Cyber Exploiter/Vulnerability Assessment Engineer (TS/SCI with Poly Required)

Key Responsibilities

Senior Level:

GCI embodies excellence, integrity and professionalism. The employees supporting our customers deliver unique, high-value mission solutions while effectively leverage the technological expertise of our valued workforce to meet critical mission requirements in the areas of Data Analytics and Software Development, Engineering, Targeting and Analysis, Operations, Training, and Cyber Operations. We maximize opportunities for success by building and maintaining trusted and reliable partnerships with our customers and industry.

At GCI, we solve the hard problems. As a Cyber Exploiter, a typical day will include the following duties:

A qualified Cyber Exploiter reviews, manipulates, triages, and analyzes large datasets. Candidate is responsible for supporting operational and analytical requirements. Activities include detailed log analysis, network traffic monitoring, and vulnerability risk assessment. The individual will be expected to conduct assessments of network, software tools and systems to identify vulnerabilities, and work with internal and external technical stakeholders to identify solutions to enrich analysis. Able to follow the entire targeting life cycle by engaging in data exploitation of requirements collection, data analysis, summary and documentation, and actionable information dissemination. Able to identify, triage and exploit data collections.

• Execute complex assessments on enterprise networks, applications, databases, virtualization platforms, cloud environments, ICs, and emerging technologies
• Develop custom assessment scripts and automation tooling
• Lead testing in areas such as privilege escalation, SQLi, RCE, XSS, misconfiguration analysis, wireless, and cloud security
• Transform raw scan data into actionable findings and remediation recommendations

• Conduct technical assessments across diverse IT assets
• Perform tool-based scanning using Nessus, Retina, RedSeal, HBSS, and manual testing methods
• Produce draft findings and support senior engineers in deeper exploitation
• Participate in pre-assessment coordination, data collection, and artifact generation

• Support data collection, artifact management, documentation, and configuration reviews
• Assist senior staff with testing, findings spreadsheet development, and reporting
• Maintain VA toolkits and prepare systems for assessment events

Tooling And Automation

• Design and integrate GOTS, COTS, FOSS VA tools
• Maintain Mobile Packet Capture Toolkit (MPT)
• Develop new assessment scripts using Python, Perl, Ruby, and .NET
• Enhance assessment repeatability and automation
• Software engineering background
• GIAC GREM, OSWE, or developer certifications preferred

Work alongside other team members to sustain and advance our organization’s capabilities.

Education And Experience

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or other related discipline, or equivalent combination of education, technical certifications, training, and work/military experience.

