Cyber Operations Lead

Leidos is seeking a Cyber Operations Lead in Colorado Springs, CO. This position provides Tier II Cyber Security Analysis to C5ISR Center Defensive Cyber Solutions Branch (DCSB) Defensive Cyber Operations (DCO). Beyond advising and guiding technical matters, this position is tasked with driving implementation and adoption of new tools, research, capabilities, frameworks, and methodologies while ensuring those already in use are implemented, utilized properly, and improved.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Identify and offer solutions to gaps in capabilities and visibility
• Promote and drive research and implementation of automation and process efficiencies
• Intermediate command line experience that includes chaining Linux utilities such as tcpdump, sed, awk, and grep together
• Intermediate IDS (Snort, Bro/Zeek, etc.) creation and tuning, to include performing impact analysis on customer environments and review and correction of Tier I rules 
• Analysis of alert traffic plus surrounding traffic to provide context to inform analysis
• Ability to consume open and closed source and search indicators in customer data, then generate new IDS configurations for future detection
• Basic hunt experience that includes sifting non-alert-based traffic and deriving meaningful results in the absence of corresponding OSINT
• Basic vulnerability awareness and able to determine applicability to customer environments, using data to establish attack attempts and success/failure
• Maintaining current threat awareness
• Ability to analyze complex (multipacket, multi-vector, multi-exploit, large volume) traffic and derive meaningful conclusions
• Self-directed research, development, customization, or other contributions to process improvement
• Continual enrichment of IDS and moderate ability to tune on the fly
• Ability to self-educate with non-comprehensive or incomplete documentation on new concepts, protocols, and data formats
• Work a 2-2-3 non-standard schedule and 12-hour shifts; For example, week 1: Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; week 2: Wednesday and Thursday.
• Serve as the operational point of contact for the assigned shift, ensuring seamless execution of activities.
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and management of up to six personnel, including real-time training and performance coaching, with the flexibility to adjust your schedule as needed to support team development and operational effectiveness.
• Delegate tasks and ensure analysts remain actively engaged throughout the shift, optimizing efficiency.
• Review and ensure quality control of team reports and communications before release.
• Monitor and enforce adherence to operational procedures, continuously updating and administering the Joint Qualification Requirements (JQR).
• Identify and escalate significant threats, operational issues, or performance concerns to the Team Lead in a timely manner.
• Foster a high-performance culture by setting expectations, providing feedback, and recognizing team contributions.
• Ensure effective knowledge transfer and training of new analysts to maintain team readiness.
• Drive continual process improvement and enhance detection capabilities through collaboration and proactive adjustments.

Basic Qualifications:

• Requires BS and 8+ years of prior relevant experience or Masters with 6+ years of prior relevant experience, additional years of experience will be accepted in lieu of a degree. 
• Hands-on cybersecurity network defense experience (Detect and Respond) within a Computer Incident Response organization.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience with the Army C5ISR/DCSB Security Information and Event Management tool ‘Interrogator’
• Fluent in computer network Packet Capture (PCAP) analysis
• DoD 8570 IAT-II and CSSP-Analyst certifications required prior to starting
• Advanced knowledge of solution development techniques and best practices related to demonstration, pilot, and test management and operations.
• Demonstrated advanced knowledge of industry accepted standards.
• Demonstrated experience with researching and fielding new and innovative technology.
• Motivated self-starter with strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to create complex technical reports on analytic finding.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• 5+ years’ experience working in a SOC environment
• Candidate must possess an active TS/SCI and be approved customer SAP read-ons
• Must be a US Citizen

Preferred Qualifications:

• Deep technical understanding of core current cybersecurity technologies as well as emerging capabilities.
• Demonstrated understanding of the life cycle of cybersecurity threats, attacks, attack vectors and methods of exploitation with an understanding of intrusion set tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs).
• Motivated self-starter with strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to create complex technical reports on analytic findings.
• Familiarity or experience in Intelligence Driven Defense, Cyber Kill Chain methodology, and/or MITRE ATT&CK framework.

Original Posting Date:

While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.