Advanced Red Team Operator

Overview

Intelligent Waves is seeking an Advanced Red Team Operator to support complex U.S. Navy acquisition and operational programs. This role provides senior-level support to cyber Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) activities across a broad portfolio of Navy platforms, weapon systems, information warfare capabilities, and enterprise business systems.

The Advanced Red Team Operator leads the design and execution of cyber OT&E test strategies, oversees authorized cyber test events, and produces comprehensive technical reports detailing findings, risk impacts, and mission relevance. Testing is conducted in live operational environments, laboratories, cyber ranges, and cloud-based infrastructures, spanning both information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) systems. Protection of system safety, mission assurance, and operational security is paramount throughout all phases of testing.

This role requires expert application of approved tools, resources, and advanced adversary tradecraft to compromise and maneuver within systems and networks under test in support of defined mission objectives. The operator exercises significant autonomy, provides technical leadership to junior and intermediate red team personnel, and executes operations in coordination with the OID Current Operations Officer, ensuring strict adherence to rules of engagement, authorization boundaries, and test objectives.

** This position is contingent upon final contract and funding approval.

Location: Norfolk, VA
✈️ Travel: None

️ Clearance Requirement: TS/SCI

Intelligent Waves delivers mission-focused multi-domain operational expertise and innovation to the Government through high-impact technology solutions in cybersecurity, data science, enterprise network & systems engineering, software development, and cognitive human performance.

ANYTIME. ANYWHERE. ANY DOMAIN.

Since 2006, we have proudly served federal agencies including the Department of Defense. Our ability to operate globally in a wide range of environments, coupled with our deep understanding of customer needs and requirements, enables us to provide cost-effective solutions to support the most complex missions.

Adherence to all customer site protocols is mandatory for employees.

Responsibilities

Planning and Governance

• Develop, maintain, and enforce red team SOPs, test documentation, and reference materials to sustain DCAT authorization in accordance with DoDI 8585.01.
• Lead cyber test planning activities including mission analysis, attack surface identification, threat modeling, and validation of test objectives for feasibility and operational realism.
• Coordinate deconfliction, approvals, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring compliance with Joint Forces Headquarters DODIN procedures and external organization reporting requirements.

Adversary Research and Capability Development

• Conduct in-depth research on adversary cyber actors, including TTPs, organizational structures, capabilities, personas, and operational environments, integrating findings into survivability and threat-informed testing.
• Lead open-source intelligence analysis and system documentation review to assess mission context, architectures, interfaces, critical components, and threat vectors.
• Collaborate with development organizations to design, build, and deploy custom tools, techniques, and access methodologies to support advanced red team objectives.

Test Preparation and Execution Leadership

• Lead red team test preparation, including site coordination visits, in-briefs, test plan reviews, and development of technical reference libraries and research briefings.
• Execute advanced cyber test events including Cooperative Vulnerability Penetration Assessments, Adversarial Assessments, and Cyber Tabletop Exercises across operational, developmental, and risk reduction environments.
• Independently conduct and oversee exploitation activities using approved tools and tradecraft while providing technical direction and mentorship to basic and intermediate red team operators.

Operational Tradecraft and Post-Test Analysis

• Apply advanced ethical hacking techniques to exploit vulnerabilities and misconfigurations across operating systems, protocols, and security services to achieve test objectives.
• Verify, analyze, and validate collected test data to ensure accuracy, completeness, and operational relevance.
• Lead post-test analysis, reporting, and documentation efforts including deficiency and risk artifacts, lessons learned, and iterative improvements to red team methodologies and capabilities.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance
• Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) or an equivalent advanced offensive security certification
• Minimum of 6 years of professional experience performing a combination of penetration testing, red teaming, and/or exploit development
• Minimum of 6 years of experience leading red team operators, directing penetration testing and red team activities to successfully accomplish assigned test objectives
• Demonstrated proficiency with common offensive security tools, including Metasploit, Cobalt Strike, Core Impact, Burp Suite, Nessus, and SharpHound
• Strong ability to identify and analyze malicious program behavior using dynamic analysis techniques
• Proven capability to independently plan and execute penetration testing and red team activities to meet assigned test objectives
• In-depth understanding of Windows and Unix/Linux system internals, host-based security products, and how system configurations and protections impact exploitation and detection

Benefits

Intelligent Waves offers a generous benefits package including medical, dental, vision, paid PTO, life and disability insurance. We invest in our employees' futures by contributing with vesting starting from DAY 1, technical training, tuition bonuses, and much more.

Clearance Statement

Applicants selected for this position will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance. For this position, Intelligent Waves will consider only applicants with current security clearances or those eligible to obtain one.

Equal Opportunity

Intelligent Waves LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal opportunity to all applicants and employees in full compliance with all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, military and/or veteran status, or any other class protected by applicable state or federal law.

As an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer, Intelligent Waves is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified candidates and employees. If you need reasonable accommodations for any part of the application or interview process, or to perform essential job functions, please contact humanresources@intelligentwaves.com.

A Veteran-Friendly Organization

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