ZipRecruiter

Log In

2

Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Praetorian

Offensive Security Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site

Who We Are Looking For We are looking for an Offensive Security Engineer who operates with clear ownership. You're not just filling a seat. You're setting the standard. You believe great execution ...

Horizon3.ai

WebApp Offensive Security Engineer

Summary We're looking for a Webapp Offensive Security Engineer with deep, hands-on web application penetration testing experience to push our autonomous testing beyond what it can do today. You'll be ...

Teleport

Offensive Security Engineer, Red Team

$175K - $258K/yr

About the Role We are looking for an Offensive Security Engineer to work on Teleport's Red Team. You will develop a strong understanding of our cloud and corporate infrastructure and use that ...

Apple

Offensive Security Researcher, SEAR

Cupertino, CA

$181K - $318K/yr

Offensive Security Researcher, SEAR Apple's Security Engineering & Architecture (SEAR) organization is responsible for the security of all Apple products. Passionate about safeguarding our users, we ...

Apple

Offensive Security Researcher, SEAR

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$181K - $318K/yr

Apple's Security Engineering & Architecture (SEAR) organization is responsible for the security of ... You will help to build offensive capabilities against autonomous systems and anticipate how ...

Skild AI

Embedded Security Engineer

San Mateo, CA · On-site

... offensive security assessments. Responsibilities * Conduct detailed threat modeling and security ... Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure compliance with defined security standards and ...

LVT

Application Security Engineer

American Fork, UT

$52.50 - $70.25/hr

Offensive Security: Lead proactive security initiatives including threat modeling, deep-dive code ... broader engineering team. OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE * Proven Experience: At least 2+ years of ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsOffensive Security Engineer JobsEntry Level Offensive Security Engineer Jobs

Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer information

See salary details

$61.5K

$152.8K

$205.5K

How much do entry level offensive security engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 17, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level offensive security engineer in the United States is $152,773.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $143,000.00 and $158,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer vs Penetration Tester?

AspectEntry Level Offensive Security EngineerPenetration Tester
CertificationsCompTIA Security+, CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)CEH, OSCP (Offensive Security Certified Professional)
Work EnvironmentSecurity teams, cybersecurity firms, internal security departmentsConsulting firms, security companies, freelance engagements
Job FocusIdentify vulnerabilities, develop attack simulations, improve security posturePerform targeted security assessments, exploit vulnerabilities, report findings

Both roles involve assessing security weaknesses, often requiring similar certifications like CEH. An Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer typically works within organizations to strengthen defenses, while a Penetration Tester often conducts external assessments for clients. The main difference lies in their scope: engineers focus on proactive security development, whereas testers focus on identifying vulnerabilities through simulated attacks.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer, you need a solid understanding of network protocols, cybersecurity fundamentals, and common vulnerabilities, often supported by a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with penetration testing tools like Metasploit, Burp Suite, and knowledge of operating systems such as Linux is essential, and entry-level certifications like CompTIA Security+ or CEH are commonly valued. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help you identify security issues and clearly report findings. These competencies are crucial for assessing organizational security, executing ethical hacking tasks, and helping teams proactively defend against cyber threats.

What types of projects or tasks can an Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer expect to work on during their first year?

As an Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer, you will typically assist with vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and security audits under the guidance of more experienced team members. Your daily tasks might include running automated scans, analyzing results, writing reports, and helping to develop and validate security tools. Collaboration with IT, development, and incident response teams is also common, as you work together to identify and remediate vulnerabilities. These experiences provide a strong foundation for professional growth and may lead to more advanced responsibilities over time.

What is an Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer?

An Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer is a cybersecurity professional who specializes in testing and assessing the security of computer systems, networks, and applications by simulating real-world attacks. Their primary responsibility is to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses that malicious hackers could exploit. They use tools and techniques such as penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and social engineering to find and report security issues. These engineers typically work under the guidance of more experienced team members and help organizations strengthen their security posture.
More about Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Offensive Security Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Offensive Security Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer jobs are:
Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Entry Level Offensive Security Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $152,773 per year, or $73.4 per hour.
Offensive Security Engineer

