Security Assurance Penetration Tester

Elsevier•Pittsburgh, MA

8d•$71,600 - $143,300•Hybrid

About The Position

This role supports the offensive security function within Elsevier's Security Engineering team. You will perform hands-on security testing and peer review activities, validate vulnerabilities and security controls, and support the automation of security assurance processes. This is a hands-on role for a motivated security professional eager to grow in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.

Requirements

Experience in information security, penetration testing, or a related field.
Experience or coursework in software development, DevOps, or scripting is highly desirable.
At least one relevant security certification (e.g., Security+, eJPT, PNPT, CEH, or equivalent) preferred; advanced offensive security certifications such as OSCP are a plus.
Foundational understanding of web application architecture, networking, and operating system security.
Familiarity with common penetration testing tools (e.g., Burp Suite, Nmap, Metasploit, Nuclei, or equivalent).
Working knowledge of OWASP Top 10, common CVEs, and vulnerability scoring frameworks (CVSS).
Scripting ability in at least one language (Python, Bash, PowerShell, or similar); development experience is a strong plus.
Basic understanding of cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and associated security considerations.
Exposure to SAST/DAST tools and secure code review practices is desirable.
Awareness of GenAI security risks (prompt injection, LLM abuse, insecure AI integrations)

Nice To Haves

Experience or coursework in software development, DevOps, or scripting is highly desirable.
Advanced offensive security certifications such as OSCP are a plus.
Development experience is a strong plus.
Exposure to SAST/DAST tools and secure code review practices is desirable.

Responsibilities

Tracking and triaging findings from third-party assessments, ensuring timely follow-up and remediation tracking.
Collaborating with development, platform, and product teams to communicate findings, track remediation efforts, and improve overall security posture.
Facilitating post-assessment reviews and lessons learned sessions with development teams to identify recurring security issues and promote secure development practices.
Maintaining program documentation, test records, and reporting artifacts.
Conducting penetration testing of web applications, APIs, cloud environments, and internal systems, escalating complex testing scenarios as needed.
Performing peer review of penetration testing deliverables, including test plans, findings, and final reports.
Participating in scoping exercises and contributing to the selection of appropriate testing methodologies.
Supporting security assessments of GenAI-powered applications and features, including LLM integrations, RAG pipelines, and AI agents.
Assisting in testing for AI-specific vulnerabilities such as prompt injection, jailbreaking, insecure output handling, model data leakage, and training data poisoning.
Contributing to the development of internal GenAI security testing checklists and methodologies, aligned with frameworks such as OWASP Top 10 for LLMs.