What is the difference between Salaried Exploit Development vs Penetration Tester?

Aspect	Salaried Exploit Development	Penetration Tester
Credentials	Security certifications, programming skills	Security certifications, testing experience
Work Environment	Research labs, security firms, internal teams	Client sites, corporate environments, consulting firms
Industry Usage	Cybersecurity, offensive security	Cybersecurity, vulnerability assessment

Salaried Exploit Developers focus on creating and testing exploits for security research or defensive purposes, often working in labs or R&D settings. Penetration Testers simulate attacks to identify vulnerabilities in client systems. While both roles require security knowledge and technical skills, Exploit Developers primarily develop exploits, whereas Penetration Testers perform assessments and reporting. Understanding these differences helps clarify career paths and employer expectations in cybersecurity.