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Adversarial Emulation Jobs (NOW HIRING)

IOActive

Red Team Specialist

Perform adversarial emulation, assumed breach scenarios, post-exploitation, social engineering, and physical security testing * Manage project tasks and deadlines on a multi-time-zone team * Develop ...

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How much do adversarial emulation jobs pay per hour?

As of May 31, 2026, the average hourly pay for adversarial emulation in the United States is $50.45, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $39.66 and $61.30 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Adversarial Emulation Specialist, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Adversarial Emulation Specialist, you need deep knowledge of cybersecurity, penetration testing methodologies, and threat actor tactics, often supported by degrees in computer science or cybersecurity and certifications like OSCP or CISSP. Expertise with technical tools such as Cobalt Strike, Metasploit, and various red teaming frameworks is commonly required. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, and clear communication skills help you effectively simulate threats and report findings to stakeholders. These skills are crucial for accurately assessing organizational vulnerabilities and enhancing overall security posture.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in Adversarial Emulation, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in Adversarial Emulation often encounter challenges such as staying current with rapidly evolving threat landscapes, accurately simulating sophisticated attacker behaviors, and maintaining clear communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Addressing these requires continuous learning through threat intelligence updates, leveraging automation tools for realistic attack simulations, and collaborating closely with blue teams to ensure findings are actionable. Building strong documentation and reporting skills also helps bridge gaps between different teams and ensures that emulation exercises lead to meaningful improvements in organizational security.

What is adversarial emulation?

Adversarial emulation is a cybersecurity practice in which security teams simulate real-world cyber attacks to test and improve an organization's defenses. By mimicking the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of actual threat actors, these exercises help identify vulnerabilities and gaps in security controls. Adversarial emulation often involves using frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK to guide realistic scenarios, ensuring organizations are better prepared against genuine threats.

What is the difference between Adversarial Emulation vs Penetration Tester?

AspectAdversarial EmulationPenetration Tester
CredentialsSecurity certifications, such as CISSP, CEHSecurity certifications, such as OSCP, CEH
Work EnvironmentSimulates real-world attack scenarios to test defensesConducts controlled security assessments to identify vulnerabilities
Industry UsageUsed in cybersecurity to evaluate security postureCommonly hired for security testing and vulnerability assessments

Adversarial Emulation and Penetration Testing both aim to identify security weaknesses. However, Adversarial Emulation focuses on mimicking sophisticated attacker behaviors to test defenses in a realistic manner, while Penetration Testing involves systematic vulnerability scans and exploits to find security flaws. Both roles require similar certifications and are integral to cybersecurity strategies, but their approaches and objectives differ slightly.

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What job categories do people searching Adversarial Emulation jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Adversarial Emulation jobs are:
Adversarial Emulation jobs near you
Infographic showing various Adversarial Emulation job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, and 13% Contract. Highlights an 67% In-person, and 33% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $104,945 per year, or $50.5 per hour.
Senior Offensive Security Engineer (Red Team)

Senior Offensive Security Engineer (Red Team)

KeyBank

Brooklyn, OH • On-site

Full-time

Posted 5 days ago

KeyBank rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 89 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

