Job Overview
This is an opportunity to join the Bank of England's Pentest Team as a Junior Penetration Tester and build your career in offensive security. You'll gain hands‑on experience in penetration testing, vulnerability assessment and support for red and purple team activity, working alongside experienced colleagues to help strengthen the Bank's security across a wide range of systems and services. You will also have access to training to help with your technical and personal development goals.
Flexible Working Options
* Flexible start and end time to each day
* Flexibility to adapt your calendar as needed, for example around the school run, the gym, or appointments
* A 50% in‑office attendance requirement, which can be spread across the month to support different working patterns
* Working from abroad policy (subject to approval and policy within the team)
Opportunities in Leeds
We're excited to be growing our presence in Leeds. Our modern, accessible office in the city centre offers a supportive, flexible working environment. The majority of roles, including this one, are now available in Leeds, giving you the chance to build a meaningful career outside of London while contributing to our mission from a dynamic and growing location.
A day in the role
No two days in this role are exactly the same. You might start the day with a team catch‑up, then spend time supporting a penetration test, researching a new technique, or helping to review findings and draft clear reports. Along the way, you’ll work with experienced teammates who will support your development and help you build confidence across different technologies and testing approaches.
Role Requirements
You may already have some hands‑on penetration testing experience, or you may be looking to deepen your skills in areas such as infrastructure, cloud, or web application testing. If you enjoy problem‑solving, are keen to keep learning, and are excited by the opportunity to grow in a supportive team, we’d be keen to hear from you.
Minimum Criteria
* Hands‑on penetration testing experience, ideally around two years or more
* A recognised penetration testing certification, or clear progress towards one, such as OSCP, OSWA, GPEN, GWAPT, GCPN, CREST (CRT or CCT INF/APP), CSTM or CPTS
* Some practical experience in infrastructure, cloud, or web application pentesting
* Experience using standard offensive security tools
* A good understanding of common operating systems
* A basic understanding of networking concepts, including IP addressing, TCP/IP, and UDP
* An understanding of enterprise infrastructure technologies
* An understanding of cloud technologies
* Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to contribute to technical reporting
Essential Criteria
* Some experience or growing capability in cloud security pentesting
* Scripting skills, or a willingness to build them, in Python, PowerShell or Bash
* Some exposure to Governance, Risk and Compliance processes, or an interest in learning how they support security work
* A high level of integrity, organisation, self‑motivation and a genuine commitment to learning and continuous improvement
How this role fits into the wider Bank
As part of the Cyber Division, you’ll join a penetration testing team where you can build your skills through hands‑on work identifying vulnerabilities, assessing risk and supporting remediation across the Bank’s technology and infrastructure. Working closely with colleagues across Technology and the wider organisation, you’ll learn from experienced teammates while helping to protect the critical systems and information the Bank depends on.
Our Approach to Inclusion
The Bank values diversity, equity and inclusion. We play a key role in maintaining monetary and financial stability, and to do that effectively, we believe we need a workforce that reflects the society we serve. At the Bank of England, we want all colleagues to feel valued and respected, so we’re working hard to build an inclusive culture which supports people from all backgrounds and communities to be at their best at work.
Salary and Benefits Information
Salary range (Leeds): £40,320 – £45,360.
* Career average pension giving a guaranteed retirement benefit of 1/80th of your annual salary for every year worked
* A discretionary performance award based on a current award pool
* An 8% benefits allowance with the option to take as salary or purchase a wide range of flexible benefits
* 26 days’ annual leave with the option to buy up to 12 additional days through flexible benefits
* Private medical insurance and income protection
National Security Vetting Process
Employment in this role will be subject to the National Security Vetting clearance process (and typically can take between 6 to 12 weeks post offer) and the passing of additional Bank security checks in accordance with Bank policy. Further information regarding the vetting and security clearance requirements for the role will be provided to the successful applicant.
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