About the role

Job family: Information Services – Information Security
Job title: IS Security Operations Specialist HQ
Reports to: IS Cyber Defense and Assurance Manager HQ
Level: IS3
Position Description:
Provide support to Security Operations Center (SOC) functions as directed including detecting security events, verifying security controls, assisting with threat hunting and alert tuning, documenting investigations, monitoring alerts, triaging incidents, and escalating threats to senior analysts as required.
Essential Duties & Key Responsibilities:
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Conduct activities to support Security Operations Center (SOC) functions as directed, including monitoring centralized security dashboards, Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) alerts, and endpoint activity to identify potential threats.
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Perform triage of security alerts and incidents, following defined SOC playbooks, determine relevance, and escalate based on incident type, severity and impact.
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Collect and document relevant data during alert investigation.
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Contribute to maintaining playbooks and procedures for security event triage and escalation workflows as appropriate.
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Collaborate with senior analysts and incident response teams on various incident related activities as directed.
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Perform basic threat hunting queries and provide supporting evidence for further investigation.
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Assist with Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) platform reviews and containment actions, when directed.
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Participate in after-action reviews and documentation of security incidents.
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Assist with coverage of SOC queue and monitoring tools during designated shifts or assigned rotations.
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Stay informed of basic attack vectors, evolving threat trends, and common malware behavior.
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Assist with intake and coordination and triage of user-reported phishing and suspicious activities.
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Provide clear and complete documentation for triage actions in SOC ticketing system.
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Other activities, duties, and responsibilities as assigned.
Qualifications:
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Associate’s Degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology (IT), or related field study required or enrolled in a Bachelor’s program with relevant coursework, with minimum of 3 years of experience required, in security operations, IT support, or helpdesk roles, preferred
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Professional certifications such as Security+, CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+), or Microsoft Security, Compliance and Identity (MS SC-200), a plus
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Familiar with core cybersecurity concepts, (e.g., malware, phishing, endpoint security, user access controls)
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Understand of Security Operations Center (SOC) workflows and tools (e.g., Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), and cloud monitoring platforms)
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Basic knowledge of Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Defender, and cloud identity systems, desired
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Highly organized with attention to detail and ability to follow procedures and documentation standards
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Good communication and collaboration skills working with technical and non-technical teams
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Ability to manage concurrent triage tasks and remain calm under pressure
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Demonstrate interest in cybersecurity operations and learning threat detection techniques
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Limited travel
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools, or controls, and reach with hands, talk, and hear. The employee frequently views a computer monitor and frequently uses a computer keyboard. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. The employee is occasionally required to be mobile, and the employee occasionally travels both short and long distances via a variety of conveyances. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds