Cyber Defense Response Analyst II

Socket.dev; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 94,000 - 157,000; Full time

Job summary

The CME Group Cyber Defense Response Analyst II role sits within the security organization in Chicago, focusing on mid-level incident response and remediation across multi-cloud environments. The position emphasizes DFIR, threat hunting, and automation with Python/REST APIs, plus leading tabletop exercises and maintaining incident response runbooks.

We value a curious, research-minded candidate who communicates well across leadership and teams, with a track record of collaborating to deliver

Qualifications

• BA/BS in Engineering, Computer Science, or Information Security; non-tech degrees acceptable with experience/certifications
• GCIH, GCFE, GCFA, OSCP, Sec+ and similar cyber-oriented certifications are desired
• 2+ years of practical DFIR, incident handling and/or malware analysis preferred
• 2+ years of experience with log management/SIEMs (e.g., QRadar, Sentinel, Splunk)

Responsibilities

• Digital Forensics and Incident Response: Drive the full incident response lifecycle from initial triage to remediation
• Threat Hunting: Conduct regular threat hunts to identify misconfigurations, detection gaps, and anomalies
• Automation & Engineering: Use AI, Python and REST APIs to build/integrate security tools for incident response needs
• Tabletop Exercises (TTX): Lead regular tabletop exercises to improve team readiness
• Technical Documentation: Maintain/runbooks and playbooks with up-to-date workflows

Skills

DFIR

SIEM/Data Analysis

Python programming

Cloud experience

Education

BA/BS in Engineering, Computer Science, or Information Security

Tools

KAPE

EnCase

Cellebrite

FTK

Magnet Axiom

Autopsy

Ghidra

IDA Pro

PEStudio

x64dbg

Job description

The Cyber Defense Response Analyst II is a mid-level technical role focused on responding to and remediating cyber incidents at CME Group, a major player in global financial markets. We are looking for someone who finds joy in the inner workings of technology, with the occasional tendency to get lost in deep research. In this role, you will use industry leading tools while responding to medium-severity incidents in collaboration with teammates around the globe.

We provide autonomy, and great learning environment with access to top tier technology, opportunities to align project work with your individual interests, and access to our extensive training programs, including annual SANS training. Importantly, this is a second shiftrole (12p-8p US Central Time) that's anticipated to be convertible into a first shiftrole (8a-4p/9a-5p) within approximately 6 months of hire date.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Digital Forensics and Incident Response: Drive the full incident response lifecycle from initial triage to remediation, confidently applying specialty skills like endpoint forensics and malware analysis. Be ready to operate in a multi-cloud environment.
• Threat Hunting: Conduct regular threat hunts to identify misconfigurations, detection gaps, and other anomalies.
• Automation & Engineering: Use AI, Python and REST APIs to build/integrate security tools for incident response needs, while working with automation engineers to develop heavy-duty solutions for advanced use-cases.
• Tabletop Exercises (TTX): Lead regular tabletop exercises to improve team readiness.
• Technical Documentation: Contribute continuously to our internal knowledge base of incident response runbooks and playbooks, keeping it exhaustive, accurate, and reflective of the latest workflows.

Ideal Candidate Attributes:

• Innate Curiosity: An exceptional level of curiosity and a track record of self-teaching advanced technical concepts.
• Highly Innovative: You have a consistent record of taking unorthodox approaches to challenges and a demonstrated ability to innovate within information technology domains.
• A \"Researcher\" Mindset: A passion for collecting facts, debating details, and diving into \"rabbit holes\" to solve complex problems.
• Adept at High-Pressure Communication: Ability to deal effectively at all levels of the organization and translate technical research into clear, actionable intelligence for leadership.
• Highly Detail Oriented: Very strong attention to detail; you notice things others often don’t.
• Impactfully Collaborative: You excel at technical collaboration and helping teams deliver high-impact.

Preferred Technical Qualifications:

• DFIR Background: 2+ years of practical experience with Digital Forensics, Incident Handling, and/or Malware Analysis.
• SIEM/Data Analysis: 2+ years of experience with Q Radar, Sentinel, Splunk, Chronicle, ArcSight, or similar log management technologies.
• Experience using leading forensics tools: 2+ years of experience using tools such as KAPE, EnCase, Cellebrite, FTK, Magnet Axiom, and Autopsy, plus comfort with malware analysis tools like Ghidra, Ida Pro, PEStudio, and x64dbg.
• Strong IT Fundamentals: Strong understanding of computer networking, operating systems, and their intersection with Cybersecurity.
• Programming Skills: Development experience with Python, specifically for data manipulation (Pandas) and interacting with REST APIs.
• Cloud Experience: Practical experience with AWS, GCP, or Azure.

Education & Certifications:

• Education: BA/BS in Engineering, Computer Science, or Information Security (non-tech degrees acceptable with appropriate levels of Information Security job experience and/or certifications)
• Certifications: GCIH, GCFE, GCFA, OSCP, Sec+, and similar cyber-oriented certifications are desired

CME Group is committed to offering a competitive total rewards package for our employees that recognizes their contributions to the business and reflects our long-term investment in their future. The pay range for this role is $93,900-$156,500. Actual salary offered will be dependent on a wide array of factors including but not limited to: relevant experience, skills, education and comparison to internal employees (where relevant). Our compensation program also includes an annual target bonus opportunity for all employees, as well as the opportunity to become an owner in the company through our broad-based equity program. Through our benefits program, we strive to offer flexibility, value and choice. From comprehensive health coverage, to a retirement package that includes both a 401(k) and an active pension plan, to highly competitive education reimbursement provisions, paid time off and a mental health benefit, CME Group offers a holistic benefits package for our team and their dependents.

CME Group: Where Futures are Made

CME Group is the world’s leading derivatives marketplace. But who we are goes deeper than that. Here, you can impact markets worldwide. Transform industries. And build a career by shaping tomorrow. We invest in your success and you own it – all while working alongside a team of leading experts who inspire you in ways big and small. Problem solvers, difference makers, trailblazers. Those are our people. And we’re looking for more.

At CME Group, we embrace our employees' unique experiences and skills to ensure that everyone’s perspectives are acknowledged and valued. As an equal-opportunity employer, we consider all potential employees without regard to any protected characteristic.