Principal Incident Response Analyst

UNSW; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Working Options

Career development opportunities

17% Superannuation contributions and 3

Additional 3 days of leave over Xmas

Discounts and entitlements

Job summary

UNSW is seeking a Principal Incident Response Analyst to lead the organisation's cyber security incident response capabilities. The role is based in Kensington, Sydney withHybrid work requiring 2–3 days in the office, overseeing CSIRT activities and coordinating with operational teams.

You will conduct advanced investigations, guide threat intelligence efforts, and refine response playbooks while reporting to senior stakeholders and driving improvements in security controls and processes.

Qualifications

• Minimum ten years of experience in cyber security incident response.
• At least five years of management experience in cyber security.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical contact for cyber security incidents impacting UNSW, coordinating response activities with operational teams and keeping stakeholders informed.
• Conduct and lead advanced technical investigations in digital forensics, malware analysis, and network analysis to identify root causes and contain threats.
• Provide expert guidance to the CSIRT team in incident response, threat hunting, and digital forensics services.
• Drive development and refinement of incident response processes aligned with best practices, leveraging AI and cutting-edge tech where applicable.
• Facilitate collaboration between internal UNSW teams and external MSSP partners to ensure integrated incident response capability.
• Document critical incidents with PIR reports detailing root cause, attack vectors, impacted infrastructure, and actions taken.

Skills

Incident response

Threat hunting

Digital forensics

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Tertiary qualification

Job description

• Full-time continuing role as Principal Incident Response Analyst
• Excellent salary package available
• Kensington, Sydney location, 2-3 days in the office, Hybrid working

About UNSW

UNSW isn’t like other places you’ve worked. Yes, we’re a large organisation with a diverse and talented community; a community doing extraordinary things. Together, we are driven to be thoughtful, practical, and purposeful in all we do. Taking this combined approach is what makes our work matter. It’s the reason we’re one of the top 20 universities in the world (QS top 20) and a member of Australia’s prestigious Group of Eight. If you want a career where you can thrive, be challenged and do meaningful work, you’re in the right place.

Specific Accountabilities For This Role Include

• Serve as the primary technical contact for cyber security incidents impacting UNSW, coordinating response activities with operational teams, and keeping key stakeholders informed of critical developments.
• Conduct and lead advanced technical investigations into complex security incidents, utilising in depth expertise in digital forensics, malware analysis, and network analysis to identify root causes, trace threat actor activities, and contain threats.
• Provide expert guidance and technical oversight to the CSIRT team in delivering advanced incident response, threat hunting, threat intelligence, and digital forensics services.
• Drive the development, enhancement, and continuous refinement of incident response processes, ensuring they are robust, technically precise, and aligned with industry best practices. Leverage AI, machine learning, and cutting edge technologies to enhance our capabilities.
• Facilitate technical collaboration between internal UNSW teams and external MSSP partners, ensuring the alignment of threat detection, analysis, and response activities to maintain an integrated and efficient incident response capability.
• Document and report on critical incidents, producing in depth technical post-incident review (PIR) reports that detail the root cause, attack vectors, impacted infrastructure, and actions taken.
• Ensure reports align with established processes, standards, and frameworks, providing comprehensive insights and recommendations.
• Prepare and deliver strategic security reports, analysing trends, patterns, and insights to provide actionable recommendations that strengthen the organisation’s security posture, and sharing findings with relevant stakeholders
• Proactively analyse and apply cyber threat intelligence to strengthen organisational defences, supporting mitigation of cyber threats targeting the organisation.
• Lead the generation and refinement of actionable threat intelligence, analysing data from internal and external sources to identify emerging threats, attack trends, and adversary behaviours.
• Integrate intelligence into playbooks, operating procedures, and the knowledge base to enhance our security capabilities.
• Conduct proactive threat hunting to detect malicious actors and anomalies, leveraging advanced analytical techniques to uncover potential security threats in real time.
• Contribute to the development, implementation, and optimisation of security controls, services, and technologies to mitigate risks working closely with the Security Engineering team
• Adhere to IT Service Management practices across UNSW IT, Faculties, Divisions, and Affiliates
• Oversee and finalise effective communications with key stakeholders, both internal and external and provide influential input with stakeholders to achieve business outcomes.
• Align with and actively demonstrate the Code of Conduct and Values
• Ensure hazards and risks psychosocial and physical are identified and controlled for tasks, projects, and activities that pose a health and safety risk within your area of responsibility.

Who You Are

• A relevant tertiary qualification with extensive experience or equivalent competence gained through any combination of education, training, and experience.
• Minimum ten years of industry experience in cyber security incident response, with a minimum five years of management experience in a cyber security environment or in a senior support role.
• Strong technical skills and operational experience in the management, configuration, and support of security controls including network security, endpoint security, application security, data protection, and/or identity and access management.
• Comprehensive analytical and problem-solving skills and proven capacity to exercise initiative, flexibility and to be proactive in the development of robust solutions to problems.
• Strong consultation, influencing and negotiation skills and proven ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders to achieve successful outcomes.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a high level of attention to detail for deliverables produced.
• Demonstrated success working effectively and collaboratively on initiatives with a range of people at different levels within an organisation.
• Excellent time management skills, with a demonstrated ability to respond to changing priorities, manage multiple tasks and meet competing deadlines by using judgement and initiative.
• An understanding of and commitment to UNSW’s aims, objectives and values in action, together with relevant policies and guidelines.
• Knowledge of health & safety (psychosocial and physical) responsibilities and commitment to attending relevant health and safety training.
• Relevant industry certifications such as GCFA, GREM, OSCP and CCSP are highly desirable but not required.

Benefits and Culture

• Flexible Working Options (work from home, flexible hours etc)
• Career development opportunities
• 17% Superannuation contributions and additional leave loading payments
• Additional 3 days of leave over Christmas period
• Discounts and entitlements (retail, education, fitness)

For further details on the benefits, please visit https://www.jobs.unsw.edu.au/lifestyle-benefits

Please note: Sponsorship is not available for this role; valid Australian working rights are required on application.

Applications close: Sunday 1st of November 2026

UNSW is committed to equity diversity and inclusion. Applications from women, people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those living with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQ+ community; and people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent, are encouraged. UNSW provides workplace adjustments for people with disability, and access to flexible work options for eligible staff.