Cyber Defense Operations Associate (2nd Shift) - Connecticut

Motion Recruitment Partners LLC; Farmington (CT); Hybrid; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Benefits

Vision Benefits

Paid Time Off (PTO)

401(k)

Job summary

Motion Recruitment Partners LLC is seeking a Cyber Defense Operations Associate (2nd Shift) to join a high-visibility security operations team supporting critical enterprise environments.

The role targets recent cybersecurity graduates or early-career professionals, offering hands-on experience in threat detection, incident response, and security monitoring within a mature SOC. Hybrid Farmington, CT work arrangement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Strong cybersecurity fundamentals and networking knowledge.
• Experience analyzing security and firewall logs.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and triage security alerts from enterprise systems and network infrastructure.
• Investigate suspicious activity and follow documented response procedures.
• Analyze events from firewalls, IDS/IPS, servers, endpoints, and cloud systems.
• Escalate incidents to senior analysts and response teams.
• Review security logs to identify anomalies and threats.
• Collaborate with IT and security stakeholders to support defense operations.
• Maintain case documentation and investigation records.
• Contribute to improvements of procedures and playbooks.

Skills

U.S. Citizenship requirement

Cybersecurity fundamentals

TCP/IP networking

Windows/Linux familiarity

Data/log analysis

Written/verbal communication

Independent yet collaborative

Education

Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity/CS/IS/IT/Math or related

Tools

SIEM (Splunk)

Wireshark

tcpdump

Endpoint security technologies

Job description

Job DescriptionA growing digital infrastructure and cyber risk organization is hiring a Cyber Defense Operations Associate (2nd Shift) to join a high-visibility security operations team supporting critical enterprise environments.

This position is ideal for recent cybersecurity graduates or early-career security professionals looking to gain hands-on experience investigating security events, analyzing threats, and working inside a mature Security Operations Center (SOC). You'll partner with experienced analysts and engineers while building real-world expertise across network security, event monitoring, threat detection, and incident response.

This is a long-term contract opportunity with strong potential for extension and career growth. The team is looking for individuals who are naturally curious, highly analytical, and genuinely passionate about cybersecurity.

Work Arrangement

• Hybrid schedule (3 days onsite / 2 days remote)
• Farmington, CT area
• Evening/2nd Shift

Required Skills & Experience

• U.S. Citizen
• Bachelor's degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology, Mathematics, or related field
• CompTIA Security+ certification
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity fundamentals
• Knowledge of TCP/IP networking concepts and network architecture
• Familiarity with Windows and/or Linux operating systems
• Ability to analyze data from security, system, and firewall logs
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow documented procedures
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a team environment

Desired Skills & Experience

• Experience with SIEM tools such as Splunk or similar monitoring platforms
• Exposure to packet analysis tools such as Wireshark or tcpdump
• Knowledge of endpoint security technologies
• Additional certifications including Network+, CySA+, CEH, GSEC, GCIH, AWS, Azure, or similar credentials
• Previous internship, lab, academic, military, or professional experience related to cybersecurity
• Interest in threat detection, incident response, and security monitoring

What You Will Be Doing Daily Responsibilities

• Monitor and triage security alerts generated from enterprise systems and network infrastructure
• Investigate suspicious activity and determine appropriate next steps based on documented response procedures
• Analyze events originating from firewalls, IDS/IPS platforms, servers, endpoints, and cloud-connected systems
• Escalate potential security incidents to senior analysts and response teams
• Review and interpret security logs to identify anomalies and emerging threats
• Collaborate with IT and cybersecurity stakeholders to support ongoing defense operations
• Maintain accurate case documentation and investigation records
• Assist with continuous improvement of operational procedures and playbooks

Breakdown:

• 80% Security Monitoring & Investigation
• 10% Incident Escalation & Documentation
• 10% Team Collaboration & Process Improvement

The Offer

• 36-month contract opportunity
• Potential for extension or long-term conversion
• Exposure to enterprise-scale cybersecurity operations
• Opportunity to work alongside experienced cyber defense professionalsStructured onboarding and mentorship environment
• Hybrid work schedule

You will receive the following benefits:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Benefits
• Vision Benefits
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• 401(k)

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis now and in the future. U.S. Citizenship is required for this position.