Tier 2 SOC Analyst

**Tier 2 SOC Analyst** **Location:** New York, NY (Hybrid) **Employment Type:** Full\-Time, Direct Hire **Salary:** $125,000 – $145,000 base per annum (\+ benefits) **Industry:** Managed Security Services (MSSP) **About the Role** We are working with a growing Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) seeking an experienced **Tier 2 SOC Analyst** to join our Security Operations Center. This role serves as a technical escalation point for complex, high\-severity security incidents affecting our client base, working within a Microsoft\-centric security stack (Sentinel, Defender XDR suite). You'll operate with a high degree of autonomy, mentor Tier 1 analysts, and play a key role in maturing detection and response capabilities across multiple client environments. This is a hybrid role based in **New York** , combining in\-office collaboration with remote flexibility. **Key Responsibilities** * Serve as the primary Tier 2 escalation point for security alerts and incidents triaged and escalated by Tier 1 analysts. * Perform in\-depth investigation and correlation of security events across SIEM, EDR, identity, email, cloud, and network telemetry. * Conduct threat hunting using KQL and advanced hunting queries to proactively identify malicious or anomalous activity. * Lead incident response activities including containment, eradication, and recovery — including endpoint isolation, credential resets, mailbox remediation, and cloud resource actions. * Perform root cause analysis on confirmed incidents and produce clear, accurate incident documentation and post\-incident reports for clients. * Develop, tune, and optimize SIEM detection rules, correlation logic, and automation/SOAR playbooks to reduce false positives and improve detection fidelity. * Review Tier 1 analyst investigations for quality and accuracy, providing coaching and technical mentorship. * Analyze malware samples, phishing attempts, and suspicious artifacts to determine scope and impact. * Maintain and enhance SOC playbooks, runbooks, and standard operating procedures. * Support vulnerability management efforts by correlating findings with active threats where relevant. * Participate in an on\-call/rotational schedule to support 24/7 SOC coverage as needed. **Required Skills \& Experience** * **Minimum 5 years** of hands\-on experience in cybersecurity, with significant time in a SOC or security operations role. * Strong working knowledge of **Microsoft Sentinel** and the **Microsoft Defender XDR suite** (Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Identity, Defender for Office 365, Defender for Cloud, Entra ID). * Proficiency writing and tuning **KQL (Kusto Query Language)** queries for hunting and detection engineering. * Solid understanding of networking fundamentals, Windows security events, and common attack techniques (mapped to MITRE ATT\&CK where applicable). * Experience with EDR, firewall, IDS/IPS, and network traffic analysis tools (e.g., Wireshark). * Familiarity with SOAR platforms and Logic Apps (or equivalent) for automation and playbook development. * Working knowledge of Active Directory, Entra ID, VPN, DLP, and CASB technologies. * Prior MSSP or multi\-client SOC experience strongly preferred. * **Must be a U.S. Citizen.** **Preferred Certifications** * Security\+, CySA\+, or equivalent * GCIH, GCIA, or CISSP * Microsoft SC\-200 (Security Operations Analyst Associate) or similar **What We Offer** * Competitive base salary: **$125,000 – $145,000** * Hybrid work model based out of our New York office * Health, dental, and vision insurance * 401(k) with company match * Ongoing training and certification support * Clear growth path toward Tier 3 / Senior Analyst and detection engineering roles