ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Freelance Offensive Security Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

HP IQ

Senior Offensive Security Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$180K - $250K/yr

About The Role As an Offensive Security Engineer within HP IQ's Product Security team, you will partner closely with engineering teams to identify, validate, and mitigate security risks across the ...

CoreWeave

Offensive Security Engineer

Livingston, NJ · On-site

As an Offensive Security Engineer, you will lead efforts to identify and mitigate security risks, perform penetration testing, conduct threat modeling, and develop security tooling to enhance the ...

CoreWeave

Offensive Security Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

As an Offensive Security Engineer, you will lead efforts to identify and mitigate security risks, perform penetration testing, and provide guidance on secure design practices. Responsibilities : • ...

CoreWeave

Offensive Security Engineer

Bellevue, WA · On-site

As an Offensive Security Engineer, you will lead efforts to identify and mitigate security risks, perform penetration testing, and guide engineering teams on secure practices while developing ...

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 ...

CoreWeave

Offensive Security Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

As an Offensive Security Engineer, you will lead efforts to identify and mitigate security risks, perform penetration testing, and develop security tooling to enhance the company's overall security ...

Staris AI

Offensive Security Engineer

Seattle, WA · Remote

$150K - $200K/yr

As an Offensive Security Engineer at Staris AI, you'll be at the vanguard of the application security profession. This role goes beyond conventional application security and penetration testing; you ...

CoreWeave

Offensive Security Engineer

Manhattan, NY · On-site

As an Offensive Security Engineer, you will lead efforts to identify and mitigate security risks, perform penetration testing, and develop security tooling to enhance the overall security posture of ...

HP IQ

Senior Offensive Security Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$180K - $250K/yr

About The Role As an Offensive Security Engineer within HP IQ's Product Security team, you will partner closely with engineering teams to identify, validate, and mitigate security risks across the ...

Replit

Offensive Security Engineer

Foster City, CA · On-site

$188K - $313K/yr

About the role We are looking for a senior-level Offensive Security Engineer to serve as a high-impact "adversary-in-residence" for Replit's cloud-native platform. At Replit, security isn't just ...

CoreWeave

Offensive Security Engineer

Livingston, NJ · On-site

$165K - $242K/yr

As an Offensive Security Engineer at CoreWeave, you will lead efforts to identify and mitigate security risks across internal and external systems. You'll perform penetration testing, conduct threat ...

eBay, Inc.

AI Offensive Security Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site

$136K - $228K/yr

Role Overview eBay seeks an AI Offensive Security Engineer to proactively identify and exploit vulnerabilities in AI/ML systems before adversaries do. This is a hands-on technical role focused on ...

CoreWeave

Offensive Security Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$165K - $242K/yr

As an Offensive Security Engineer at CoreWeave, you will lead efforts to identify and mitigate security risks across internal and external systems. You'll perform penetration testing, conduct threat ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsOffensive Security Engineer JobsFreelance Offensive Security Engineer Jobs

Freelance Offensive Security Engineer information

See salary details

$14

$47

$132

How much do freelance offensive security engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 12, 2026, the average hourly pay for freelance offensive security engineer in the United States is $47.71, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $24.28 and $61.78 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Freelance Offensive Security Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Freelance Offensive Security Engineer, you need deep expertise in penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, and cybersecurity best practices, often backed by certifications like OSCP or CEH. Familiarity with tools such as Metasploit, Burp Suite, Nmap, and scripting languages like Python is typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, self-motivation, and effective client communication set standout professionals apart in this field. These competencies are crucial for identifying and mitigating security risks while maintaining client trust and delivering high-value security assessments.

What are some common challenges faced by Freelance Offensive Security Engineers when working with multiple clients?

Freelance Offensive Security Engineers often juggle multiple projects for different clients, which can make time management and prioritization challenging. Each client may have unique security requirements, varying network environments, and distinct expectations for deliverables. Additionally, staying updated on the latest vulnerabilities and attack techniques is crucial, as clients rely on your expertise for thorough assessments. Clear communication and diligent documentation are essential to ensure that findings and recommendations are understood and actionable for each client.

What are Freelance Offensive Security Engineers?

