Intrusions Lead

Talon Defense, Inc.; Linthicum, Northern (MD, KY); Hybrid; USD 165,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Talon Defense, Inc. is seeking a Lead Intrusion Analyst in Linthicum, MD to lead a team of analysts on the front line of network defense. You will direct threat hunts, analyze intrusions, and mentor staff on analytic standards for national security systems.

The role demands deep intrusion analysis experience, leadership capability, and collaboration with experts to translate complex findings into actionable intelligence.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in digital forensics/intrusion analysis with at least five years focused on evidence acquisition, forensic imaging, and data extraction
• One of the following certifications: GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), EC-Council Certified Incident Handler (ECIH), GIAC Certified Forensic Examiner (GCFE), DC3 Cyber Training Academy Digital Forensic Examiner (DFE), EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE)
• Minimum of 3 years in a leadership or supervisory role, responsible for a digital forensics team, overseeing laboratory workflows, and maintaining chain of custody documentation
• Experience in testing and validation of forensic imaging tools and write-blockers

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of analysts on the front line of network defense
• Oversee system and network forensic examinations, malware analysis, and reverse engineering
• Direct threat hunts and analyze intrusions as they unfold
• Develop scripts and utilities for artifact triage and extraction
• Identify IoCs, persistence, lateral movement, and C2 activity
• Prepare comprehensive Malware Analysis Reports
• Support technical peer reviews and training

Skills

Leadership experience

Forensic analysis

Team coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in digital forensics, computer science, cybersecurity, information technology, criminal justice or a related field

Tools

Forensic imaging tools

Write-blockers

Job description

Onsite Full-time $165,000 - $220,000 per year

Overview

Talon Defense is looking for a Lead Intrusion Analyst to join our team in Linthicum, MD, supporting mission-critical customer operations. In this role, you'll lead a team of analysts on the front line of network defense. You'll direct threat hunts, guide the analysis of intrusions as they unfold, and shape how the team pieces together how attackers got in, what they touched, and how to stop them. You'll be the team's senior technical voice, mentoring analysts, setting analytic standards, and working with forensic examiners, malware reverse engineers, and customer leadership to turn complex findings into clear, actionable intelligence that protects national security systems against advanced, persistent threats. If you have deep intrusion analysis experience, like building and guiding strong teams, and want to shape how the mission gets done, we'd like to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities

• Serves as a project lead and provides oversight of system and network forensic examinations/malware analysis and reverse engineering for a range of evidence items submitted.
• Responsible for the quality and efficiency of the Contractor's performance and shall assist the Government with all financial and business processes of the task, excluding inherently governmental functions.
• Conducts forensic examinations involving network intrusions, malicious activity, compromised systems, advanced persistent threat activity, and cyber incidents.
• Develops scripts and analytical utilities for artifact triage, artifact extraction, timeline development, or repetitive examination tasks
• Identifies IoCs, persistence mechanisms, lateral-movement activity, command-and-control activity, privilege escalation, credential abuse, and other adversary behaviors
• Performs evidence identification, forensic image and extraction review, hashing, timestamp analysis, artifact interpretation, anti-forensic detection, and user-activity reconstruction
• Prepares complete, technically accurate and formatted Malware Analysis Reports
• May support in technical peer review activities, technical input to training and quality assurance activities

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in digital forensics, computer science, cybersecurity, information technology, criminal justice or a related field
• 7+ years of experience in digital forensics/intrusion analysis with at least five years focused on evidence acquisition, forensic imaging, and data extraction
• One of the following certifications: GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), EC-Council Certified Incident Handler (ECIH), GIAC Certified Forensic Examiner (GCFE), DC3 Cyber Training Academy Digital Forensic Examiner (DFE), EnCase Certified Examiner (EnCE)
• Minimum of 3 years in a leadership or supervisory role, responsible for a digital forensics team, overseeing laboratory workflows, and maintaining chain of custody documentation
• Experience in testing and validation of forensic imaging tools and write-blockers

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Digital Forensics, Computer Science or related field
• 10+ years of experience in digital forensics/intrusion analysis

Compensation

$165,000 - $220,000 per year

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage; 401(k) with company match; paid time off and federal holidays; life insurance; professional development and certification reimbursement.
• Annual performance bonus; employee referral bonuses.

Salary offered will depend on numerous qualifying factors such as clearance, degree and the years and depth of applicable experience.

Security Clearance

Candidates must be U.S. citizens able to obtain and maintain a security clearance at the Top Secret level with SCI eligibility.

Talon Defense, Inc. provides equal opportunities to qualified employees and prospective employees without regard to age, race, color, religion, pregnancy, sex, national origin, veteran status, uniformed status, physical or mental disability, or other protected characteristics.