Cyber Researcher, Attack Emulation (Senior / Principal)

Cyber Researcher

Location: Remote position. Occasional travel to our office in Golden, Colorado is required.

Pentera is the global leader in Automated Security Validation, helping organizations worldwide safely emulate real-world attacker behavior and uncover their true security gaps across on-prem, cloud, and hybrid environments. With more than 1,200 customers in over 50 countries and a rapidly growing global team, Pentera is shaping how modern enterprises continuously validate their security posture.

We are looking for a Cyber Researcher to join our R&D team and play a key role in shaping how automated security validation evolves.

In this role, you will conduct deep, hands-on technical research into attacker techniques and system behaviors across operating systems, identity systems, cloud platforms, and enterprise environments. Your work will be translated into production-grade, automated attack emulations that dynamically adapt and make decisions, closely mirroring how skilled attackers operate in the real world.

This is a highly technical role that combines research, development, and applied AI, with direct impact on a real-world security product.

Responsibilities

• Conduct in-depth research into attacker techniques across Windows, Linux, identity systems, cloud environments, and external attack surfaces
• Design and develop advanced attack simulation techniques that challenge modern security controls and defensive architectures
• Translate research findings into scalable, production-ready capabilities within Pentera's automated validation platform
• Architect and implement decision-making logic that enables dynamic attack paths and adaptive behavior during automated operations
• Develop high-quality code that powers complex attack simulations, using appropriate languages and technologies for each use case
• Collaborate closely with R&D, engineering, and product teams to integrate new research into the platform
• Mentor team members and contribute to a culture of technical excellence, curiosity, and continuous learning

Requirements

• 5+ years of hands-on experience in security research, penetration testing, or adversarial security engineering
• Strong knowledge of Windows internals, operating systems, networking, and enterprise environments
• 3+ years of experience developing in Python
• Proven ability to write efficient, stealth-aware, and production-quality security-related code
• Experience with security research tools and frameworks such as Metasploit, Impacket, Nmap, Burp, or similar
• Proficiency in reverse engineering and debugging using tools such as IDA, Ghidra, WinDBG, or Radare2
• Experience working with cloud platforms such as AWS and Azure
• Ability to apply AI or machine learning concepts to decision-making, automation, or behavior modeling within complex systems
• Strong collaboration skills, adaptability, and a fast learning mindset

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience modeling attacker decision-making, attack paths, or adversarial behaviors
• Familiarity with graph-based analysis, pathfinding, or automated reasoning systems
• Hands-on experience with security product development and large-scale platforms
• Exposure to AI-driven automation, agent-based systems, or adaptive workflows
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related technical field

Compensation:

The base salary range for this role is $180,000–$220,000, depending on experience, skills, and location. This range reflects the base compensation only. In addition, Pentera offers a comprehensive total rewards package that includes performance-based bonuses, equity opportunities, health and wellness benefits, retirement plans, and other perks designed to support long-term growth and well-being.

We are an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to building a diverse and talented workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, disability, or any other class or characteristic protected by applicable law. We welcome candidates from all backgrounds to join us!