Senior Security Analyst

Obsidian; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 19,530 - 23,994; Part time

Job summary

Obsidian is seeking experienced cybersecurity professionals to evaluate and enhance AI performance related to threat detection and vulnerability assessment. The role involves reviewing AI outputs, creating cybersecurity workflows, and providing structured feedback on AI accuracy.

Ideal candidates will have over 3 years of cybersecurity experience, with expertise in areas such as SOC analysis, incident response, or threat intelligence.

Competitive compensation based on task quality and opportunity for performance bonuses are available.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional experience in cybersecurity at an enterprise organization.
• Experience in SOC analysis, penetration testing, threat intelligence, or security architecture.
• Professional certifications are a plus, such as CISSP or OSCP.

Responsibilities

• Review and evaluate AI-generated outputs related to cybersecurity.
• Create realistic scenarios based on cybersecurity workflows.
• Annotate, label, and validate data across cybersecurity use cases.

Skills

Cybersecurity expertise

Analytical thinking

Clear written communication

Attention to detail

Task evaluation

Education

3+ years of professional experience in cybersecurity

Professional certifications like CISSP, CISM

Job description

Role Overview

Mercor is partnering with leading AI labs to engage experienced cybersecurity professionals — security analysts, penetration testers, incident responders, threat intelligence specialists, and security architects — to improve AI systems' reasoning around threat detection, vulnerability assessment, and security operations. Contributors will apply their expertise in areas such as network security, endpoint detection and response, cloud security, and security compliance frameworks to evaluate and enhance AI performance on cybersecurity‑specific tasks. This is a project‑based opportunity with potential for ongoing engagement depending on performance and project needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and evaluate AI‑generated outputs related to threat analysis, vulnerability assessment, security incident triage, and security architecture recommendations
• Create realistic scenarios based on cybersecurity workflows — incident response runbooks, threat hunting queries, penetration testing reports, security control assessments, and SOC analyst decision trees
• Annotate, label, and validate data across cybersecurity use cases (e.g., CVE classification accuracy, attack vector identification, SIEM alert triage, malware behavior analysis)
• Provide structured feedback on AI accuracy in areas such as cybersecurity frameworks (NIST CSF, MITRE ATT&CK, CIS Controls, ISO 27001), threat intelligence standards (STIX/TAXII), and industry‑specific security terminology
• Collaborate asynchronously with research teams to refine evaluation frameworks for cybersecurity AI

Ideal Qualifications

• 3+ years of professional experience in cybersecurity at an enterprise organization, managed security service provider (MSSP), consultancy, or government/defense environment
• Background in one or more areas such as:
  • Security operations center (SOC) analysis or incident response (DFIR)
  • Penetration testing or red team operations
  • Threat intelligence or threat hunting
  • Security architecture, cloud security (AWS/Azure/GCP), or zero‑trust design
  • Governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) — NIST, ISO 27001, SOC 2, FedRAMP
• Professional certifications a plus (CISSP, CISM, CEH, OSCP, GIAC certifications, Security+)
• Strong analytical thinking and ability to translate security operations and architecture workflows into structured evaluation tasks
• Clear written communication and attention to detail

Compensation Note

• Task Completion Pay: Competitive and based on task quality (~$1,750 – $2,150 per completed task, subject to change as the project evolves)
• Performance Bonus: Top performers receive a weekly bonus incentive on top of their per task rate!
• Hourly Opportunity: Top performers may be invited to transition to an hourly compensation model based on sustained quality and throughput.