Entry Level Penetration Testing Jobs in Austin, TX

Introduction
About X-Force
X-Force is IBM Consulting's cybersecurity team of hackers, incident responders, researchers, and analysts recognized for technical leadership and security research.
We are looking for Intern Hackers to join our Penetration Testing team. In this role, you'll support real client engagements focused on testing applications, networks, cloud environments, and enterprise systems to identify vulnerabilities and strengthen security.
You'll work alongside experienced offensive security professionals while building hands-on experience with penetration testing, AI-driven security research, automation, and modern offensive security tooling.
To give yourself the best opportunity for success,we advise applying only to roles that align with your skills and experience, rather than applying broadly across all entry-level positions. You'll receive a status update email for each application, so be sure to check your IBM Careers account regularly - it's the best way to get a centralized view of which roles you have active applications against.
Your role and responsibilities
During your internship, you will support live client projects and security assessments that help organizations identify and address cybersecurity risks.
Work you do as an Intern Hacker:

• Support penetration testing activities across applications, networks, cloud environments, devices, and enterprise systems
• Assist with vulnerability research, documentation, validation, and responsible weaponization activities through analysis and reverse engineering
• Contribute to technical reports, findings presentations, and security briefings for technical and business stakeholders
• Collaborate with experienced security consultants, researchers, and red team specialists on client engagements
• Gain exposure to offensive security tooling, automation techniques, AI-supported cybersecurity analysis, and emerging attack vectors
• Build knowledge across multiple platforms, architectures, operating systems, and security technologies

Required education
High School Diploma/GED
Preferred education
Bachelor's Degree
Required technical and professional expertise

• Currently pursuing a university degree with a strong record of academic achievement (preferred majors: Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Statistics, Mathematics, MIS, Engineering, or related technical disciplines)
• Experience using Microsoft Office Products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Must be available to work in-person starting May 2027 until August 2027 from IBM's Austin, TX location
• To be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship, as IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future.

Preferred technical and professional experience

• Currently enrolled in an accredited institution and pursuing a Bacherlos's degree in a security related field
• Knowledge or experience in one or more of the following Security Domains: Networking Penetration Testing, Application Penetration Testing, Red Teaming Social Engineering, and Vulnerability Scanning.

ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT
IBM Consulting is IBM's consulting and global professional services business, with market leading capabilities in business and technology transformation. With deep expertise in many industries, we offer strategy, experience, technology, and operations services to many of the most innovative and valuable companies in the world. Our people are focused on accelerating our clients' businesses through the power of collaboration. We believe in the power of technology responsibly used to help people, partners and the planet.
YOUR LIFE @ IBM
In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better.
Being an IBMer means you'll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you'll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background.
Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on-going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can-do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do.
Are you ready to be an IBMer?
ABOUT IBM
IBM's greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world.
Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we're also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business.
At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it's time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world.
IBM is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status.
OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS
Supplemental 1 employees may be eligible for up to 8 paid holidays, minimum of 56 hours paid sick time and the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan. IBM offers paid family medical leave and disability benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law.
This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 15 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role.
We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.
IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship.
The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full-time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job-related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro-rated for those who start working during the calendar year.