Consultant, Application Security Penetration Tester

About Coalfire

Coalfire is on a mission to make the world a safer place by solving our clients’ hardest cybersecurity challenges. We work at the cutting edge of technology to advise, assess, automate, and ultimately help companies navigate the ever‑changing cybersecurity landscape. We are headquartered in Chicago, Illinois with offices across the U.S. and U.K., and we support clients around the world. But that’s not who we are – that’s just what we do. We are thought leaders, consultants, and cybersecurity experts, but above all else, we are a team of passionate problem‑solvers who are hungry to learn, grow, and make a difference.

The Consultant works closely with Project Managers, Delivery Directors, and other Delivery team members to lead engagements, assessing the security of various types of client applications and supporting infrastructure against security best practices. The Consultant is a technical leader with broad technical skills, meeting the objectives of their engagements, collaborating with clients, mentoring teammates, and providing subject‑matter expertise across one or more technical domains. The Consultant is a trusted advisor to clients, and through objective testing and results reporting, supports the client in making well‑informed, risk‑based decisions to improve overall security posture.

What You'll Do

• Working independently and collaboratively with a team to both lead and support
• Perform penetration testing on applications with complex technology stacks from both a Blackbox & Whitebox perspective
• Dynamically flex your skills when assessing emerging or custom technologies
• Contextualize vulnerabilities and assess realistic impact to a client accounting for mitigating and aggravating factors
• Manage priorities and tasks to achieve utilization targets
• Operate with professionalism both internally and with clients
• Ensure quality reports and services are delivered efficiently and on time
• Maintain strong depth of knowledge in the practice area
• Collaborate with project managers, quality management, sales and other delivery team members to drive customer satisfaction and meet project deliverables
• Up to 10% travel

What You'll Bring

• Application penetration testing and assessment tradecraft and methodologies (including browser‑based, API)
• Strong working knowledge of at least two programming or scripting languages
• Strong understanding of security principles and industry best practices
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a consulting/professional services role
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in Application Security and/or Software Development
• Proficiency in Web Application Penetration Testing
• Strong overall technical skills, with strong expertise in at least one of the following:

• Mobile Application Penetration Testing
• Thick Application Penetration Testing
• Hardware Penetration Testing
• Secure Code Review
• Container Penetration Testing
• Cloud Penetration Testing
• Network Active Directory Penetration Testing
• AI Penetration Testing

• Time management, performing adjacent tasks while ensuring on‑time delivery, escalating issues as needed
• Verbal communication, leading client calls for project kickoffs and debrief
• Written communication & Report writing, for both executive audiences and technical staff

Bonus Points

• UK CREST Certification and eligibility to be approved for and maintain UK SC level Clearance
• Strongly preferred CREST Certifications
• CREST Practitioner Security Analyst (CPSA)
• CREST Practitioner Threat Intelligence Analyst (CPTIA)
• AWAE, OSCP, OSCE, OSEE offensive security certifications
• Significant development and engineering backgrounds
• Cloud Service penetration testing tradecraft and methodologies across multiple service providers (e.g. AWS, GCP, etc.).
• Mobile platform and application penetration testing tradecraft and methodologies across both iOS and Android.
• Red/Purple Team tradecraft and methodologies
• Social engineering in all its forms
• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional, AWS Certified Security, AWS Certified Advanced Networking, AWS Certified SysOps Administrator
• Network, Database, System administration experience and certifications

£63,000 - £72,810 a year. The salary range listed is a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role based on national salary averages. The actual salary offer to the successful candidate will be based on job‑related education, geographic location, training, licensure and certifications and other factors. You may also be eligible to participate in annual incentive, commission, and/or recognition programs.

Why You'll Want to Join Us

At Coalfire, you’ll find the support you need to thrive personally and professionally. In many cases, we provide a flexible work model that empowers you to choose when and where you’ll work most effectively – whether you’re at home or an office. Regardless of location, you’ll experience a company that prioritises connection and wellbeing and be part of a team where people care about each other and our communities. You’ll have opportunities to join employee resource groups, participate in in‑person and virtual events, and more. And you’ll enjoy competitive perks and benefits to support you and your family, like paid parental leave, flexible time off, certification and training reimbursement, digital mental health and wellbeing support membership, and comprehensive insurance options.

At Coalfire, equal opportunity and pay equity is integral to the way we do business. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Coalfire is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact our Human Resources team at HumanResourcesMB@coalfire.com.