into business risk with prioritized remediation.

• Strong written communication skills for clear, organized findings reports for technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Strong verbal communication skills to brief findings, risk ratings, and recommendations to leads, system owners, or client stakeholders.

• Problem-solving skills and ability to work independently or as part of a team under defined timelines.

• Sound judgment and professionalism when operating within sensitive or production environments.

• Desirable: Experience in regulated or federal environments aligned with NIST SP 800-53, SP 800-115, and RMF processes.

• Desirable: Familiarity with wireless and social engineering testing methodologies.

• Clearance: Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust.

Education Requirements:

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Security, Cybersecurity, or related field.

• Must hold one or more certifications: OSCP, CEH, GPEN, GWAPT, PenTest+, or eCPPT.

Recruitment Transparency Notice

Eliassen Group values transparency in our recruitment practices. Please be advised that Eliassen Group utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) tools as part of its initial application screening and hiring process. You may receive email and SMS notifications from the Eliassen Virtual Recruiting Team ( View email address on click.appcast.io , View phone number on click.appcast.io) inviting you to complete a brief voice screening as part of your application process. These tools assist our hiring teams in different ways, including but not limited to, assistance in reviewing application materials to help identify candidates whose qualifications most closely match the requirements of the position. All AI-assisted evaluations and responses are reviewed by human recruiters before any hiring decisions are made. The use of AI in our process is intended to support fairness, efficiency, and consistency, and Eliassen Group takes measures to prevent bias or discrimination in connection with its hiring practices. By proceeding, you acknowledge, agree, and consent to Eliassen Group's use of these tools, including AI tools, as part of the application and hiring process.

Skills, experience, and other compensable factors will be considered when determining pay rate. The pay range provided in this posting reflects a W2 hourly rate; other employment options may be available that may result in pay outside of the provided range.

W2 employees of Eliassen Group who are regularly scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week are eligible for the following benefits: medical (choice of 3 plans), dental, vision, pre-tax accounts, other voluntary benefits including life and disability insurance, 401(k) with match, and sick time if required by law in the worked-in state/locality.

If anyone reaches out to you about an open position connected with Eliassen Group, please ensure that you are working directly with us by confirming the following:

· When you work with Eliassen Group, all email communication will come from an Eliassen.com address, never Gmail, Yahoo, etc.

· Eliassen Group will never ask you for personal information (home address, bank account, or check routing number) until you have worked with someone clearly associated with Eliassen Group.

If you have any indication of fraudulent activity, please contact View email address on click.appcast.io .

About Eliassen Group:

Eliassen Group is a strategic consulting firm that helps organizations reach further and achieve more through our technology, business advisory, and life sciences solutions. For nearly 40 years, we have combined exceptional people, deep domain expertise, and intelligent capabilities to expand our clients' capacity and accelerate meaningful outcomes. We are driven by a purpose to positively impact the lives of our employees, clients, consultants, and the communities we serve.

Eliassen is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We are an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and all employment decisions are based on merit, performance, and business needs. Eliassen does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender identity or expression, sexual preference or orientation, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), marital status, creed, religion, physical or mental disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, age, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, prohibited criminal record inquiries of applicants and employees, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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