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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Security Operations Engineer

💰 $95,000 - $145,000

CybersecuritySecurity OperationsInformation TechnologyEngineering

🎯 Role Definition

A Security Operations Engineer is the hands-on guardian of an organization's digital infrastructure. This role serves as a critical line of defense, focusing on the real-time detection, analysis, and response to cybersecurity threats. You are not just a monitor; you are an active hunter, a problem-solver, and an engineer who builds and refines the very tools and processes used to protect the company. This position involves a blend of vigilant monitoring, rapid incident response, and proactive engineering to continuously enhance the organization's security posture. You'll work within the heart of the Security Operations Center (SOC), collaborating with various teams to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our systems and data.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Security Analyst (SOC Analyst)
  • Network Engineer / Administrator
  • Systems Administrator with a security focus

Advancement To:

  • Senior Security Operations Engineer or Team Lead
  • Incident Response Manager
  • Security Architect
  • Threat Intelligence Specialist

Lateral Moves:

  • DevSecOps Engineer
  • Penetration Tester / Offensive Security Engineer
  • Cybersecurity Forensics Investigator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Actively monitor, analyze, and interpret security alerts from a diverse array of security tools, including SIEM, IDS/IPS, EDR, and cloud security platforms, to identify and triage potential security incidents.
  • Lead and participate in the entire incident response lifecycle, from initial detection and containment through to eradication, recovery, and post-incident lessons learned documentation.
  • Engineer and maintain the security toolset, ensuring optimal performance, coverage, and effectiveness of platforms like SIEMs (e.g., Splunk, QRadar, Sentinel), EDR (e.g., CrowdStrike, Carbon Black), and SOAR solutions.
  • Develop and implement custom detection rules, correlation searches, and alerting logic within the SIEM to identify new and emerging threats specific to our environment.
  • Conduct proactive threat hunting exercises by forming hypotheses based on threat intelligence and using security data to search for signs of compromise that have evaded existing controls.
  • Perform in-depth technical analysis of malware, phishing campaigns, and network-based attacks to determine impact, origin, and attacker tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
  • Automate routine security tasks and response actions using scripting languages (like Python or PowerShell) and SOAR platforms to improve the efficiency and speed of the SOC.
  • Manage and tune security infrastructure components, including firewalls, web application firewalls (WAF), intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and endpoint security solutions.
  • Conduct vulnerability scans, analyze the results, and work closely with system owners and development teams to prioritize and track the remediation of identified vulnerabilities.
  • Develop and maintain comprehensive incident response playbooks, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and other critical operational documentation.
  • Analyze network traffic and logs from various sources to identify anomalous or malicious activity, requiring a deep understanding of TCP/IP and common application protocols.
  • Configure and manage cloud security posture management (CSPM) and cloud workload protection platforms (CWPP) within AWS, Azure, or GCP environments.
  • Serve as a technical escalation point for junior security analysts, providing mentorship and guidance on complex security investigations.
  • Create and maintain detailed reports and dashboards that provide visibility into the organization's security posture, incident trends, and operational metrics for leadership.
  • Participate in an on-call rotation to provide 24/7 response coverage for critical security incidents.
  • Evaluate, recommend, and implement new security technologies and tools to fill gaps in visibility or capability within the security operations stack.
  • Collaborate with the threat intelligence team to integrate intelligence feeds into security tools and operational workflows, enhancing proactive defense capabilities.
  • Conduct forensic analysis of compromised systems to collect evidence and determine the full scope of a security breach.
  • Participate in purple team exercises, working with both red (offensive) and blue (defensive) teams to test and improve detection and response capabilities.
  • Ensure security tools and processes are aligned with regulatory and compliance frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, and GDPR.

Secondary Functions

  • Develop and deliver security awareness training and materials to other IT and business units.
  • Assist in internal and external security audits by providing evidence of control effectiveness and operational procedures.
  • Maintain a current understanding of the global threat landscape, including new vulnerabilities, attacker TTPs, and emerging security threats.
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of the overall cybersecurity program by providing feedback and recommendations based on operational experience.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • SIEM & Log Management: Deep expertise in managing and creating content for SIEM platforms like Splunk Enterprise Security, Microsoft Sentinel, or Elastic Stack.
  • Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR): Hands-on experience with deploying, configuring, and investigating alerts from EDR solutions such as CrowdStrike Falcon, SentinelOne, or Carbon Black.
  • Incident Response: Proven ability to manage all phases of the incident response lifecycle for complex security incidents.
  • Scripting & Automation: Proficiency in at least one scripting language (Python, PowerShell) to automate security tasks and integrate tools via APIs.
  • Network Security & Protocols: Strong understanding of TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/S, and experience analyzing network traffic using tools like Wireshark and Zeek (Bro).
  • Cloud Security: Experience with the security services and architecture of major cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP), including identity management, logging, and native security tools.
  • Vulnerability Management: Familiarity with operating vulnerability scanning tools like Nessus, Qualys, or Rapid7 and interpreting their output.
  • Operating Systems: In-depth knowledge of Windows, Linux, and macOS operating systems, including system internals, logging, and common attack vectors.
  • Digital Forensics: Foundational knowledge of forensic investigation techniques and tools for memory and disk analysis (e.g., Volatility, SIFT Workstation).
  • Threat Intelligence: Ability to consume, analyze, and apply threat intelligence to proactive defense and threat hunting activities.

Soft Skills

  • Analytical & Critical Thinking: Ability to dissect complex problems, analyze data from multiple sources, and draw logical conclusions under pressure.
  • Calm Under Pressure: A composed and methodical demeanor, especially during high-stress situations like active security incidents.
  • Strong Communication: Excellent ability to articulate complex technical concepts clearly and concisely to both technical peers and non-technical leadership.
  • Collaborative Mindset: A team player who can work effectively with IT, development, legal, and other business units to achieve security objectives.
  • Inherent Curiosity: A strong desire to learn how things work, tear them apart, and understand how they can be broken or subverted.
  • Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to investigations and documentation, ensuring accuracy and completeness.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in a relevant field or equivalent combination of professional experience, training, and certifications.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's degree in Cybersecurity or a related discipline.
  • Relevant industry certifications such as GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst (GCIA), CISSP, or OSCP.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Cybersecurity
  • Information Systems / Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3-7 years of hands-on experience in a cybersecurity role, with at least 2 years in a Security Operations Center (SOC) or incident response capacity.

Preferred:

  • Direct experience in a 24/7/365 SOC environment.
  • Demonstrable experience building custom detections, automating response actions, and leading incident investigations from start to finish.
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