37th of 141 rated banks

Job description

Location:
4910 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn Ohio
Serves as the senior process owner for vulnerability management and incident response activities for the entire organization. All associated efforts are to promote and advance an information security processes, culture and must reflect compliance with best practices, applicable federal and industry regulations, as well as company information security policies and standards.
Position Summary
Our Cyber Adversary and Exposure Mgmt. team rolls up into Key's broader Cyber Defense function within Corporate Information Security. Cyber Defense's mission is simple: We aim to Deter, Detect, Deny, and Disrupt adversaries through proactive threat centric defense.
The Senior Offensive Security Engineer is a key member of the Cyber Defense Cyber Adversary and Exposure Mgmt. team, responsible for simulating advanced persistent threats (APTs) and emulating real-world adversaries to assess and improve KeyBank's detection, response, and resilience capabilities. This role goes beyond traditional red teaming and penetration testing by incorporating threat intelligence, custom tooling, and stealthy tradecraft to test the effectiveness of security controls and incident response processes.
The ideal candidate will have deep experience in adversary simulation, red teaming, and offensive security operations across hybrid environments (on-prem, cloud, and physical). This role requires strong technical acumen, creativity, and the ability to communicate complex findings to both technical and executive audiences.
Key Responsibilities
  • Lead and execute adversary emulation engagements using intelligence-driven threat scenarios aligned with frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK.
  • Design and conduct full-scope red team operations, including initial access, lateral movement, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration simulation.
  • Conduct physical, external/internal, and wireless network assessments, as well as web and mobile application testing.
  • Perform security assessments across cloud platforms (Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, AWS) and embedded systems.
  • Develop and test threat actor emulation tools, tactics, and procedures for the Red Team to employ on-demand in assessments of application, system, and network security controls.
  • Employ these tools and techniques in the KeyBank environment with minimal supervision.
  • Partner with the Cyber Threat Intelligence team to ensure Red Team capabilities and tactics accurately reflect the current threat landscape.
  • Consult with cross-functional teams during project testing phases and architectural design reviews to ensure appropriate security controls are in place to mitigate threats.
  • Coordinate and monitor third-party penetration testing engagements, ensuring alignment with requirements, effective communication, and timely, accurate reporting.
  • Generate and publish Red Team metrics and reporting to track program effectiveness and stakeholder visibility.
  • Lead efforts to track remediation of findings to completion through coordination with application and technology system owners.
  • Expand the team's capabilities through:
    - Creation of custom tools and automation frameworks.
    - Research and development of novel offensive techniques and tradecraft.
    - Incorporation of threat actor intelligence into emulation scenarios.
    - Delivery of internal presentations and knowledge-sharing sessions.
  • Collaborate with the Cyber Threat Intelligence team to translate real-world TTPs into emulation plans.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of detection and response capabilities across SOC, EDR, SIEM, and other security layers.
  • Provide detailed post-mortem reports and executive briefings with prioritized recommendations.
  • Mentor junior team members and contribute to the development of adversarial tradecraft within the team.
  • Partner with blue teams to conduct purple team exercises and improve detection engineering.
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of adversarial emulation methodologies, tooling, and documentation.

Required Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience.
  • 8+ years of experience in Red Team or Penetration Testing roles.
  • Proficiency with Red Team tools and Command & Control (C2) frameworks.
  • Strong scripting and programming skills in PowerShell, Python, JavaScript, Bash, Golang or similar languages.
  • Deep understanding of Windows, Linux, Kali Linux, and macOS operating systems.
  • Hands-on experience with one or more of the following:
  • Google Cloud, Microsoft Azure, and AWS platforms.
  • Advanced networking knowledge and experience with attack simulation.
  • Familiarity with the MITRE ATT&CK framework and adversary TTPs.
  • Deep understanding of one or more Penetration Testing Methodologies such as PTES, ISECOM, ISSAF, and OSSTMM
  • Strong research and reporting skills.
  • Willingness to travel for on-site assessments.

Preferred Certifications
  • Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
  • Offensive Security Certified Expert (OSCE)
  • Offensive Security Experienced Penetration Tester (OSEP)
  • Certified Red Team Professional (CRTP)
  • GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN)
  • GIAC Web Application Penetration Tester (GWAPT)
  • CREST Registered Penetration Tester / CBEST Qualifications

Work Location Category
  • Hybrid (2+ days)

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
This position is eligible to earn a base salary in the range of $96,000.00 - $181,000.00 annually. Placement within the pay range may differ based upon various factors, including but not limited to skills, experience and geographic location. Compensation for this role also includes eligibility for incentive compensation which may include production, commission, and/or discretionary incentives.
Please click here for a list of benefits for which this position is eligible.
Key has implemented an approach to employee workspaces which prioritizes in-office presence, while providing flexible options in circumstances where roles can be performed effectively in a mobile environment.
Job Posting Expiration Date: 07/08/2026KeyCorp is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to sustaining an inclusive culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, pregnancy, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
Qualified individuals with disabilities or disabled veterans who are unable or limited in their ability to apply on this site may request reasonable accommodations by emailing HR_Compliance@keybank.com.
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About KeyBank

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Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, insurance, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of more than 1,200 branches and more than 1,500 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications, and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name.

Industry

Banking and credit intermediation

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Cleveland, OH, US

Year founded

1849

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