Cyber Security Analyst - SOC Threat Analyst

We are seeking a highly experienced, vigilant, and proactive Senior Cyber Security Analyst with a specialized focus on Threat Analysis and Security Operations Center (SOC) duties. In this role, you will serve in tactical defense initiatives, monitoring, detecting, and responding to complex cyber threats in real-time. You will analyze sophisticated security events, lead incident investigations, hunt for undetected adversaries, and leverage advanced security tools to protect our critical infrastructure, data, and users within a modern security framework.

Key Responsibilities

· Alert Monitoring & Escalation Management: Monitor network security alerts and perform continuous log reviews in real time, analyzing events to identify, escalate, and assist in responding to potential security incidents proactively.

· Tooling Maintenance & Support: Maintain and support core cyber security toolsets, ensuring their effective operation, health, and policy alignment across the enterprise.

· Incident Response & Threat Hunting: Lead advanced incident investigations, coordinate threat containment strategies, and execute remediation steps for high-priority alerts.

· Threat Intelligence Monitoring: Hunt for undetected threats within our networks and evaluate threat intelligence to proactively configure defensive postures.

· Zero Trust Architecture: Assist in the design, implementation, and continuous verification of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) principles, ensuring that device health, identity, and context-aware access policies are strictly enforced across enterprise assets.

· Alert Verification & Analysis: Deeply analyze malicious activity across endpoints, applications, and logs, acting as the final escalation tier before senior management notification.

· Playbook Development: Design and automate response playbooks (SOAR) and write custom detections to streamline SOC operations.

· Mentorship: Provide guidance, technical support, and training to junior and mid-level SOC analysts to elevate overall team capabilities.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• BS/BA  in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Technology, or equivalent practical experience
• 7-9 yrs of dedicated experience working within a Security Operations Center (SOC) or in a dedicated Threat Analyst/Incident Response role, with practical experience implementing or defending Zero Trust environments.
• Complies with all policies and standards. 
• Maintain appropriate level government security clearance.

• US Citizenship required 

   

Preferred Qualifications 

• Certifications (Highly Desired): CISSP, GCIA, GCIH, GCDA, OSCP, CySA+, Zero Trust certifications (e.g., Forrester Zero Trust, ZTX, or Microsoft SC-100), or advanced platform-specific certifications (Splunk Enterprise Certified Admin, Microsoft SC-200, etc.).
• Architecture & Methodology: Strong foundational understanding and hands-on familiarity with Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) frameworks (e.g., NIST SP 800-207, CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model), specifically focusing on micro-segmentation, identity-centric access control, and assuming breach posture.
• SIEM & Analytics: Advanced proficiency with Splunk Enterprise Security/Splunk SOAR (complex SPL query development, dashboard creation, detection rule tuning, and correlation model design).
• Vulnerability Management: Proven experience managing and configuring Tenable Security Center (Nessus) for enterprise-scale vulnerability scanning, prioritization, and executive reporting.
• Email Security: Deep experience managing and configuring Proofpoint email gateways, analyzing targeted email campaigns, and executing URL/attachment analysis.
• Endpoint & Cloud Security: Expert-level utilization of Microsoft Defender (Defender for Endpoint/XDR, Identity, and Cloud Apps) for proactive threat hunting, live response, and endpoint isolation. Strong familiarity with Microsoft SCUBA (Secure Cloud Business Applications) for auditing, securing, and maintaining M365 suite security configurations is highly desired.