Cybersecurity Engineer (Penetration Testing)
About the job
We are hiring a hands-on Cybersecurity Engineer (Penetration Testing) for our Kuala Lumpur office, open to mid-level or senior candidates. Seniority does not change the job: you do the hands-on work yourself. You report to the CTO and find real weaknesses before attackers do. This is not a report-only, scanner-only or checkbox seat.
This is a new role, and you will be the first and only person in it when you join. You won't be working alone, though: you will use AI agents to help with recon, testing, evidence gathering, reporting and retests. We are building penetration testing and security validation from the ground up with the CTO, so you will set up how testing gets done here.
You are expected to work independently and drive penetration testing with the CTO's direction, not wait to be tasked ticket by ticket.
A real part of this role is speeding up recon, custom checks, evidence packing and retests with Claude Code and AI agents, while you stay accountable for method, scope and quality. Commercial scanners are fine when they earn the cost.
Full on-site, Monday–Friday at Sunway Tower, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. No hybrid or remote.
Key responsibilities
Penetration testing & validation
Plan and run hands-on tests on web apps, APIs, cloud, network, identity and endpoints within agreed scope
Find exploitable issues, not only scanner noise, and prove impact with clear evidence
Write practical findings and fixes owners can act on
Retest fixes and track closure with the CTO and system owners
Support purple-team and security validation work with the SOC when needed
Help improve secure build practices (app, cloud, infra) from what testing shows
Automation & AI
Use Claude Code (or comparable) and scripts to speed recon, custom checks, evidence and reporting, responsibly
Prefer build-or-script before buy when a commercial scanner does not earn the cost
Keep methods repeatable so tests stay consistent across releases
Skills & experience required
At least 2 years of hands-on penetration testing, red team or security validation, not theory-only or scanner-only. We consider mid-level and senior candidates, and both roles are hands-on.
Practical testing across web apps and at least some of API, cloud, network, identity and endpoints
Uses AI tools daily in your work
Can write clear findings with severity, impact and fix guidance
Comfortable scripting (e.g. Python, Bash or PowerShell) for custom checks
Working knowledge of OWASP, common CVEs and MITRE ATT&CK
Experience testing cloud-hosted systems (AWS and Huawei Cloud preferred), Linux, Windows and modern web stacks
Must hold at least two active (not expired) certifications from the lists below, with at least one from the Penetration Testing list; three or more strongly preferred: Penetration Testing
Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
CompTIA PenTest+
CREST Penetration Tester
Mile2 Certified Penetration Testing Engineer (CPTE)
MITRE ATT&CK penetration testing certification
Certified Cloud Penetration Tester (CCPT)
CREST Certified Red Team Specialist (CCRTS)
GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN)
Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP)
Rocheston Certified Cybersecurity Engineer (RCCE)
Global ACE Certified Penetration Tester (CPT) General
CompTIA Security+
CompTIA SecurityX
GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC)
Can operate with limited supervision in a lean SME team
Aligned with the CTO; escalate real risk clearly; verify remediation stuck
Willing to support urgent validation after serious incidents when needed
Nice to have
Hands-on with Claude Code or similar AI engineering tools to speed real testing work, not chat-only
Open to building your own security tools with Claude Code (willing to self-learn)
Bug bounty, CTF or purple-team experience
Testing in a lean team without a large commercial toolkit budget
Light exposure to SOC and incident response work
About the company
ModeFair is an expanding tech venture that excels in GovTech. We provide a holistic suite of services, ranging from strategic counsel and conceptualisation to UI/UX design, custom-made development & integration, and routine IT management.
We aim to retain strong talent with a conducive working environment and competitive benefits. Our culture is fast-paced: everyone uses AI heavily in their daily work, delivery speed and efficiency matter, and we hold people accountable for how they use their time. We promote trust, responsibility, and open communication — and we expect high ownership.