Lead Engineer, Penetration Tester
About the position Target is an iconic brand, a Fortune 50 company and one of America’s leading retailers. Target as a tech company? Absolutely. We’re the behind-the-scenes powerhouse that fuels Target’s passion and commitment to cutting-edge innovation. We anchor every facet of one of the world’s best-loved retailers with a strong technology framework that relies on the latest tools and technologies—and the brightest people—to deliver incredible value to guests online and in stores. Target Technology Services is on a mission to offer the systems, tools and support that guests and team members need and deserve. Our high-performing teams balance independence with collaboration, and we pride ourselves on being versatile, agile and creative. We drive industry-leading technologies in support of every angle of the business, and help ensure that Target operates smoothly, securely and reliably from the inside out. As a Lead Engineer, Penetration Tester on Target’s Security Testing Services team, you will play a critical role in protecting our guests and brand. You’ll leverage your deep understanding of Target’s environment, strong partnerships, and relentless curiosity to deliver industry-leading penetration testing at scale. Our team values collaboration, respect, adaptability, and purpose. We conduct comprehensive assessments of key Target business functions and processes, including PCI-required testing. You’ll collaborate directly with business teams across Target, gaining first-hand insight into how our systems and operations work together. Use your skills, experience, and talents to help us achieve visionary goals. Responsibilities • Lead and perform penetration tests across Target-developed and third-party applications, including web, API, mobile, hardware, and scoped PCI assets • Manage the full lifecycle of penetration testing from intake and scoping through discovery, testing, and validation of findings • Identify, validate, and communicate security vulnerabilities across enterprise systems • Deliver clear, actionable reports that articulate business impact and remediation guidance • Partner with Target Tech and Security teams to explain findings, resolve issues, and improve overall security posture • Mentor and coach team members to strengthen collective technical expertise • Review and triage submissions from the Bug Bounty program; escalate critical findings to appropriate teams and help drive remediation • Contribute to threat modeling activities, providing expert insights to identify and prioritize threats • Provide technical oversight and assist in resolving complex security challenges • Advocate for continuous improvement of penetration testing tools, processes, and automation • Participate in on-call rotation for operational and bug bounty support Requirements • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related field—or equivalent experience • 7+ years of experience in cybersecurity, including at least 5 years focused on penetration testing or red team operations • Strong expertise in penetration testing methodologies and web application security • Advanced knowledge of application development, networking, and systems architecture • Proficient with Burp Suite and other key security tools (e.g., Nmap, Nuclei, Metasploit, etc.) • Skilled in scripting and automation using languages such as Python or Go • Comfortable working across Mac, Windows, and Linux environments • Strong communicator with the ability to translate complex security issues for technical and non-technical audiences • Excellent time management and prioritization skills with the ability to meet deadlines • Proven ability to foster collaboration, drive alignment within cross-functional teams, and demonstrate a solid understanding of how your work impacts the team and guests • Passionate about mentorship, learning, and continuous improvement • Demonstrated ability to stay current with evolving security threats and testing techniques Nice-to-haves • OSCP, OSCE, OSWE, or CISSP Benefits • comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more • 401(k) • employee discount • short term disability • long term disability • paid sick leave • paid national holidays • paid vacation Apply tot his job