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Posted: May 5, 2026

I. Program Overview

Program Description

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Transportation Security Administration (TSA)/Information Division (IAD) Computer Network Defense (CND) branch, has a requirement for the immediate delivery of IT cybersecurity operations and engineering support services.

Program Scope

The SOC Analyst will perform 24×7×365 continuous security event monitoring and initial triage using the TSA SIEM platform, document security events and incidents, and escalate potential threats in accordance with TSA Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), the Concept of Operations (CONOPS), and strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

II. Position Overview

Karthik Consulting is seeking a mission-focused Entry-Level SOC Analyst to support the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Information Assurance and Cybersecurity Division (IAD) Computer Network Defense (CND) Security Operations Center (SOC).

Work Environment

Work Location: On-site (Herndon, VA).
Security Clearance: Secret
Travel Requirements: Ability to travel on TDY as requested by the Government.

III. Key Responsibilities

Required Skills

1-2 years of experience in a Security Operations Center (SOC), Network Operations Center (NOC), or IT/help-desk environment with exposure to security monitoring.
Basic understanding of enterprise operating systems (Windows, Linux, macOS) and common network protocols (TCP/IP, UDP, ICMP, DNS, DHCP, HTTP/HTTPS).
Ability to monitor and analyze security logs and events from a wide range of sources, including firewalls, IDS/IPS, HIDS/HIPS, web proxies, vulnerability scanners, routers (NetFlow), VPNs, endpoint protection tools, server logs, cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, etc.), and non-traditional feeds (HR data, badging, physical security).
Strong documentation skills and the ability to follow detailed SOPs and escalation procedures.

Preferred Skills & Experience

Familiarity with SIEM platforms and basic log analysis/querying.
Experience opening and managing tickets in a case/incident tracking system (Archer, ServiceNow, Remedy, or similar).
Understanding of basic adversary tactics and common indicators of compromise.
Prior exposure to vulnerability scan data or endpoint security tools (e.g., Nessus, Tanium).
Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to produce clear, concise case notes.
Ability to work effectively in a 24×7×365 shift environment.

Key Responsibilities

Monitor and analyze security events and alerts in the TSA SIEM on a 24×7×365 basis to identify suspicious or malicious activity.
Proficient in Splunk, including hand-on experience writing queries using SPL.
Open cases in the TSA SOC incident tracking application within 15 minutes of detecting critical/high events.
Open cases in the TSA SOC incident tracking application within 60 minutes of detecting medium events.
Open cases in the TSA SOC incident tracking application within 4 hours of detecting low events.
Collect and document minimum incident details (date/time, description, impacted devices, severity, etc.) and record all associated artifacts to support investigations.
Escalate confirmed incidents to the TSA CSIRT/CSWO team and IT management per established SOPs, ensuring documented hand-offs.
Report security event feed outages or tool issues.
Support After Action Reports (AARs) for significant cases and contribute to the SOC knowledge base (SharePoint).
Maintain accurate audit trails and records in accordance with TSA record management policies

IV. Qualifications

Education

Minimum Requirement: High school diploma required; Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, IT, or related field preferred.
Minimum Experience: 1-2 years of experience in a Security Operations Center (SOC), Network Operations Center (NOC), or IT/help-desk environment with exposure to security monitoring.

Professional Certifications

CompTIA Security+ (or equivalent DoD 8570/8140-compliant certification) required or must be obtained within 6 months of start.

Karthik Consulting

Vacatures

Jr. Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst