Security / Penetration Tester jobs: remote, hybrid and Flex
A Security / Penetration Tester attacks applications before someone else does, then helps fix what breaks. In the US the median is $181k a year for a mid-level hire, $140k at junior and $231k at senior. We have 62 open Security / Penetration Tester roles in 18 countries, 24 of them remote.
Live Security / Penetration Tester roles
Staff Application Security Engineer
Application Security Specialist (a) 80-100%
Application Security Architect (a) 80-100%
AppSec Staff Engineer
Senior Manager, Application Security
Junior Security QA
What a Security / Penetration Tester earns
Median gross annual pay by level, in local currency. Estimates from public statistics and our listings.
| Country | Junior | Mid | Senior | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $140k | $180k | $230k | $280k |
| United Kingdom | £65k | £84k | £110k | £130k |
| Germany | €78k | €100k | €130k | €160k |
| Netherlands | €78k | €100k | €130k | €160k |
| Poland | PLN 220k | PLN 290k | PLN 370k | PLN 450k |
| Portugal | €43k | €56k | €71k | €86k |
| India | ₹2.2M | ₹2.8M | ₹3.6M | ₹4.4M |
| Brazil | R$340k | R$440k | R$560k | R$680k |
What a Security / Penetration Tester does
- Run web, API and mobile penetration tests against agreed scope
- Triage scanner output and remove false positives
- Write findings with proof of exploit and a fix recommendation
- Add security checks to CI
- Retest fixes and track remediation
What you need
Tools in our Security / Penetration Tester listings
Where this role goes
Junior
Learns the product and the toolchain. Executes cases, reports clean bugs.
US median $140k
Mid
Owns a feature area end to end. Designs tests and mentors juniors.
US median $181k
Senior
Sets approach for a team. Reviews, unblocks and raises the quality bar.
US median $231k
Lead
Owns strategy, hiring and quality reporting across teams.
US median $280k
Common moves from Security / Penetration Tester: SDET, Release / DevOps Engineer, QA Automation Engineer.
Security / Penetration Tester work in 3–4 hour windows
Take project tasks next to your main job. Rates start at $15/hour and are shown before you apply.
Security / Penetration Tester FAQ
How much does a Security / Penetration Tester earn?
In the US the median gross salary is $181k for mid-level, ranging from $140k (junior) to $280k (lead). In the UK a mid-level Security / Penetration Tester typically earns £84k and in Germany €100k.
What skills does a Security / Penetration Tester need?
OWASP Top 10, Burp Suite, Scripting, Threat modelling, Reporting. Employers also look for evidence: a test strategy you wrote, a framework you built, or defects you found.
Can I work remotely as a Security / Penetration Tester?
Yes. About 70% of Security / Penetration Tester roles in our network are remote or remote-friendly. Time-zone overlap with the client is usually the deciding factor.
Which tools should a Security / Penetration Tester know?
The most common in our listings: Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, Postman, Docker.
Can I do Security / Penetration Tester work part-time through Flex?
Yes. PassRidge Flex offers project tasks of 3-4 hours a day, paid hourly or per project. Check your main employer's contract for moonlighting rules first.