Incident Response Team Analyst

Job Summary
Our client, a major U.S. airline, is looking for an Incident Response Team Analyst to join their Cyber Defense team supporting a 24x7 security operation. It’s a 6 month to 1 year contract with potential to extend or convert, based in Arlington Heights, IL, and the role requires working assigned shifts outside normal business hours, including nights and weekends. This person will monitor and triage security alerts and logs, investigate incidents, including malware analysis, network traffic analysis, and endpoint forensics, and help work incidents through containment, eradication, and recovery with internal teams. They’ll also maintain detailed incident records and write incident reports for management. We’re looking for someone who has hands-on experience investigating security incidents in CrowdStrike and Splunk, not just monitoring dashboards and escalating tickets, which is the key differentiator for this role. Experience limited to GRC, compliance, audit, or vulnerability management is not a fit.

This position is W-2 only. We do not work with third-party firms or C2C arrangements for this role.
 
Core Responsibilities

• Monitor and triage security alerts and logs in Splunk and CrowdStrike
• Investigate security alerts, assess severity, and initiate the incident response process
• Conduct malware analysis, network traffic analysis, and endpoint forensics
• Assist with containment, eradication, and recovery, coordinating with internal teams
• Maintain detailed incident records, including timelines, actions taken, and lessons learned
• Prepare incident reports for management with recommendations to improve security posture
• Share threat intelligence with cross-functional teams
• Stay current on cybersecurity threats, trends, and best practices

 
Required Skills/Experience (Must-Haves)

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or related field, or equivalent experience
• 3+ years of experience as a SOC or Incident Response Analyst
• Hands-on experience investigating security alerts and incidents in CrowdStrike
• Hands-on experience investigating alerts and logs in Splunk, including writing searches
• Experience triaging alerts and assessing severity
• Exposure to malware analysis, network traffic analysis, or endpoint forensics
• Experience documenting incidents and writing incident reports
• Knowledge of security frameworks such as NIST or ISO 27001
• Able to work assigned shifts in a 24x7 operation, including nights and weekends
• Located in the Chicago area or willing to relocate

 
Preferred Skills/Experience (Nice-to-Haves)

• SOC or incident response experience at Discover Financial Services or Capital One
• SOC experience in a large financial services or enterprise environment
• Certifications such as GCIH, GCIA, GCFE, GCFA, or CompTIA Security+
• Tier 2 SOC or incident response experience
• Experience writing or using SOC playbooks and procedures
• Threat hunting experience

 
Key Competencies & Behaviors

• Hands-on investigator who digs into alerts rather than just escalating them
• Stays calm and organized when handling multiple alerts and incidents under pressure
• Communicates clearly in writing and verbally with team members and management
• Fast learner who asks questions when in doubt
• Naturally organized and able to manage multiple priorities
• Adapts well to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment

 
Work Environment

• Location: Arlington Heights, IL
• Supports a 24x7 operation with assigned shifts outside normal business hours
• Contract length: 6 months to 1 year, with potential to extend or convert

 
Compensation & Benefits 

• Pay Range: The approximate pay range for this position is between $32.00 and $46.00 per hour. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate. Final compensation may vary based on factors including but not limited to background, knowledge, skills, and location. We comply with local wage minimums. 
• Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance Plans 
• Employee-Owned Profit Sharing (ESOP) 
• 401K offered 

 
About KellyMitchell 
At KellyMitchell, our culture is world class. We’re movers and shakers! We don’t mind a bit of friendly competition, and we reward hard work with unlimited potential for growth. This is an exciting opportunity to join a company known for innovative solutions and unsurpassed customer service. We're passionate about helping companies solve their biggest IT staffing & project solutions challenges. As an employee-owned, women-led organization serving Fortune 500 companies nationwide, we deliver expert service at a moment's notice. 
  
Marketing Disclosure 
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