Defence Digital Cyber Security Analyst

UK Ministry of Defence; Corsham; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

The UK Ministry of Defence seeks a Cyber Security Analyst for its Global Operations and Security Control Centre. In this role, you will contribute to protecting critical systems from cyber threats, using cutting-edge tools and methodologies. Ideal candidates should have a strong analytical mindset and experience in cybersecurity operations.

Benefits

25 days annual leave increasing with service

Civil Service pension scheme

Market Skills Allowance

Learning and development opportunities

Qualifications

• Knowledge of Cyber Security principles and methodologies is essential.
• Experience or understanding of firewalls and endpoint protection desired.

Responsibilities

• Monitor, triage and investigate security alerts to identify incidents.
• Perform security log analysis using SIEM tools to identify risks.
• Support major incident responses including containment and analysis.

Skills

Analytical mindset

Excellent communication skills

Networking fundamentals

Cyber Security principles

Education

Understanding of SIEM tooling

Experience in Cyber Security

Job description

MOD Corsham, Westwells Road, Corsham, Wiltshire SN13 9NR

Job Summary

Please note that these positions are open to sole UK Nationals only.

Candidates who are not sole UK nationals or hold dual nationality, on a student visa or have right to reside, are not eligible for these posts. Please contact us prior to applying if you are unsure of your status.

Defence Digital ensures our Armed Forces remain among the most technologically advanced in the world. We do this by putting innovative and effective technology into the hands of over 200,000 users, from the boardroom to the front line.

We lead on cutting-edge data science, automation, and cyber security at scale. Our mission goes beyond the battlefield by leading humanitarian efforts and driving digital innovation that impacts lives across the globe.

Defence Digital forms part of Strategic Command which manages the MOD’s joint capabilities for the Army, RAF, and Royal Navy.

Watch to find out more about what we do.

Passionate about using your skills to make a critical difference? Your next career move could be here.

Job Description

Within the Global Operations and Security Control Centre (GOSCC), the Security Operations Centres (SOCs) provide a coherent, holistic and coordinated approach to Cyber Defence, underpinning the MOD's Defensive Cyber Operation and freedom of action in cyberspace.

The Defensive monitoring and incident response elements are responsible for the 24/7/365 detection of, and response to, cyber incidents impacting the MOD’s digital enterprise.

As a Cyber Security Analyst in the SOC team, you’ll be collaborating with cross-functional teams to detect, analyse and respond to potential security incidents, ensuring the protection of our data and information systems.

You’ll identify emerging threats, support implementation of effective security measures and maintain the highest standard of cyber security within our organisation. You’ll ensure that the confidentiality, availability and integrity of MOD's information and systems are protected from cyber-attacks.

As an analyst, you’ll use tooling, processes and information, from a multitude of sources, to identify, analyse, triage and report cyber events that occur, or might occur, within the network, enabling you to support protecting the information, systems and networks from threats.

Responsibilities

• Monitor, triage and investigate security alerts on protective monitoring platforms, to identify security incidents and perform analysis of security event data.
• Perform security log analysis, event correlation and threat intelligence, using information gathered from a variety of sources; using specified Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tooling to proactively identify security risks and incidents.
• Conduct research, analysis and correlation across a variety of source data sets (indications and warnings) and validate intrusion detection system (IDS) alerts against network traffic, using packet analysis tools.
• Support major incident response efforts and lead on incident responses, including containment, investigation, analysis and reporting. Support implementation of the monitoring roadmap, to deliver and enhance monitoring
• Support the design and development of automated monitoring processes, using a variety of the latest SIEM and network analysis tools, techniques and procedures to detect malicious activity and ensure continuous improvement of detection and processes.
• Deliver operationally focused direction, guidance and advice to team members, providing coaching and mentoring as required.
  
  

Within the Global Operations and Security Control Centre (GOSCC), the Security Operations Centres (SOCs) provide a coherent, holistic and coordinated approach to Cyber Defence, underpinning the MOD's Defensive Cyber Operation and freedom of action in cyberspace.

The Defensive monitoring and incident response elements are responsible for the 24/7/365 detection of, and response to, cyber incidents impacting the MOD’s digital enterprise.

As a Cyber Security Analyst in the SOC team, you’ll be collaborating with cross-functional teams to detect, analyse and respond to potential security incidents, ensuring the protection of our data and information systems.

You’ll identify emerging threats, support implementation of effective security measures and maintain the highest standard of cyber security within our organisation. You’ll ensure that the confidentiality, availability and integrity of MOD's information and systems are protected from cyber-attacks.

As an analyst, you’ll use tooling, processes and information, from a multitude of sources, to identify, analyse, triage and report cyber events that occur, or might occur, within the network, enabling you to support protecting the information, systems and networks from threats.

Responsibilities

• Monitor, triage and investigate security alerts on protective monitoring platforms, to identify security incidents and perform analysis of security event data.
• Perform security log analysis, event correlation and threat intelligence, using information gathered from a variety of sources; using specified Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) tooling to proactively identify security risks and incidents.
• Conduct research, analysis and correlation across a variety of source data sets (indications and warnings) and validate intrusion detection system (IDS) alerts against network traffic, using packet analysis tools.
• Support major incident response efforts and lead on incident responses, including containment, investigation, analysis and reporting. Support implementation of the monitoring roadmap, to deliver and enhance monitoring
• Support the design and development of automated monitoring processes, using a variety of the latest SIEM and network analysis tools, techniques and procedures to detect malicious activity and ensure continuous improvement of detection and processes.
• Deliver operationally focused direction, guidance and advice to team members, providing coaching and mentoring as required.
  
