Cyber Security Consultant (Penetration Tester)

Responsibilities

• Lead and support penetration testing engagements across web applications, APIs, and internal and external network infrastructure.
• Work with clients to define objectives, agree scope and rules of engagement, and plan testing that meets their assurance needs.
• Apply manual and tool-assisted testing techniques aligned with recognised methodologies and frameworks, including the OWASP Web Security Testing Guide, PTES, and MITRE ATT&CK.
• Deliver Cyber Essentials Plus assessments, including scoping, conducting the required technical tests, verifying remediation and supporting clients through to certification in line with current NCSC and IASME scheme requirements.
• Deliver wider technical security assessments, including vulnerability assessments, cloud security reviews, and build and configuration reviews against CIS Benchmarks and vendor hardening guidance.
• Produce clear, high-quality deliverables and present findings to technical and non-technical stakeholders. Apply appropriate risk ratings, explain business impact, and support clients with remediation and retesting.
• Support general advisory engagements such as cyber risk assessments, security control reviews, audit readiness, remediation planning and security design advice.
• Build strong client relationships and contribute to business development, supporting proposals, scoping, tenders and thought leadership, and identifying opportunities to expand our services.
• Maintain current knowledge of the threat landscape, emerging attack techniques, testing methodologies, and scheme requirements, while contributing to peer review and quality assurance.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of our methodologies, tooling, delivery processes, and technical capability.

Requirements

• Good knowledge of modern web architecture, common web and API vulnerabilities, TCP/IP, Windows and Linux security, and Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID attack paths.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to produce clear, accurate, and actionable technical reports.
• Strong verbal communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to explain technical findings, risk, and business impact to technical and non-technical audiences.
• A proactive, client-oriented mindset and a commitment to continuous learning, confident working with clients ranging from SMEs and scale-ups to larger enterprises.

Preferred

• A recognised practical penetration testing certification, such as CREST CRT, OSCP, OSWE, CSTM or an equivalent qualification.
• Experience in additional testing disciplines such as mobile application, wireless or cloud penetration testing, or phishing and social-engineering assessments.
• Experience with public cloud and SaaS platforms such as AWS, Azure, GCP or Microsoft 365, or hands-on security or IT engineering experience such as hardening systems and implementing technical controls.
• An interest in, or experience of, broader advisory work such as cyber risk assessments, security control reviews, audit readiness, or working knowledge of a recognised framework such as ISO/IEC 27001, NIST, or CIS Controls.

Key Responsibilities

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential

• Professional experience delivering client-facing penetration tests across web applications, APIs, and internal or external network infrastructure, independently and/or as part of a team.
• Strong manual testing capability and sound judgement in selecting and using automated tools, with practical experience of Kali Linux, Burp Suite, Nmap, and Qualys or Nessus.
• Familiarity with recognised penetration testing methodologies and frameworks, together with the ability to script or automate tasks using Python, PowerShell, Bash, or a comparable language.
• Experience delivering, or the ability to deliver, wider technical assessments such as vulnerability assessments and configuration reviews against recognised benchmarks such as CIS.
• Working knowledge of the Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus schemes. Existing assessor experience is beneficial; appropriate training will be provided where required.
• Ability to manage engagements within agreed scope, rules of engagement, timescales, budget, and quality standards, while maintaining clear testing evidence and protecting client systems and data.

Compensation

£45,000 - £55,000 / year