ASSOCIATE SOC ENGINEER

National Security Operations Centre (SOC), Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA); Islamabad; On-site; PKR 900,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

National Security Operations Centre (SOC) of the Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA) seeks an Associate SOC Engineer to bolster 24/7 cyber defense across national cyberspace. The role is aligned with Technical Officer Grade / PPS-07 and involves rigorous testing and threat triage for critical infrastructure.

The incumbent will monitor real-time SIEM/EDR alerts, analyze malware payloads, coordinate incident response via SOAR playbooks, and help thwart advanced threats targeting public networks.

Qualifications

• BS in Cybersecurity or related field with solid foundation in network security and incident response.
• Holders of cybersecurity certifications are considered an advantage.
• Candidates must have graduated from a recognized university.

Responsibilities

• Monitor real-time SIEM and EDR alerts for national cyberspace infrastructure.
• Investigate anomalous network traffic across data centers and assess malware payloads.
• Coordinate incident response using automated SOAR playbooks and mitigate APT campaigns.

Skills

Threat detection

Incident response

SIEM monitoring

EDR analysis

Education

BS in Cybersecurity

HEC/PEC recognized university

Tools

SIEM

EDR

SOAR

Job description

Official employment notification has been announced for the critical appointment of ASSOCIATE SOC ENGINEER on Technical Officer Grade / PPS-07 at National Security Operations Centre (SOC), Pakistan Digital Authority (PDA). This cybersecurity billet carries 3 Posts allocated on Open Merit to maintain 24/7/365 active cyber defense, threat hunting, and incident triage over Pakistan's national cyberspace and digital public infrastructure.

The daily operational purview of ASSOCIATE SOC ENGINEER involves monitoring real-time enterprise SIEM and EDR alerts, investigating anomalous network traffic across national data centers, analyzing malware payloads, coordinating incident response through automated SOAR playbooks, and mitigating advanced persistent threat (APT) campaigns.

The candidate selection pathway comprises technical scrutiny of cybersecurity degrees and certifications, followed by a 100-mark written screening test covering network security, threat detection, and incident response, culminating in a technical viva voce before the PDA Cyber Selection Board. BS in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Security, Computer Engineering, or Software Engineering from an HEC/PEC recognized university.