Information Security Advisor

NTT DATA, Inc.; Merrifield (VA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

NTT DATA, Inc. is seeking a Senior SOC Analyst in Merrifield, Virginia. This role involves leading incident detection and response efforts while mentoring junior staff. The ideal candidate should have a Master’s degree and at least 8 years of experience in Information Technology or Information Security. Responsibilities include threat hunting, forensic analysis, and improving SOC processes. A Secret clearance is required. Join a dynamic team dedicated to enhancing cybersecurity in a critical environment.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in IT and/or IS.
• DoD 8140 certification within 6 months of onboarding.
• Active Secret or higher security clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Lead advanced incident detection and analysis efforts.
• Coordinate complex incident response activities.
• Conduct proactive threat hunting to identify emerging risks.
• Mentor and train SOC analysts.
• Maintain documentation and reporting for SOC operations.

Skills

Incident response

Threat hunting

Forensic analysis

Cybersecurity frameworks

Education

Master’s degree in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Information Systems, or Computer Science

Job description

Job Summary

The Senior SOC Analyst is a key member of the 24/7/365 Security Operations Center, which serves as the escalation point for advanced investigations, incident response, and proactive threat hunting. This role conducts higher-level analysis than other analysts on the team. A senior SOC analyst performs deep forensic investigations, correlates multi‑source threat intelligence information, and guides containment and remediation strategies. The Senior SOC Analyst identifies and mitigates advanced threats across enterprise IT endpoints, cloud environments, and OT systems. They leverage frameworks like the MITRE ATT&CK framework and others to detect, disrupt, and prevent malicious activity from occurring in the enterprise environment. They work closely with the SOC manager and leads, mentor junior staff, assist to refine SOC processes, and ensure the organization maintains a strong cybersecurity posture. They collaborate with engineers, threat intelligence and forensics teams to enhance detection capabilities, improve incident response readiness, and deliver actionable security insights to leadership.

Job Duties

1. Lead advanced incident detection, investigation, and analysis efforts.

   • Correlate SIEM, EDR, IDS/IPS, and firewall data to identify and analyze potential incidents.
   • Perform deep‑Dive investigations to determine root cause, scope, and impact of incidents.
   • Apply MITRE ATT&CK and other frameworks for adversary TTP identification.
   • Conduct kill‑chain and supply chain analysis to understand and counter threats.

2. Coordinate and direct complex incident response activities.

   • Guide preparation, identification, containment, eradication, and recovery actions in collaboration with SOC, forensics, and engineering teams.
   • Serve as the primary escalation point for high‑impact or advanced incidents.
   • Ensure incident handling aligns with established guidelines, response plans, and playbooks.

3. Conduct proactive threat hunting to identify emerging risks.

   • Analyze telemetry, logs, and behavioral patterns for indicators of compromise or attack.
   • Hunt for advanced persistent threats and undiscovered vulnerabilities.
   • Use advanced queries in SOC cybersecurity tools to detect anomalous or suspicious activity.

4. Work with forensic teams to ensure proper forensic collection, preservation, and analysis of digital evidence.

   • Coordinate with forensics teams to ensure chain‑of‑custody and evidence integrity.
   • Extract and analyze relevant artifacts to support investigations and post‑incident reviews.
   • Document and communicate forensic findings to stakeholders.

5. Develop and enhance SOC processes, playbooks, and detection capabilities.

   • Refine detection rules, alert thresholds, and automation workflows in SIEM/SOAR platforms and other cybersecurity tools.
   • Create SOPs, knowledge base articles, and training materials for SOC staff.
   • Recommend and guide implementation of new detection and analysis tools.

6. Perform threat intelligence collection, analysis, and dissemination.

   • Gather threat data from internal, classified, and open‑source intelligence feeds.
   • Analyze and contextualize intelligence to produce actionable recommendations.
   • Share relevant threat information with SOC, leadership, and partner teams.

7. Mentor and train SOC analysts to improve investigative capabilities and analytical thought process.

   • Conduct regular training sessions, tabletop exercises, and red/blue team drills.
   • Validate analyst findings and provide feedback designed to provoke thought, improve accuracy, and investigative thoroughness.

8. Collaborate with stakeholders to strengthen overall cybersecurity posture.

   • Work with engineering, IT, and cloud teams to address identified vulnerabilities.
   • Participate in tool evaluations, recommending solutions that enhance SOC capabilities and identify capability overlap.
   • Support internal coordination with DEA sections, divisions, and external entities.

9. Maintain documentation and reporting for SOC operations.

   • Record investigative steps, evidence, and incident timelines in case management systems.
   • Generate incident reports, trend analyses, and post‑mortem summaries.
   • Provide executive‑level briefings on security events and SOC performance.

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Data Science, Information Systems, or Computer Science.
• Education Equivalency: One-and-one‑half (1.5) years of additional experience can substitute for one (1) year of a typical degree program.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in Information Technology (IT) and/or Information Security (IS).
• DoD 8140 certification for their respective area or the ability to obtain certification within six (6) months of onboarding.
• Active Secret or higher security clearance holder and must be eligible for a Top‑Secret clearance if requested.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

NTT DATA endeavors to make https://us.nttdata.com accessible to any and all users. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications. NTT DATA is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. For our EEO Policy Statement, please click here. If you'd like more information on your EEO rights under the law, please click here. For Pay Transparency information, please click here.

Location

Nearest Major Market: Washington DC

Job Segment

Information Security, Computer Science, Open Source, Consulting, Information Systems, Technology