Senior SOC Analyst (Part-Time / Freelance – Weekend Coverage)

Universal Network Solutions; Minneapolis, Northern (MN, KY); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 96,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work

Weekend coverage

Competitive compensation

MSSP experience

Job summary

Universal Network Solutions is seeking an experienced Senior SOC Analyst to provide weekend security operations coverage for multiple client environments. This part-time/freelance role focuses on monitoring, investigation, containment, and incident response in a fast-paced MSSP setting.

The role is fully remote with half-day weekend shifts, requires strong Elastic Stack expertise, SIEM, EDR, and scripting for automation, and offers competitive compensation based on experience.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in a SOC, MDR, IR or similar cybersecurity role.
• Experience with Elastic Stack (ELK) and SIEM/EDR technologies.
• Strong scripting or automation skills (Python, Bash, PowerShell).

Responsibilities

• Monitor, investigate, and respond to security alerts across multiple client environments.
• Triage, analyze, contain, remediate, and escalate incidents as needed.
• Handle SOC tickets and customer requests during weekend shifts.
• Conduct proactive threat hunting using SIEM, EDR, and telemetry data.
• Prepare incident reports and customer-facing updates.
• Improve detection logic, workflows, and operational processes.

Skills

SOC analyst experience

Incident Response

SIEM (Elastic Stack)

EDR/XDR

Networking concepts

Linux administration

Automation (Python/Bash/PowerShell)

MITRE ATT&CK

Windows/Linux/cloud knowledge

Documentation & communication

Tools

Elastic Stack (ELK)

EDR/XDR technologies

IDS/IPS

Python

Bash

PowerShell

Job description

Summary

We are looking for an experienced Senior SOC Analyst to join our Security Operations Center (SOC) on a part-time/freelance basis to provide weekend operational coverage. This role is ideal for an experienced cybersecurity professional seeking flexible weekend work while remaining engaged in real-world security operations across multiple client environments. As part of our Managed Security Services (MSSP) team, you will monitor security events, investigate alerts, respond to incidents, and ensure continuous protection for our customers during weekend shifts. You will work alongside our global SOC team, following established procedures while contributing your expertise to incident investigations and operational improvements.

Working Schedule

• Part-time / Freelance
• Weekend coverage (Saturday and Sunday)
• Half-day shifts (approximately 4–6 hours per day)
• Remote position

Responsibilities

• Monitor, investigate, and respond to security alerts and incidents across multiple client environments.
• Perform incident triage, analysis, containment, remediation, and escalation when required.
• Handle SOC tickets and customer requests during assigned weekend shifts.
• Conduct proactive threat hunting using SIEM, EDR, network, and endpoint telemetry when operational workload allows.
• Analyze logs and security telemetry using Elastic Stack and related technologies.
• Investigate suspicious activity across Windows, Linux, cloud, and network environments.
• Maintain awareness of ongoing investigations and provide proper handover notes to weekday SOC analysts.
• Monitor the health of SIEM, EDR, log pipelines, and security monitoring infrastructure.
• Collaborate with the SOC team during active security incidents.
• Prepare incident reports, investigation findings, and customer-facing updates.
• Identify opportunities to improve detection logic, SOC workflows, and operational processes.
• Stay current with emerging threats, attacker techniques, and cybersecurity trends.

Core Skills Required

• Strong hands-on experience working in a SOC, MDR, or Incident Response environment.
• Deep understanding of modern cyber-attacks, attacker methodologies, and intrusion techniques.
• Strong incident response and investigation experience.
• Experience with SIEM platforms, particularly Elastic Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana).
• Knowledge of EDR/XDR technologies and security monitoring architecture.
• Strong knowledge of networking concepts, protocols, and traffic analysis.
• Experience with IDS/IPS technologies and detection engineering.
• Good Linux administration and troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to automate operational tasks using Python, Bash, or PowerShell.
• Experience creating detection rules and threat hunting queries.
• Understanding of the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
• Knowledge of Windows, Linux, Active Directory, cloud, and network security.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced MSSP environment supporting multiple customers.

We Value People Who

• Take ownership of incidents from investigation through resolution.
• Are naturally curious and investigative.
• Can work independently and make sound technical decisions.
• Stay calm and methodical during active security incidents.
• Communicate clearly during shift handovers.
• Continuously seek ways to improve security operations.
• Enjoy working in a collaborative, distributed SOC environment.
• Value flexibility and reliability, especially during scheduled weekend coverage.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience in a SOC, MDR, Incident Response, or similar cybersecurity role.
• Experience with Elastic Stack (ELK).
• Experience with SIEM, EDR, IDS/IPS, and log analysis platforms.
• Scripting or automation experience (Python, Bash, or PowerShell).
• Experience with cloud platforms such as Azure, AWS, or GCP is considered an advantage.
• Experience working in an MSSP environment is highly preferred.
• Security certifications such as GIAC, GCIH, GCIA, GCFA, CISSP, Security+, Blue Team, or Red Team certifications are considered an advantage.
• Must be available to work scheduled weekend shifts on a consistent basis.
• Reliable internet connection and a suitable home office environment for remote work.

What We Offer

• Flexible part-time/freelance engagement.
• Fully remote work.
• Opportunity to work with modern security technologies including Elastic Stack, EDR, cloud platforms, and enterprise security tooling.
• Exposure to diverse environments across multiple industries.
• A collaborative, highly technical team focused on continuous learning and operational excellence.
• Competitive compensation based on experience.

Note: This position is intended specifically to provide weekend SOC coverage and is not a full-time role. Candidates should be comfortable committing to scheduled weekend shifts on an ongoing basis. Responsibilities may evolve based on operational needs.