Senior Staff Penetration Tester

We Are

Synopsys is the leader in engineering solutions from silicon to systems, enabling customers to rapidly innovate AI-powered products. We deliver industry-leading silicon design, IP, simulation and analysis solutions, and design services. We partner closely with our customers across a wide range of industries to maximize their R&D capability and productivity, powering innovation today that ignites the ingenuity of tomorrow.

You Are

You have spent years breaking into systems and applications, not for the thrill of it, but because you understand that finding vulnerabilities before adversaries do is what keeps critical technology secure. Desktop applications are your specialty. You know how to assess locally installed software across authentication boundaries, privilege escalation paths, data storage weaknesses, and the messy interactions between applications and operating systems where real exploits live.

You do not rely on automated scanners to do your thinking. Tools are useful, but you investigate how applications actually behave, trace realistic attack paths, validate what is exploitable versus what is noise, and explain the difference to engineers who need to fix it. Manual testing is where you do your best work.

Communicating technical findings is as important to you as finding them. You can sit with a development team, walk them through a vulnerability you discovered, explain the attack scenario in terms they understand, and help them see the practical steps to remediate it without creating fear or confusion.

At Synopsys, you will work on security assessments that directly protect the technology powering semiconductor development worldwide. The applications are complex, the stakes are real, and your work will matter.

What You'll Be Doing

• Conduct penetration testing primarily on desktop applications, with additional assessments of other applications and infrastructure as needed
• Identify and validate security vulnerabilities through manual testing techniques, not just automated scanning
• Assess desktop application attack surfaces including authentication, authorization, local data handling, application communication, privilege boundaries, and OS-level interactions
• Analyze application behavior and technical architecture to uncover realistic attack paths and exploitable weaknesses
• Perform attack surface reviews of critical systems and recommend defensive measures grounded in actual threat scenarios
• Collaborate with engineering stakeholders to analyze security testing results, understand root causes, and guide effective remediation
• Use tools like Burp Suite, Metasploit, BloodHound, and custom scripts to deepen and accelerate your assessments
• Monitor vulnerability disclosures, security research, and emerging attack techniques to inform and prioritize testing activities
• Deliver clear, actionable penetration testing reports with technical findings, risk assessments, evidence, and remediation guidance
• Work across security, engineering, development, and infrastructure teams throughout the assessment and remediation lifecycle

The Impact You Will Have

• Reduce security risk by identifying and validating vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in production environments
• Strengthen the security posture of desktop applications and supporting systems through realistic offensive testing that mirrors real-world attack techniques
• Help engineering teams understand not just what is broken, but how it could be exploited and what needs to happen to fix it
• Improve the quality and depth of security assessments across Synopsys by combining manual expertise, automation, and rigorous technical analysis
• Contribute offensive security knowledge that shapes how security practices evolve based on actual attack methods and emerging risks
• Protect the technology and intellectual property that supports Synopsys products and the customers who depend on them globally

What You'll Need

• 6+ years of hands-on penetration testing or offensive security experience
• Strong, demonstrable experience performing penetration testing of desktop applications
• Proven ability to identify and validate vulnerabilities through manual penetration testing, beyond what automated tools surface
• Working proficiency with penetration testing and security analysis tools such as Burp Suite, Metasploit, BloodHound, or equivalent platforms
• Solid understanding of application architecture, security controls, authentication mechanisms, application communication protocols, and attack path analysis
• Experience using scripting or programming languages such as Python, C, C++, or Java to support security testing, automation, or deeper technical analysis
• Strong grounding in vulnerability assessment methodologies and security frameworks including CVSS, OWASP, and MITRE ATT&CK
• Experience producing clear penetration testing reports with reproducible findings and practical remediation guidance that engineers can act on
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or equivalent practical experience
• Offensive security certifications such as OSCP, OSCE, or HTB CPTS are a plus

Who You Are

• You treat penetration testing as a technical investigation, not a checklist exercise or tool-running session
• Digging deeper into application behavior when something does not add up is second nature to you
• You can explain a complex vulnerability to a senior engineer in two sentences without losing the technical nuance or the urgency
• Owning a complex security assessment from initial scoping through final reporting is something you are comfortable doing independently
• Staying current with offensive security techniques, new vulnerabilities, and emerging attack methods is part of how you operate
• You communicate technical findings effectively whether you are talking to a deeply technical audience or broader stakeholders who need context
• You handle sensitive information with discretion and understand that confidentiality is not optional in security work

The Team You'll Be Part Of

Your recruiter will share more about the team structure and mission during the interview process.

Rewards and Benefits

We offer a comprehensive range of health, wellness, and financial benefits to cater to your needs. Our total rewards include both monetary and non-monetary offerings. Your recruiter will provide more details about the salary range and benefits during the hiring process.

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