Offensive Security Engineer

Praetorian

Austin, TX • On-site

Full-time

Posted 29 days ago

Job description

We Are Praetorian
Praetorian is defined by raw intensity, fearless candor, and a relentless drive. This is who we are.
We are looking for high-performing, mission-aligned individuals. We prioritize performance over politics and purpose over transaction. This environment is built for those who seek ownership and impact.
Is Praetorian the right fit for you? If you are someone who obsesses over the problem, defaults to open communication, and wants to work with a team that refuses to accept mediocrity-then you have found your home.
The Mission
Praetorian is an expert-driven offensive security company. Our mission is to prevent breaches before they occur. We help organizations shift from an "assume breach" mentality to adopting offensive security as a core strategy of prevention.
We don't just find bugs; we solve the root cause. We are building a future without compromise, and we need people who run toward the fire.
Who We Are Looking For
We are looking for an Offensive Security Engineer who operates with clear ownership. You're not just filling a seat. You're setting the standard. You believe great execution brings strategy to life.
How You Operate
You bring mission-driven grit to every challenge, running toward hard problems rather than away from it. You prioritize customer outcomes over internal processes and choose truth and clarity over performative politeness. We look for builders with a bias for action-people who own the fix when things break, share credit with the team, and possess the intellectual humility to care more about getting to the right answer than being right.
What You Will Own
  • Own the Outcome: Execute challenging security projects for our PS and MSP customers, ensuring technical precision and successfully resolving complex client needs.
  • Take Accountability: Be accountable for the success of unique engagements by developing custom methodologies, payloads, exploits, and tools when off-the-shelf solutions aren't enough.
  • Raise the Bar: Continuously improve the bridge between services and product by identifying vulnerability trends in the field and translating them into tangible improvements.
  • Drive Impact: Proactively develop new Chariot capabilities based on the specific security vulnerabilities identified during PS security projects.
  • Scale Expertise: Aggressively learn as much as possible about the industry and offensive security landscape to ensure the team remains on the bleeding edge of tradecraft.

What You Bring
  • The Foundation: A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or Physics, backed by 0-2 years of experience or relevant internships in cybersecurity, startups, or high-tech environments.
  • Technical Fluency: You have experience writing software or scripts using common offensive security languages, specifically Go (Golang), Python, PowerShell, or Bash.
  • Domain Expertise: You have early experience or a demonstrated passion for Product Security (App/Mobile/LLM), Cloud Security (AWS/Azure/GCP), Web/Network Penetration Testing, Red Teaming, or IoT/Embedded Security.
  • Offensive Security Mindset: You don't just work 9-to-5; you compete. You have notable achievements in CTFs (CCDC, CPTC) or on testing platforms like Hack The Box, TryHackMe, or PortSwigger.
  • The "Plus One" Edge: You go beyond the basics with verifiable contributions to vulnerability research (CVEs), exploit development, or open-source offsec projects. Familiarity with AI prompt engineering for tool/payload generation is a strong plus.
  • Certifications: You hold or are actively pursuing industry-recognized certifications such as OSCP, OSEP, PNPT, BSCP, OSWE, or relevant cloud certifications.

If This Position Is Wildly Successful, In One Year You Will Have:
  • Delivered high-impact findings across multiple engagement types - red team operations, application security assessments, cloud security reviews - that materially improved clients' security posture and drove repeat engagements
  • Developed custom methodologies, payloads, exploits, and tools that solved problems off-the-shelf solutions couldn't, advancing the team's offensive capabilities and contributing to Praetorian's reputation for technical excellence
  • Produced clear, actionable reports that resonated with both technical practitioners and executive stakeholders - driving remediation, building client trust, and reinforcing Praetorian's credibility in the field
  • Contributed meaningfully to Guard's capabilities by identifying recurring vulnerability trends in the field and translating them into tangible platform improvements that scale your impact beyond individual engagements
  • Integrated AI tooling into your offensive workflows - using it to automate reconnaissance, accelerate payload development, and move faster through complex environments without sacrificing depth or precision
  • Demonstrated versatility across the threat landscape - from traditional infrastructure and web applications to cloud-native environments and AI/ML systems - reflecting the evolving nature of modern attack surfaces
  • Contributed research, blog posts, or conference presentations that elevated Praetorian's thought leadership in the offensive security community
  • Mentored junior engineers and contributed to a culture of continuous learning, raising the technical floor across the team through your example and your investment in the people around you

Why Praetorian?
We offer a culture built on high performance and deep ownership.
  • Elite Talent: Work alongside the top 1% of the industry-composed exclusively of high performers who raise the bar.
  • Our DNA: We are defined by action, grit, and uncompromising transparency. We move fast, take on hard problems, and choose clarity over comfort-because that's how meaningful work gets done.
  • Impact: Your work directly protects the world's most critical organizations.

Want to go deeper? Explore our New Hire Survival Guide to dive into Praetorian's mission, vision, values, and culture.

Apply