Working at PortSwigger

How to apply

We will need your CV. We also ask you to provide your full educational record including degree and A-levels (or equivalent), both subjects and grades. We do recognize that academics aren't everything, particularly for more experienced candidates. But they help us to get a well-rounded view of individuals.

Once we've received your application, you may be asked to complete an online assessment as part of the application process.

We will review your application and get back to you within a few days.

Please click here to see the positions that are currently open for application.

First conversation

The purpose of this conversation is to determine whether you have the skills and experience that we are looking for.

The conversation takes place over Zoom and takes 15-30 minutes.

You will meet someone who works in the role that you are applying for. They will ask a range of questions relating to the technical subject matter of the role.

For software development roles, we're looking for technical excellence and breadth of knowledge in the core language stack. The conversation will focus on either Java or .NET, and will include some more general questions about computer science. Please click here for more information on the software engineering application process.

Second conversation

The purpose of this call is to get to know each other a bit and see if we might be a good fit for each other.

The conversation takes place over Zoom and takes 15-30 minutes.

You will meet our founder, Dafydd Stuttard, or someone else who does not work in the role that you are applying for.

We'll talk about various non-technical areas, such as team collaboration, approaches to delivering quality work, and personal motivations. An example question might be: "What would your ideal job be like?". We'll explain more about PortSwigger and how we work. You'll have an opportunity to ask questions.

Remote exercise

Depending on the role you are applying for and your level of experience, we might ask you to carry out an exercise in your own time.

We'll let you know during or following the second conversation if we'd like you to carry out an exercise, and we'll send you the details via email.

The exercise shouldn't take more than a few hours. There is no deadline to return your work. You can ask any questions that you have about the exercise via email.

On-site interview

The on-site interview will give you an opportunity to meet the PortSwigger team, experience our working environment, talk about the role in more detail, and ask questions.

The interview process takes approximately 2.5 hours.

There is no dress code for the interview. PortSwigger people generally wear casual dress at work. You can wear whatever you are comfortable with.

Depending on the role you are applying for, the on-site interview will generally include some kind of work exercise. We will let you know details of the exercise ahead of time.

Offer

We make decisions quickly and can normally make an offer shortly after your on-site interview.

Take as much time as you need to consider our offer. We want this to be the right decision for you. You can also ask as many further questions as you like at this stage.

If you accept our offer, we'll need to take up references from your current and previous employers (or university supervisor for students).

We are flexible on start dates and can work around your existing obligations and preferences.

We can provide help and advice on any aspect of your transition, including places to live, transport, local schools, or other assistance that you might need.

We will keep in regular contact in the run up to you joining, and you will have further opportunities to meet colleagues and discuss our work in more detail.

Feedback

We are happy to provide feedback after the application process is complete, and to answer any other questions that arise during the process. Please email us if you have any questions.