Senior Incident Response Specialist

Placements24; Queenstown (MD); On-site; USD 54,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Incident Response Specialist to lead and manage our client’s security incident responses from Queenstown, ZA. The role requires deep expertise in incident response, forensics, and malware analysis to contain, eradicate and recover from breaches.

You will coordinate with IT, Legal, and Communications, maintain incident response playbooks, and mentor junior staff while staying current with threat landscapes and best practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related field or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 5 years in incident response, forensics, or related field.
• Proven incident response experience across malware infections, data breaches, phishing, and DoS.
• Strong knowledge of forensic tools and techniques.
• Experience with network traffic, logs, memory dumps, SIEM, and EDR.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end incident response for breaches and cyberattacks.
• Conduct investigations including digital forensics and malware analysis.
• Develop and maintain incident response plans, playbooks, and procedures.
• Coordinate with IT, Legal, and Communications during incidents.
• Preserve digital evidence per forensic best practices.
• Analyze alerts and logs to triage potential incidents.
• Implement containment strategies to limit impact.
• Provide post-incident analysis and recommendations.
• Stay updated on incident response techniques and tools.
• Mentor junior team members.

Skills

Incident response

Digital forensics

Malware analysis

SIEM analysis

EDR analysis

Forensic tooling

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Cybersecurity

Tools

EnCase

FTK

Volatility

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly experienced Senior Incident Response Specialist to join their dedicated cybersecurity team. This critical role, situated in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, ZA, will be responsible for leading and managing the response to security incidents, ensuring swift and effective containment, eradication, and recovery. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of incident response methodologies, digital forensics, and malware analysis. You will play a pivotal role in minimizing the impact of security breaches and strengthening our client's resilience against cyber threats. This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned professional to take ownership of incident response initiatives, work with advanced tools, and contribute significantly to protecting the organization's digital assets. You will be a key figure in our client's security operations, driving best practices and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the end-to-end incident response process for security breaches and cyberattacks.
• Conduct in-depth investigations, including digital forensics, malware analysis, and root cause analysis.
• Develop and maintain incident response plans, playbooks, and procedures.
• Coordinate with internal teams (IT, Legal, Communications) and external stakeholders during incidents.
• Identify, collect, and preserve digital evidence in accordance with forensic best practices.
• Analyze security alerts and logs to detect and triage potential incidents.
• Implement containment strategies to limit the scope and impact of security incidents.
• Provide post-incident analysis and recommendations for improving security defenses.
• Stay updated on the latest incident response techniques, tools, and threat landscapes.
• Train and mentor junior incident response team members.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in incident response, digital forensics, or a closely related cybersecurity field.
• Proven experience in responding to various types of security incidents (e.g., malware infections, data breaches, phishing attacks, DoS attacks).
• Strong knowledge of forensic tools (e.g., EnCase, FTK, Volatility) and techniques.
• Proficiency in analyzing network traffic, system logs, and memory dumps.
• Experience with SIEM platforms and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Relevant certifications such as GCIH, GCFA, CHFI, or CISSP are highly desirable.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a collaborative team.

Benefits

• Our client offers a competitive salary, comprehensive health and wellness benefits, opportunities for professional growth and certifications, and a stable and supportive work environment in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, ZA.
• We are committed to the professional development of our cybersecurity experts and offer a challenging yet rewarding career path.
• Join our team and help us defend against cyber threats.