  

Person specification

Please ensure that your CV and application demonstrate the essential criteria below:

We would expect to see knowledge and understanding of cyber security principles, associated methodologies and frameworks (such as Mitre ATT&CK), in the context of current cyber threats.

You’ll need to show experience, or an understanding, of networking fundamentals and security concepts, alongside familiarity with security technologies, such as firewalls, endpoint protection, SIEM tooling, Microsoft 365 Security & Compliance features and/or other Cyber Security tooling.

You’ll Need:

• An analytical mindset and ability to approach complex problems in a methodical manner.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to prioritise and manage own work without supervision.
• The ability to relay technical information to a non-technical audience and provide concise and accurate reports for senior management.
• An interest in cyber security and the commitment to learn and/or provide network and continuous security monitoring, incident response and utilise security incident and event management (SIEM) tools.
  
  

If not held already, you’ll have the opportunity to gain the following, or equivalent, when in post:

• Certified Security Operations Centre Analyst
• GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH)
• GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst (GCIA)
• GIAC Continuous Monitoring Certification (GMON)
  
  

If you aren’t already a member of a professional body, we can help you with the following:

• British Computer Society (BCS)
• Institute of Information Security Professionals
• Council for Registered Ethical Security Testers
  
  

Additional Information

You’ll be key member of a c.5-person team, which operates a shift-based working pattern, providing 24/7/365 operations.

Shifts cover both days and nights and are rostered in blocks of 4 and 5, with equivalent off-shift blocks. All shifts will have mandatory start and finish times, more details can be provided at the interview stage.

These roles are eligible for a regular shift allowance and weekend premiums.

Allowances: A Market Skills Allowance (MSA) of up to £9k per annum may be payable with this post, paid in increments upon reaching the required level of competence.

Normal place of work is MOD Corsham in Wiltshire. Some limited hybrid working may be possible, following completion of the probation period. Should the business require it, there may be some requirement to travel within the UK (or potentially occasional overseas visits) for meetings, training or operational reasons.

This role requires a high level of security clearance to be attained. Applicants must usually have been based in the UK for the last ten years as a minimum.

Please note that this position is open to sole UK Nationals only. Candidates who are not sole UK nationals or hold dual nationality, hold a student visa or have right to reside, are not eligible for these posts. Please contact us prior to applying if you are unsure of your status.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
  
  

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Cyber Security operations
• Intrusion detection and analysis
• Threat understanding
  
  

Alongside your salary of £29,580, Ministry of Defence contributes £8,569 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Our Benefits Include:

• Learning and development tailored to your role with a dedicated minimum of 5 days per year
• 25 days paid annual leave rising (by 1 day per year) to 30 days upon completion of five years’ service
• Ability to roll up to 10 days annual leave per year
• In addition to eight public holidays per year, you will also receive leave for HM The King’s birthday
• A Civil Service pension
• Parental and Adoption Leave
• Discounts on a range of services within and external to the civil service – Defence Discount Service, Civil Service societies for Sports and Leisure, Healthcare, Insurance, Motoring, Company discounts with Virgin, Vodafone, and Microsoft Office.
• In year rewards and ‘thank you’ schemes such as vouchers and gift cards
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• Find out more here - Discovermybenefits
• The post does not offer relocation expenses.
• External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.
• Please Note: Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.
• Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.
• Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
  
  

Equality and Diversity

Our people are at the heart of everything we do at Defence Digital. It’s vital that our workforce reflects the diversity of both our audience and the wider society in the UK, so we’re proud to be an equal opportunities employer and we actively seek candidates from diverse backgrounds and communities. We also recognise the importance of a good work life balance, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including part-time and job shares for all our roles. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process if this is something you want to explore.

Defence Digital operates an organisation model in which every individual belongs to a Government Profession. The successful applicant will be posted into one of the defined Government Professions on Standard Terms of Reference for the grade. Defence Digital reserves the right to move individuals between roles, within their allocated profession, to meet the needs of the business and in support of agile resourcing.

Strategic Command is going through a significant transformation programme which aims to improve the way the Command conducts its business and delivers for Defence and the nation. As a consequence of this, all posts within Strategic Command Headquarters and in time the wider organisation, are/will be subject to review and potential changes as we continuously improve across the period of the transformation programme. These changes may be minor or could be more substantive and will generate new opportunities. Throughout, the Command’s transformation programme is committed to following the MOD’s framework on managing and supporting people through the change process and places an emphasis on early and open consultation and engagement with the Command’s personnel and Trade Unions.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

To apply please complete the CV template provided on the CS Jobs dashboard, ensuring it highlights your relevance to the essential criteria listed in the person specification.

It is essential that all applicants provide a personal statement (max. 1250 words), assessed against your responses to the questions listed below.

Each One Will Be Scored And Make Up Part Of Your Overall Score To Assess Your Suitability To Be Invited To Interview:

• Describe your experience of monitoring and incident response, in a cyber or digital services environment.
• Describe an experience when you have gathered technical information from multiple sources to reach a conclusion, or decision, in the workplace.
• Tell us about a time you have provided advice, guidance or support to colleagues on operational or working processes.
  
  

If We’re In Receipt Of a High Number Of Applications, We’ll Sift The Personal Statement On The Following Essential Criteria Only:

• Describe your experience of monitoring and incident response, in a cyber or digital services environment.
  
  

Interviews

We’ll assess you against these behaviours and technical skills during the interview process:

Behaviours

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
  
  

Technical Skills

• Cyber Security operations
• Intrusion detection and analysis
• Threat understanding
  
  

The Government Security Profession Career Framework and the aligned Monitoring Associate role used in this vacancy can be found at: Government Security Profession career framework (opens new window)

Further Information:

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: [e-mail] .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact :

• Name : Defence Digital Talent Acquisition Team
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: [e-mail].