Cybersecurity Analyst Tier 1

Job Overview

The University of Utah is seeking a Cybersecurity Analyst Tier 1 for the Security Operations Center to support Information Security and Compliance goals. This role serves as the first line of defense against cyber threats, providing real-time security monitoring, initial alert triage, and rapid containment using established playbooks.

The position includes a structured career growth path with mentorship from Tier-2 and Tier-3 analysts to strengthen skills in incident response, detection logic, and threat analysis.

Department and Location

Department: 00954 - UIT Systems & Security

Location: Campus

City: Salt Lake City, UT

Key Responsibilities

Incident Response

• Perform initial triage, scoping, and evaluation of security alerts across endpoint, network, cloud, and identity domains.
• Execute established incident response playbooks for containment and remediation of low-to-medium complexity security alerts.
• Escalate complex, ambiguous, or high-severity security incidents to Tier-2 analysts with clear, detailed initial investigation notes.
• Accurately document incident details, triage steps, and remediation actions within the ticketing and case management systems.

Detection Operations & Feedback

• Monitor SIEM, EDR, and cloud security platforms to ensure continuous operational visibility and alert hygiene.
• Identify recurring false positives or noisy alerts and flag them to Tier-2/3 analysts with contextual data for rule tuning.
• Use automated SOAR playbooks to perform basic enrichment and data collection during initial alert processing.

Threat Analysis

• Review security alerts and threat feeds to recognize common adversary tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).
• Map basic alert artifacts and findings to the MITRE ATT&CK framework during initial triage.
• Assist Tier-2 and Tier-3 analysts during major incidents by gathering supplemental logs, contextual artifacts, and host details.

Professional Development & Growth

• Participate in regular investigation reviews to receive feedback, improve analytical rigor, and accelerate technical growth.
• Provide feedback on existing SOC playbooks and documentation to highlight operational gaps or outdated steps.
• Partner with Tier-2 analysts on escalated tickets to learn advanced investigation and response techniques.

Minimum Qualifications

Equivalency Statement: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (example: bachelor’s degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).

Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels:

• Information Security Analyst, I: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience, or a master’s (or equivalency) degree.
• Information Security Analyst, II: Requires a bachelor’s (or equivalency) + 4 years, or a master’s (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience: 1–2 years of experience in an IT, system administration, or junior cybersecurity role (or equivalent hands-on lab experience / degree).
• Technical Knowledge: Basic understanding of networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, OSI model), operating system internals (Windows, Linux), and standard attack vectors (phishing, malware, web attacks).
• Tooling Familiarity: Exposure to enterprise SIEM platforms, EDR solutions, or log management tools.
• Certifications (Preferred): CompTIA Security+, CySA+, Cisco CyberOps Associate, or Blue Team Level 1 (BTL1).
• Soft Skills: Strong written communication skills for ticket documentation and a proactive desire to learn and grow within security operations.

Schedule and Position Details

• Open Date: 10/26/2026
• Close Date: 11/16/2026 (Priority Review Date noted; posting may close at any time)
• Requisition Number: PRN46592B
• Standard Hours per Week: 40
• Full Time or Part Time: Full Time
• Shift: Rotating
• Work Schedule Summary: Four ten hour shifts a week, rotating between day, evening, and overnight shifts to include holidays and weekends.
• Type of Recruitment: External Posting

Pay

Pay Rate Range: $28.00–$32.00

Additional Information

• The University is a participating employer with Utah Retirement Systems (URS). Eligible new hires with prior URS service may elect to enroll in URS if the election is made before becoming eligible for retirement (usually the first day of work). Contact Human Resources at (801) 581-7447 for information.
• Individuals who previously retired and are receiving monthly retirement benefits from URS are subject to URS post-ret