About the Role
We are seeking a motivated and detail-oriented SOC Analyst I to join the cybersecurity operations team for our direct client. This role is ideal for candidates beginning their cybersecurity career who are passionate about threat detection, incident response, and protecting enterprise environments from cyber threats.
As a SOC Analyst I, you will monitor security alerts, investigate suspicious activity, escalate incidents, and support defensive security operations across cloud, endpoint, network, and identity platforms. You will work alongside experienced cybersecurity professionals in a fast-paced Security Operations Center environment while building foundational technical and analytical skills.
Key Responsibilities
- Monitor and triage security alerts generated by SIEM, EDR, IDS/IPS, email security, and cloud security platforms
- Investigate suspicious events, indicators of compromise (IOCs), and potential security incidents
- Escalate confirmed or high-risk incidents to senior analysts and incident response teams
- Perform initial incident analysis and document findings in ticketing systems
- Support threat detection and continuous monitoring activities across enterprise environments
- Analyze logs from endpoints, firewalls, cloud platforms, identity systems, and network devices
- Assist with phishing investigations and malicious email analysis
- Follow documented incident response playbooks and standard operating procedures
- Maintain accurate incident documentation, timelines, and evidence collection
- Participate in shift handoffs and communicate findings clearly to internal stakeholders
- Support vulnerability management and remediation tracking activities
- Stay current on emerging cyber threats, attacker techniques, and industry trends
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field
- OR equivalent cybersecurity training, military experience, certifications, hands-on experience, or labs
- Basic understanding of cybersecurity principles, networking, and operating systems
- Familiarity with common cyber threats including phishing, malware, ransomware, and credential attacks
- Understanding of TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/HTTPS, VPNs, and firewall concepts
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work in a fast-paced operational environment
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Willingness to work rotating shifts, weekends, or on-call schedules if required
Preferred Qualifications
- Hands-on experience with security tools or labs
- Familiarity with SIEM platforms such as Microsoft Sentinel, Splunk, or IBM QRadar
- Exposure to EDR tools such as Microsoft Defender for Endpoint or CrowdStrike Falcon
- Familiarity with cloud environments including Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services
- Experience using ticketing or workflow platforms such as ServiceNow or Jira
- Understanding of cybersecurity frameworks such as NIST Cybersecurity Framework or MITRE ATT&CK
- Previous internship, lab, Capture The Flag (CTF), home lab, or SOC experience
Preferred Certifications
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA Network+
- ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity (CC)
- GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies (GFACT)
- Microsoft Security Certifications
Technical Skills
- Security Operations
- Security Monitoring
- Incident Triage
- Threat Detection
- Log Analysis
- Phishing Analysis
- Endpoint Security
- Identity Security
- Platforms & Technologies
- SIEM
- EDR/XDR
- Windows & Linux
- Active Directory / Entra ID
- Networking Fundamentals
- Cloud Security Fundamentals
- Soft Skills
- Strong analytical and critical thinking skills
- Effective verbal and written communication
- Attention to detail and documentation accuracy
- Team collaboration and professionalism
- Adaptability and willingness to learn new technologies
- Strong time management and organizational skills
- Continuous learning mindset and technical curiosity
What Success Looks Like
- Ability to effectively identify and escalate suspicious activity
- Accurate documentation of security incidents and investigations
- Consistent adherence to SOC procedures and response workflows
- Growth in technical analysis and threat investigation capabilities
- Strong collaboration with security engineering and incident response teams
Career Growth Opportunities
This role provides a strong foundation for advancement into positions such as:
- SOC Analyst II
- Incident Responder
- Threat Hunter
- Security Engineer
- Cloud Security Analyst
- Detection Engineer
- Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst
Why Join Us
- Work in a collaborative cybersecurity environment
- Gain hands-on experience with enterprise security technologies
- Build real-world incident response and threat detection skills
- Access training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities
- Contribute to protecting critical enterprise systems and data