Full-Time

Associate Security Consultant

Updated on 8/23/2026

IOActive

IOActive

51-200 employees

Penetration testing and attacker-perspective security

Compensation Overview

€40k - €50k/yr

Madrid, Spain

Hybrid

Remote work or office work is available as needed.

Bachelor's

Category
IT & Security (1)
Required Skills
PowerShell
Bash
Microsoft Azure
Python
JavaScript
Microsoft Windows
Computer Networking
Cybersecurity
Vulnerability Analysis
AWS
iOS/Swift
REST APIs
Penetration Testing
C/C++
Android Development
Google Cloud Platform

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Requirements
  • 1-3 years of experience in offensive security services performing web, mobile, and infrastructure penetration tests and vulnerability assessments.
  • Good knowledge of common web, mobile, and infrastructure vulnerabilities described in the respective OWASP Top 10 projects.
  • Experience with security tools such as Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, or Tenable Nessus.
  • Understanding of operating systems concepts including Windows and GNU/Linux.
  • Basic experience with scripting or programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, Bash, PowerShell, or C/C++.
  • Knowledge of networking concepts and protocols.
  • Familiarity with security testing methodologies.
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
  • Good written and verbal English communication skills.
  • Ability to explain technical concepts clearly.
  • Strong attention to detail.
  • Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team.
  • Professionalism when interacting with clients and colleagues.
  • Strong organizational and time-management skills.
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, Information Technology, Software Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent practical experience.
  • Willingness to pursue additional professional certifications and ongoing technical development.
Responsibilities
  • Conduct application security assessments for web and mobile applications, including Android and iOS, APIs, and other software systems.
  • Conduct infrastructure security reviews.
  • Deliver security assessment activities with support from more experienced consultants where suitable.
  • Carry out penetration testing activities using manual techniques and industry-standard security tools.
  • Identify and document security vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and deviations from best practices, providing actionable remediation recommendations.
  • Verify and validate remediation actions to confirm that applied fixes work as intended.
  • Contribute to client engagements by verifying testing prerequisites, collecting information, performing technical testing, and documenting findings.
  • Prepare clear, professional reports describing identified risks and recommended remediation steps.
  • Participate in client meetings and technical discussions alongside senior consultants.
  • Develop an understanding of client environments, technologies, and business objectives.
  • Work closely with other consultants on project delivery.
  • Collaborate with software developers, security teams, and client project stakeholders across multiple industries.
  • Share knowledge and contribute to internal documentation and best practices.
  • Participate in internal technical training.
  • Continuously build knowledge of security concepts, tools, and emerging threats.
  • Participate in internal research, lab exercises, and knowledge-sharing sessions.
  • Stay current with security trends, vulnerabilities, and secure development practices.
  • Support continuous improvement of assessment methodologies and documentation.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with cloud security best practices involving AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
  • Internship, academic, Capture the Flag, open-source, or personal project experience in cybersecurity.
  • Knowledge of secure software development practices.
  • Relevant certifications such as OSCP, OSWE, BSCP, or similar offensive security training.

IOActive provides security services to large enterprises across industries. It uses research-driven methods to perform deep security work such as full-stack penetration testing, program efficacy assessments, and hardware hacking, bringing an attacker’s perspective to help clients strengthen their security posture and business resiliency. Its offerings are delivered as specialized technical and programmatic services aimed at maximizing the value of security investments. The company differentiates itself with its 100% service satisfaction guarantee, a long track record, and recognition in the security industry, serving many Global 500 organizations including power, retail, financial, healthcare, and technology sectors. The overall goal is to help clients reduce risk and improve resilience through hands-on testing, audits, and strategic security assessments.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Seattle, Washington

Founded

1998

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • IOActive published 2026 research on AI-generated code, PLC attacks, and energy security.
  • The 2026 RP2350 win boosts credibility with device makers and critical-infrastructure buyers.
  • CBS coverage on card shufflers expands brand reach beyond traditional cybersecurity circles.

What critics are saying

  • Consulting revenue depends on unpredictable enterprise and government spending cycles this year.
  • Rising competitors commoditize pentesting, squeezing IOActive's premium research-services margins.
  • If research fails to convert into contracts, hardware expertise becomes a costly niche.

What makes IOActive unique

  • IOActive still leads hardware, firmware, OT, and silicon security research in 2026.
  • Its RP2350 Challenge win proves deep device-level exploitation, not generic consulting.
  • CISA's July 2026 PLC advisory aligns tightly with IOActive's OT specialization.

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Benefits

Remote Work Options

Flexible Work Hours

Company News

GlobeNewswire
May 15th, 2024
Ioactive Recognized For Trailblazing Cybersecurity Practices At 2024 Global Infosec Awards

SEATTLE, May 15, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IOActive, Inc., the worldwide leader in research-fueled security services, was named as a winner of the Trailblazing Cybersecurity Research and Trailblazing Cybersecurity Provider categories by Cyber Defense Magazine (CDM), the industry’s leading electronic information security magazine. “This selection from Cyber Defense Magazine as one of the industry’s most influential cybersecurity research firms is a testament to the hard work and expertise of our team,” said Jennifer Sunshine Steffens, CEO at IOActive. “We believe in approaching cybersecurity from an attackers’ perspective, and this philosophy underpins everything we do - from our groundbreaking research across industries to our comprehensive security services tailored to meet the evolving needs of our clients. As we continue to innovate and push the boundaries of cybersecurity, we remain steadfast in our mission to make the world a safer place for all.” This award highlights ongoing momentum for the company as Steffens was recently recognized as one of The Top 50 Women Leaders of Washington for 2024, in addition to IOActive winning three award categories at the 2024 Cybersecurity Excellence Awards. IOActive is proud to be recognized as part of a coveted group of industry leaders. The full list of this year’s award recipients can be found here: http://www.cyberdefenseawards.com/ For more information, please visit www.ioactive.com or join us on LinkedIn and X

FreightWaves
Jun 5th, 2023
Is Your System Vulnerable To Cyberattacks? Here’S How To Find Out

“What should keep you up at night is, ‘What do I not know?’ There may be things that you know you don’t know, and there may be things you don’t know that you don’t know.”During the National Motor Freight Traffic Association’s (NMFTA) May webinar, John Sheehy, senior vice president of research and strategy at IOActive, a research-fueled security services firm, offered that thought-provoking reminder.Sheehy’s presentation, hosted by Antwan Banks, director of cybersecurity of NMFTA, is part of the organization’s cybersecurity series leading up to its October Digital Solutions Conference in Houston. The conference will be a meeting of minds to discuss emerging cybersecurity threats and related issues faced by the transportation and logistics industries.Cybercrime attacks on large transportation businesses have made headlines in recent years, and as the industry has become more appealing to attackers, companies of all sizes are vulnerable to system breaches. The range of threat techniques only continues to grow as hackers adapt and evolve ways to gain access to critical company information.For transportation companies, threats don’t just apply to internal digital systems, but also to the vehicles and equipment they use to move freight. Additionally, how these systems interface with one another through telematics devices presents risk. With many entry points for hackers, the importance of cybersecurity is paramount.The prevalence of these “hackable” interfaces that organizations build their business on provides malicious individuals and entities many opportunities to breach an organization and wreak havoc.“[It] could be as simple as one of your employee’s laptops or something more complex such as your overall wide area network. Or … from an operational technology perspective, something that might move freight on the warehouse floor that is necessary for shipping and receiving can be disrupted too,” Sheehy elaborated.Identifying critical digital security lapses is the first step in defending your business from bad actors, who, in the worst-case scenario, could pose an existential threat to your company.Penetration testing is one of the most impactful ways to figure out what it is you don’t know about your company’s vulnerabilities, allowing you to mitigate risks before an attacker can exploit them.During the webinar, Sheehy discussed what penetration tests are, as well as the methodologies and the best practices you can implement to gain maximum value from them.What is a penetration test?Simulating an attack on your computer system or network using the same tools, techniques and procedures as the real thing, penetration testing allows an organization to evaluate its security and expose the business impacts of its vulnerabilities. “These vulnerabilities may result from poor or improper system configuration, known and/or unknown hardware or software flaws, or operational weaknesses in processes or technical countermeasures,” Banks said.Penetration test methodologiesPenetration tests are not one-size-fits-all processes; Sheehy identified three main kinds of test methodologies, which fall on a spectrum from limited to more information provided to testers