Sr. Offensive Cyber Engineer

Leidos has a new and exciting opportunity for a Sr. Offensive Cyber Engineer in our INTEL Sector's Cyber & Analytics Business Area (CABA).  Our talented team is at the forefront in Security Engineering, Computer Network Operations (CNO), Mission Software, Analytical Methods and Modeling, Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), and Cryptographic Key Management. At Leidos, we offer competitive benefits, including Paid Time Off, 11 paid Holidays, 401K with a 6% company match and immediate vesting, Flexible Schedules, Discounted Stock Purchase Plans, Technical Upskilling, Education and Training Support, Parental Paid Leave, and much more.  Join us and make a difference in National Security!

We are seeking an experienced Sr. Offensive Cyber Engineer (Penetration Tester) with detection engineering capabilities to conduct comprehensive security assessments on enterprise and government systems. In this role, you will perform offensive testing while collaborating closely with defensive security teams (CEMA Resiliency System [CRS]) to translate attack findings into resilient threat detection capabilities.

This is a full-time position with the Leidos office in Lawton, OK. The position consists of developing custom exploits and automation tools based on identified vulnerabilities and collaborating with detection engineering teams to translate offensive security findings into defensive capabilities. This includes traveling to testing events to verify exploit effectiveness in operational environments and coordinating with Cyber Response System (CRS) teams to develop and validate threat detectors. The position is responsible for researching and analyzing technical documentation on assigned systems, serving as a subject matter expert on system classification guides and detection capabilities, and ensuring timely delivery of technical findings, recommendations, and after-action reports to both offensive and defensive security stakeholders. The position also includes serving as the sites technical lead, performing comprehensive penetration tests and vulnerability assessments on enterprise and government systems, including classified environments, while conducting deep-dive analysis of network protocols, cloud infrastructure, and web applications. At higher technical levels, this includes planning and identifying future testing events and opportunities to enhance organizational security posture.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Develop custom exploits, payloads, and automation tools tailored to identified system vulnerabilities.
• Serve as the site technical lead, executing end-to-end penetration tests and vulnerability assessments across enterprise, government, and classified environments.
• Perform deep-dive analysis across network protocols, cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP), and web applications.
• Collaborate with detection engineering and CEMA Resiliency System (CRS) teams to validate, test, and improve threat detectors based on offensive tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
• Travel to operational testing events to verify exploit effectiveness in real-world scenarios.
• Research technical system documentation and serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on system security classification guides and detection capabilities.
• Author and present comprehensive technical findings, remediation recommendations, and after-action reports for both technical staff and executive stakeholders.
• Support long-term operational planning by identifying future test opportunities to strengthen organizational security posture.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline with 8+ years of relevant experience; OR a Master’s degree with 6+ years of experience; OR an additional 4 years of related experience in lieu of a degree (12+ years total).
• 8+ years of dedicated hands-on experience in penetration testing, red teaming, or offensive security operations.
• Proficiency with Linux distributions (e.g., Kali, Parrot) and Windows operating systems at an administrative/deep-system level.
• Demonstrated scripting and development capability using languages such as Python, Bash, or PowerShell for tool automation and exploit modification.
• Strong understanding of networking concepts, TCP/IP architecture, and security protocols.
• Must be a US Citizen and be able to obtain and maintain an active Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance.
• Willingness to work on-site in Lawton, OK (or relocate prior to start date) and travel to testing events as required.

Preferred Technical Qualifications:    

• Offensive Security Certifications: OSCP, GPEN, GWAPT, CPTS, or GXPN
• Defense & Detection: Experience in Detection Engineering, SOC operations, threat hunting, or utilizing frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK.
• Cloud & Modern Tech: Experience evaluating cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP) using assessment tools (e.g., ScoutSuite, Pacu, Prowler).
• Reverse Engineering / Low-Level: Experience with binary analysis, disassembly, and reverse engineering.
• DevSecOps & Collaboration: Familiarity with Git version control, CI/CD pipelines, and Agile workflows.

Professional Experience: 

• Government/Defense Experience: Prior background working within DoD or classified environments with a solid grasp of classification markings and handling procedures.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical documentation and executive reporting
• Ability to translate complex technical findings into actionable recommendations for diverse audiences
• Experience presenting security findings to both technical teams and executive leadership
• Proven ability to collaborate across offensive and defensive security teams

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting:

Pay Range:

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.