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# Security Research Engineer

Canonical URL: https://nextmove.md/fde/jobs/47f4c4f009782ad0

pensar posts a FDE role to build what the customer runs in New York, NY, at $120,000–$175,000 base, below the senior FDE median of $190,000 across 1,864 postings with pay. This customer-facing security research role combines end-to-end pentest engagements and deployment of Pensar’s platform with original offensive and open-source vulnerability research. Read from the employer’s posting on November 8, 2026.

- [pensar](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/pensar)

First seen Oct 24, 2026 · open on Workable as of Nov 8, 2026

**$120,000–$175,000** New York, NY

This customer-facing security research role combines end-to-end pentest engagements and deployment of Pensar’s platform with original offensive and open-source vulnerability research.

- [See roles that fit me](https://nextmove.md/sign-up?from=%2Ffde%2Fjobs%2F47f4c4f009782ad0&placement=top)
- [View posting at pensar](https://apply.workable.com/j/9306B17E0C/apply)

Free. Upload your resume once, see why each FDE role fits, and get introduced only when you say so.

## At a glance

### Posted base pay

$120K–$175K Below the median

Midpoint $148K · median $190K

This job $120K to $175K. Senior FDE postings, 1,864 postings: the middle 50% of posted pay is $160K to $220K, median $190K.

### The work

Builds what the customer runs

Balance **Mostly building**

Project stages

1. Pre-sales (not covered)
2. Proof of concept (not covered)
3. Implementation
4. Operations

Travel **Required, amount not stated**

- **Coding**: Writes production code

- **Builds for**: External customers

- **Level**: Senior

- **Role**: Individual contributor

### What they ask for

Experience

- **5+ years** offensive security, pentesting, red teaming, or vulnerability research

### Do you meet what the posting states?

The posting asks for 5+ years. How many do you have?

The posting reads as a senior role. What level are you at now?

The job is in New York, NY. Could you work there?

Which of these have you used in production?

Answer each one. Nothing is saved or sent.

[What postings ask for, by background →](https://nextmove.md/fde/paths)

## Conditions

- **Location**: New York, NY

- **Travel**: Travel required, amount not stated

- **Pay**:

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- [Other jobs at pensar (1)](https://nextmove.md/fde/companies/pensar)

## The job description from pensar

### Description

We are seeking a Security Research Engineer to operate as a hybrid Forward Deployed Engineer and offensive security researcher. You'll be on the front lines of customer engagements — using our open source tool Apex to run pentests, curate and present findings, and stand up our platform inside customer environments. In parallel, you'll drive original offensive and open source security research, and feed everything you learn in the field back into the product so Pensar keeps getting sharper as a pentesting platform.

This role is customer-facing by design. The ideal candidate is equally comfortable in a terminal popping shells with Apex, on a Zoom with a CISO walking through findings, and in a design review arguing for the next product capability.

### Key Responsibilities

### Customer Engagements & Forward Deployed Work

- Run end-to-end pentest engagements for customers using Apex, our open source offensive security tool
- Curate, triage, and contextualize findings for customer audiences ranging from engineers to executives
- Deliver clear, prioritized write-ups and walk customers through results, exploitation paths, and remediation
- Set up and configure the Pensar platform inside customer environments, including integrations and workflows
- Act as a trusted technical partner for customers throughout onboarding, engagements, and ongoing usage
- Travel to customer sites as needed for kickoffs, readouts, and on-site testing

### Offensive Security Research

- Conduct original offensive security research across web, cloud, infrastructure, and AI/LLM attack surfaces
- Develop new exploitation techniques, payloads, and tooling that extend Apex's capabilities
- Build automated testing methodologies for emerging vulnerability classes and attacker tradecraft
- Track the evolving threat landscape and translate it into concrete detections and capabilities

### Open Source Security Research

- Lead vulnerability research across high-impact open source projects and ecosystems
- Verify findings, build proof-of-concept exploits, and coordinate responsible disclosure with maintainers
- Contribute patches, advisories, and tooling back to the open source community
- Grow Pensar's reputation in the security research community through publications, talks, and contributions

### Product Feedback & Pentesting Roadmap

- Translate firsthand engagement experience into concrete recommendations for the product roadmap
- Partner with engineering and product on capabilities, UX, and automation that make pentesting faster and more reliable
- Participate in architecture and design reviews with a focus on the pentester's workflow
- Help shape Apex's direction as an open source project alongside the internal platform

### Compensation

- Base salary: **$120,000 – $175,000** per year, depending on experience
- Meaningful equity in an early-stage offensive security company
- Final offers calibrated to depth of offensive security experience, the breadth of your research record, and the level you join at

### Reports To

CEO / CTO

*We are an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, or disability status.*

### Requirements

- 5+ years of experience in offensive security, pentesting, red teaming, or vulnerability research

- Strong programming skills in multiple languages (Python, Go, JavaScript, C/C++)
- Deep, hands-on understanding of modern vulnerability classes across web, cloud, and infrastructure
- Proven track record of running pentest engagements end-to-end and delivering findings to customers
- Excellent customer-facing communication skills — comfortable presenting to both engineers and executives
- Experience contributing to or maintaining open source security tooling
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related field, or equivalent experience

### Preferred Qualifications

- Experience with AI/LLM-assisted offensive security or building security automation on top of LLMs
- Prior Forward Deployed Engineer, solutions engineering, or consulting experience at a security or developer tools company
- Security certifications (OSCP, OSCE, OSWE, GXPN, or equivalent)
- Public security research, CVEs, conference talks, or notable open source contributions
- Experience with cloud security (AWS, GCP, Azure) and containerized environments
- Familiarity with compliance frameworks (SOC 2, ISO 27001, PCI DSS) as they relate to pentesting

### Benefits

- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance

- Direct ownership of customer engagements and offensive research at an early-stage security company
- Professional development budget for conferences, training, and certifications
- Support for publishing research and presenting at industry conferences
- Direct, visible impact on both our open source tooling and commercial platform

[View posting at pensar](https://apply.workable.com/j/9306B17E0C/apply)

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- [Compare senior FDE salary ranges](https://nextmove.md/fde/salary/senior)
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