Average Penetration Tester salary in the UK

CREST Certified Penetration Tester (CRT) | £50-60k | Remote We're partnered with a well-established cyber security organisation that's continuing to invest heavily into its offensive security capability following sustained client growth across both commercial and regulated environments.As part of that growth, they're looking to hire a CREST-certified Penetration Tester to join a collaborative testing team delivering security assessments across a broad range of technologies and customer environments.This role would suit someone with around 2-3 years of hands-on penetration testing experience who is looking to continue developing within a highly technical and supportive environment.Salary: £50-60k DOE Working Structure: Remote with onsite client visits occasionallySecurity Clearance: Beneficial but not required (SC/DV) Certifications: CREST CRT, OSCP (Essential) The Role: You'll be involved in delivering:Web application penetration testingInfrastructure and internal network testingExternal vulnerability assessmentsActive Directory and privilege escalation testingCloud security assessments across Azure/AWSSecurity reporting and remediation discussions with clientsYou'll work closely with senior testers and technical leads, gaining exposure to a wide variety of technologies, environments and engagement types.What They're Looking For: CREST Registered Tester (CRT) certification essentialOSCP Certification Around 2-3 years of penetration testing experienceStrong understanding of web application and infrastructure testing methodologiesExperience with tools such as Burp Suite, Nmap, Nessus, Metasploit, etc.Understanding of OWASP Top 10 and common attack vectorsStrong report writing and communication skillsConsultancy/client-facing experience beneficialAdditional certifications such as CPSA or cloud security certifications would be advantageous.If you're a CRT-certified Penetration Tester looking to continue developing your offensive security career within a strong technical environment, please apply or reach out for a confidential conversation.Oscar Associates (UK) Limited is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.To understand more about what we do with your data please review our privacy policy in the privacy section of the Oscar website.

Senior Penetration TesterHorsham – Hybrid – PermanentCompetitive salaryVIQU has partnered with a leading organisation to recruit a Senior Penetration Tester to play a critical role in protecting business assets through the delivery of advanced offensive security services. This Senior Penetration Tester position offers the opportunity to lead complex engagements across network, application, and cloud environments while working closely with defensive teams on purple team exercises. The successful individual will combine deep technical expertise with strong stakeholder communication, helping translate business risk into actionable security improvements within a mature Cyber Defence function.Key Responsibilities:• Lead the scoping, planning, and delivery of complex penetration tests across networks, applications, cloud, and emerging technologies • Conduct advanced offensive security assessments, identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities with clear remediation guidance • Collaborate with defensive teams to design and execute purple team exercises to enhance detection and response capabilities • Produce high-quality reports tailored to both technical and non-technical stakeholders • Support vulnerability validation and provide technical expertise during incident response activities • Mentor junior testers, promoting best practices and continuous team development • Peer review testing methodologies and reports to ensure quality and consistency • Stay current with evolving threats, tools, and techniques to improve overall security posture • Contribute to secure development lifecycle (SDLC) security testing practices • Support adherence to regulatory and industry standards including GDPR, PCI-DSS, and FCA guidanceKey Requirements:• Minimum 5 years’ experience leading penetration tests across network, web, cloud, and red/purple team engagements • Strong knowledge of penetration testing tools, techniques, and methodologies • In-depth understanding of MITRE ATT&CK framework and adversarial TTPs • Proven ability to identify, validate, and clearly articulate vulnerabilities and risk • Experience producing high-quality reports with clear remediation guidance • Knowledge of OWASP and application security principles • Experience with automated, dynamic, and static security testing tools • Ability to perform threat modelling and attack surface analysis • Experience working with or managing third-party security providers • Relevant certifications such as OSCP, CREST, SANS, CRTO or equivalent experienceApply today to speak with VIQU in confidence or contact Belle Hegarty via the VIQU website Know someone exceptional for this Senior Penetration Tester position? Refer them and receive up to £1,000 if successful (terms apply). Follow us on LinkedIn @VIQU IT Recruitment for more exciting opportunities.Senior Penetration TesterHorsham – Hybrid – PermanentCompetitive salary

Role: Penetration Tester Location: Leeds (Hybrid + Site Visits) Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 DOE Type: Permanent, Full-TimeSummary: We are looking for a skilled and motivated Penetration Tester to join a growing security team in Leeds. The main purpose of this role is to deliver high-quality offensive security assessments across web applications, APIs, and infrastructure, helping clients understand and remediate vulnerabilities across their environments. This is a great opportunity for a CHECK Team Member (CTM) or a tester actively progressing along the CREST pathway (CRT) to take ownership of engagements end-to-end, work alongside experienced consultants, and continue developing technically across a varied client base. This role operates on a hybrid basis in Leeds, with occasional site visits required.Key Responsibilities:Carry out web application, API, and infrastructure penetration tests, taking ownership of engagements from scoping through to final report delivery.Support purple team activities including phishing simulations and malicious insider style assessments.Produce clear, professional reports for clients, tailoring findings to client-specific context and business risk.Communicate high-risk vulnerabilities to clients as they are identified, supporting swift remediation.Support junior team members and assist with quality assurance on reports where required.Assist with the maintenance of internal penetration testing infrastructure, including device setup and tooling updates.Stay up to date with the evolving threat landscape, contributing to internal knowledge sharing and continued team development.Requirements:CHECK Team Member (CTM) status, or actively working towards CREST Registered Tester (CRT) on the CREST pathway.Hands-on experience delivering web application, API, and/or infrastructure penetration tests in a professional setting.Strong understanding of common vulnerability classes (e.g. OWASP Top 10), exploitation techniques, and remediation guidance.Confident client-facing communication skills, with the ability to explain technical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.Strong written reporting skills, with the ability to produce clear, well-structured deliverables.A genuine passion for offensive security, demonstrated through CTFs, labs (e.g. Hack The Box, TryHackMe), research, or community involvement.Benefits:Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 DOEHybrid WorkingCompany Pension SchemeRole: Penetration Tester Location: Leeds (Hybrid + Site Visits) Salary: £40,000 - £45,000 DOE Type: Permanent, Full-TimeOscar Associates (UK) Limited is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.To understand more about what we do with your data please review our privacy policy in the privacy section of the Oscar website.