REQUIRED SKILLS And QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience with relationship management and communication.
• Demonstrated experience with issue management, knowledge management, and the ability to stay informed and up to date on the latest vulnerability assessment issues, tools, and case technological advancements.
• Demonstrated experience with developing assessment/case reports, to include recommendations
• Demonstrates experience or knowledge of cyber forensics operations
• Demonstrated experience in building briefings and reports that convey information to a technical and non-technical audience.
• Demonstrated experience with planning and hosting technical exchange meetings as well as meetings with staff leadership.
• Demonstrated experience conducting security assessments of Windows desktop (Windows 10/11) and server (2016/2019/2022) operating systems using industry-standard tools
• Demonstrated experience conducting vulnerability assessments of Linux systems (RHEL, Ubuntu, CentOS) with additional experience in BSD-based systems (macOS, FreeBSD)
• Demonstrated experience conducting vulnerability assessments of Hypervisors (VMware vSphere, Hyper‑V) and Virtual desktop infrastructure (Citrix Virtual Apps & Desktops, VMware Horizon)
• Demonstrated experience conducting vulnerability assessments of Hyperconverged infrastructure (Nutanix, VMware vSAN)
• Demonstrated experience conducting vulnerability assessments of containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Demonstrated experience conducting vulnerability assessments or knowledge of mainframe security concepts (Z/OS, RACF)
• Demonstrated experience conducting network vulnerability assessments including:
• Configuration reviews of network devices (routers, switches, firewalls) against industry standards (CIS benchmarks, vendor best practices)
• Protocol analysis and traffic inspection using tools like Wireshark, tcpdump
• Network architecture review including segmentation, VPN implementations, and access controls
• Ability to analyze device configuration files (Cisco IOS, Palo Alto, Juniper, etc.) to identify security misconfigurations
• Demonstrated experience conducting application vulnerability assessments including:
• Web application vulnerability testing (OWASP Top 10)
• API security assessment (REST, GraphQL)
• Authentication and authorization reviews
• Familiarity with common development languages (Java, Python, .NET, JavaScript) and their security implication
• Demonstrated experience conducting vulnerability assessments of middleware platforms including traditional application servers (WebSphere, WebLogic, JBoss) and modern distributed architectures (APIs, microservices, message brokers). Understanding of both legacy SOA and contemporary service-to-service security patterns.
• Demonstrated experience conducting vulnerability assessments of relational databases (Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, PostgreSQL) including configuration reviews, access control audits, and encryption validation.
• Experience or familiarity with assessing WiFi network security, basic Bluetooth vulnerabilities, and RFID-based access control systems.
• Experience or familiarity with Industrial Control Systems (ICS) and SCADA security concepts, including awareness of common protocols (Modbus, DNP3, OPC) and operational technology security considerations.
• Demonstrated experience conducting vulnerability assessments of AWS cloud technologies including:
• Infrastructure security: EC2, S3, RDS, VPC configurations
• Identity and access management: IAM policies, roles, and permissions
• Network security: Security groups, NACLs, VPC segmentation
• Compliance: CIS AWS Benchmarks and AWS security best practices
• Experience with classified environments
• Demonstrated experience or familiarity with Azure cloud environments including:
• Infrastructure security: Virtual Machines, Storage Accounts, SQL Database, Virtual Networks
• Identity and access management: Azure AD, RBAC, Conditional Access policies
• Network security: Network Security Groups (NSGs), Application Security Groups, Virtual Network segmentation
• Compliance: CIS Azure Benchmarks and Azure security best practices
• Experience with classified environments
• Demonstrated experience integrating vulnerability assessment tools across GOTS, COTS (e.g., Nessus, Qualys), and FOSS (e.g., OpenVAS, Nmap) platforms. Experience must include:
• API integration and workflow orchestration
• Data normalization and correlation across multiple tools
• Report aggregation and consolidated assessment generation
• Vulnerability management platform experience (Tenable.sc, Qualys VMDR)
• Demonstrated experience conducting vulnerability assessments of enterprise directory, naming, and authorization systems including:
• Directory Services: Active Directory (domain controllers, GPOs, trusts) and LDAP implementations
• Authentication: Kerberos, SAML, OAuth 2.0, Single Sign-On (SSO), and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• Authorization: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC), and privilege management
• Assessment: Configuration reviews against CIS benchmarks, privilege escalation analysis, and account security
• Experience with directory security tools (BloodHound, PingCastle) and understanding of identity and access management best practice
• Demonstrated experience or familiarity conducting vulnerability assessments of Storage Area Network (SAN) technologies including:
• SAN Protocols: Fibre Channel (FC), iSCSI, and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)
• Storage Infrastructure: Enterprise storage arrays (EMC/Dell, NetApp, HPE, IBM), SAN switches, and host bus adapters (HBAs)
• Security Controls: Zoning configurations, LUN masking, access controls, authentication (CHAP), and encryption
• Demonstrated experience developing or tailoring custom vulnerability assessment solutions using:
• Scripting: Python, PowerShell, Bash, or other appropriate language for automation and tool development
• Automation: Creating automated scanning workflows and scheduled assessments
• Custom tools: Developing specialized vulnerability checks and assessment scripts
• Demonstrated experience with communicating vulnerability findings to both technical and non-technical audiences through detailed technical reports, executive summaries, and presentations.
• Demonstrated experience with developing metrics and tracking remediation progress.
• Demonstrated experience with CI/CD pipeline integration for DevSecOps.
• Demonstrated experience or familiarity with conducting vulnerability assessments of Cross Domain Solutions (CDS) including:
• CDS Technologies: Guards, data diodes, and secure transfer systems
• Security Controls: Information flow policies, data sanitization, content filtering
• Network Security: Domain separation and segmentation
• Compliance: ICD 503, CNSS 4009, and CDS accreditation requirements
• CDS products (Owl, Forcepoint, BAE Systems) preferred
• Demonstrated experience or familiarity with conducting supply chain risk management assessments including vendor security evaluations, software composition analysis (SCA) and SBOM, hardware provenance verification, and understanding of supply chain security frameworks.
• Demonstrated experience or familiarity with conducting vulnerability assessments of Voice over IP (VoIP) and teleconferencing security including SIP/H.323 protocols, IP-PBX systems (Cisco, Avaya), video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Teams, Webex), and security controls (SRTP encryption, authentication, access controls).
• Demonstrated experience analyzing vulnerability scan data including false positive identification, risk-based prioritization, and correlation across multiple sources.
• Demonstrated experience assessing business impact and providing risk-based remediation recommendations.
• Demonstrated experience or ability to sustain custom vulnerability assessments toolsets including tool maintenance, updates, configuration management, and integration. Must include operational experience with Mobile Packet Capture Toolkit (MPT) or similar mobile assessment tools.
• General knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies including AI model architectures, training and inference processes, common AI frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch), and understanding of AI security risks
• Demonstrated experience with tool accreditation processes (RMF), security compliance validation, maintaining tools in accordance with government security requirements, and supporting tool authorization in classified environments

CERTIFICATIONS:

CISSP, OSCP, GPEN, CEH, GREM, Python, Linux+, Network+, Security+

A candidate must be a US Citizen and requires an active/current TS/SCI with Polygraph clearance.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans