Job Title: Junior Security Analyst
Location:
Remote
Department:
Information Security
Reports To:
Security Operations / Information Security Manager
Employment Type:
Contract-to-hire
Job Summary The Junior Security Analyst supports the organization’s security operations by monitoring security events, assisting with incident response, and helping maintain a strong security posture across endpoints, identities, and cloud services. This role is ideal for someone early in their security career who has
hands-on experience with Microsoft Defender
, communicates clearly with both technical and non-technical audiences, and is eager to grow in a collaborative, hybrid environment.
Key Responsibilities
Security Operations & Monitoring
• Monitor and triage security alerts from
Microsoft Defender
and related security tooling.
• Assist with investigation of endpoint, identity, and cloud security events.
• Escalate potential security incidents to senior analysts following documented procedures.
• Help validate alerts and reduce false positives through analysis and documentation.
Incident Response Support
• Participate in incident response activities, including evidence collection, documentation, and follow-up tasks.
• Assist with containment and remediation efforts under the guidance of senior security staff.
• Support post-incident reviews and lessons learned documentation.
Communication & Collaboration
• Clearly document security findings, incidents, and remediation steps.
• Communicate security issues in a professional, easy-to-understand manner to IT teams and business stakeholders.
• Work closely with IT, Help Desk, and Infrastructure teams to resolve security-related issues.
• Provide timely updates on alert status and investigation progress.
Security Hygiene & Continuous Improvement
• Assist with maintaining endpoint security baselines and security best practices.
• Help review and improve security processes, runbooks, and documentation.
• Stay current on common security threats, attacker techniques, and Microsoft security platform updates.
Required Qualifications
• 1–2 years of experience in
IT, security operations, SOC, or a related role
.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft Defender
(endpoint, identity, or cloud).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to document technical issues clearly and accurately.
• Basic understanding of cybersecurity concepts such as malware, phishing, endpoint security, and incident response.
• Ability to work in a
hybrid environment
with on-site presence in Birmingham, Alabama.
Preferred Qualifications
• Experience working with Microsoft security tools beyond Defender.
• Familiarity with basic security frameworks or concepts (e.g., NIST).
• Experience working with ticketing or incident tracking systems.
• Security-related certifications or coursework (e.g., Security+, Microsoft security fundamentals).
Key Skills & Competencies
• Microsoft Defender alert review and investigation
• Clear, professional communication
• Attention to detail and documentation
• Willingness to learn and take feedback
• Team-oriented mindset