Freelance Offensive Security Engineers are independent cybersecurity professionals who specialize in identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities within computer systems, networks, and applications. They are hired by organizations on a contract basis to conduct penetration testing, red teaming, and security assessments to help improve the organization's defenses. Unlike in-house employees, freelancers work for multiple clients and often bring a diverse range of experience from different industries. Their primary goal is to simulate real-world attacks and provide detailed reports with recommendations to enhance security posture.

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

AspectFreelance Offensive Security EngineerPenetration Tester
CertificationsOSCP, CEH, OSWEOSCP, CEH, GPEN
Work EnvironmentProject-based, remote or on-site, client-specificTypically consulting, testing environments, often on-site or remote
Employer/Industry UsageFreelance, cybersecurity firms, consultingSecurity firms, internal security teams, consulting

Freelance Offensive Security Engineers and Penetration Testers both focus on identifying security vulnerabilities. However, Freelance Offensive Security Engineers often work on broader offensive security projects, including red teaming and security architecture, while Penetration Testers primarily conduct targeted vulnerability assessments. The roles overlap but differ in scope and depth of engagement.

More about Freelance Offensive Security Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Freelance Offensive Security Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Freelance 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 Freelance Offensive Security Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Freelance Offensive Security Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Freelance Offensive Security Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Freelance Offensive Security Engineer jobs are:
Freelance Offensive Security Engineer jobs near you

Offensive Security Engineer (Remote)

Charles Schwab Inc.

San Francisco, CA • On-site, Remote

$148K - $185K/yr

Full-time

Posted yesterday

Job description

Your Opportunity
At Schwab, you're empowered to make an impact on your career. Here, innovative thought meets creative problem solving, helping us "challenge the status quo" and transform the finance industry together.
We believe in the importance of in-office collaboration and fully intend for the selected candidate for this role to work on site in the specified location(s).
Schwab Technology Services enables the future of how clients manage their money by providing innovative and reliable technology products and services as part of our ongoing commitment to democratize access to investing and financial planning.
The Offensive Security Engineer scopes, designs and executes controlled cybersecurity offensive operations, penetration tests and threat adversary emulation exercises to identify vulnerabilities and risks, evaluate the effectiveness of security controls and the incident response process. The Offensive Security Engineer documents any identified risks, translates technical findings into clear, actionable recommendations and works with stakeholders to identify appropriate mitigating controls to manage any outstanding risk. The Offensive Security Engineer works closely with counterparts in defensive teams to improve threat detection and response and engineering teams to mitigate risk before it's introduced into the environment.
  • Scope, develop and execute penetration tests, purple team assessments and red team exercises.
  • Design and develop tools, infrastructure and exploits in support of red team operations.
  • Research and implement assessments based on emerging threats, threat intelligence, and vulnerabilities.
  • Identify gaps in threat detection, Prevention and response.
  • Work collaboratively with counterparts in Cyber Defense roles to enhance the firms security posture.
  • Effectively communicate vulnerabilities, risks and technical findings to stakeholders and work with stakeholders to recommend and validate mitigating controls.

What you have
Required Qualifications
  • 5+ years of experience in offensive security, penetration testing or red team role.
  • Experience with common red team adversary emulation tooling and C2 frameworks.
  • Advanced knowledge of the tools, tactics, procedures and counter measures.
  • Experience researching emerging threats and TTP's, developing complementary assessments, and executing those assessments to understand and manage risk and develop appropriate counter measures.
  • Experience evaluating, reporting and communicating risk at both the technical level (ATT&CK/STRIDE/DREAD) and at an audience appropriate level with stakeholders across the firm.
  • Experience working with cross-discipline project teams to advance security within the firm.
  • In-depth experience with one or more of the following cybersecurity disciplines: Endpoint Penetration testing with a focus on bypassing modern EDR controls (across Windows, Mac and Linux), Exploit & Malware Development, Web Application Penetration Testing, Cloud Penetration Testing, AI Red Teaming, and Assessing digital assets and cryptocurrency solutions.

Preferred Qualifications
  • One or more of the following security certifications preferred: Offensive Security Certified Professional OSCP, GIAC Penetration Tester GPEN, GXPN Offensive Security Certified Professional or similar security certification(s).
  • BS in Computer Science or equivalent degree/experience desired.
  • Operational blue team experience.

Apply