Application Security Analyst

Southern Company • Atlanta, GA

16h • Hybrid

About The Position

Southern Company is seeking an Application Security Analyst/Engineer to protect web applications and APIs through hands-on security analysis, testing, and policy management. The position supports efforts to mitigate cyber threats to company facilities, personnel, technology, operations, brand, critical electric and gas utility infrastructure, and the company’s privately owned telecommunications network.

The analyst will execute the application security roadmap and develop subject matter expertise in advanced bot protection and API security. The environment includes Imperva Cloud WAF, Snyk SAST/DAST, and Sonatype SCA; comparable platform experience is also welcome. The role partners with developers, Infrastructure Operations, Detection Engineering, and the Security Operations Center to implement effective controls while maintaining reliable application access.

The position helps ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of company information assets by establishing and implementing an information security framework and technical architecture, designing and implementing information security products, and providing security expertise and consulting. The role is based in Atlanta, Georgia, or Birmingham, Alabama, with a Monday-to-Friday schedule of four days onsite and one remote day. It is covered by the company’s Insider Threat Program and requires enhanced screening, including a background review, drug screen, and psychological assessment, if selected.

Requirements

• Practical experience in application security or a related role involving web application protection, security testing, or vulnerability analysis.
• Applied knowledge of application security and willingness to develop deeper expertise with guidance from the Application Security Manager.
• Experience with network infrastructure, modern operating systems, database applications, web applications, and other computing technologies.
• Comprehensive knowledge of information security concepts and best practices, such as NIST, COBIT, ISO, PCI, and OWASP.
• Ability to perform detailed information security risk assessments and recommend mitigating controls.
• Working knowledge of OWASP web application and API security risks and experience applying security concepts to identify, investigate, or remediate vulnerabilities.
• Understanding of HTTP/HTTPS, REST APIs, JSON, sessions, cookies, and authentication and authorization concepts, including OAuth/OIDC and token-based access.
• Experience with web application or API security testing, WAF policy management, or analysis of application security findings using comparable tools.
• Ability to analyze logs and request/response data, distinguish suspicious activity from legitimate traffic, and explain findings with supporting evidence.
• Understanding of automated bot threats, WAF controls, rate limiting, false positives, and the need to validate the business impact of security changes.
• Familiarity with software development workflows, source control, CI/CD concepts, and automated security testing.
• Ability to work with developers and operations teams, document technical issues clearly, and follow assigned work through remediation or escalation.
• Ability to prioritize tasks within an established roadmap, exercise sound judgment, and seek guidance when risks or decisions exceed assigned authority.
• Must pass NERC CIP and Insider Threat Protection background checks.
• Enhanced personnel screening for selected candidates includes a background review, drug screen, and psychological assessment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience configuring and tuning Imperva Cloud WAF, advanced bot protection, or API security capabilities; comparable platform experience is also valued.
• Experience with API discovery, runtime monitoring, authentication and authorization testing, or tools such as Burp Suite, Postman, or comparable utilities.
• Experience with Snyk DAST, Snyk SAST, Sonatype SCA, or comparable application security testing platforms.
• Experience querying Splunk and collaborating with detection engineering or SOC teams on web application and API threats.
• Ability to write or adapt scripts in Python, JavaScript, or another language to automate testing, analyze data, or integrate security checks into CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience using AI-assisted development tools such as GitHub Copilot, OpenAI Codex, or Claude to support scripting, automation, testing, or application security analysis.
• Relevant education, training, or industry certifications in cybersecurity, application security, cloud security, or secure software development.
• Working knowledge of cloud and traditional security network architectures.
• Industry certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, CISA, GIAC, OSCP, CRISC, or CCNP.

Responsibilities

• Configure and tune web application firewall, advanced bot protection, and API security policies in alignment with organizational needs and established change processes.
• Analyze automated traffic and strengthen defenses against credential stuffing, scraping, and abuse of application workflows while preserving legitimate user and business activity.
• Investigate application and API security alerts, correlate traffic and logs in Splunk, and recommend evidence-based policy changes or remediation.
• Manage security policy exceptions by documenting business justification, scope, approvals, expiration, and periodic review.
• Use API discovery and runtime monitoring to maintain an inventory, identify undocumented or exposed endpoints, and work with application owners to assess and address risk.
• Review API authentication and authorization controls and perform hands-on testing for access control weaknesses, input handling issues, and abuse of business functionality.
• Configure and maintain Snyk DAST scans, validate findings, and use Snyk SAST and Sonatype SCA results to support vulnerability analysis and remediation.
• Partner with developers to prioritize findings, explain risk, track remediation, and retest fixes.
• Establish and maintain web application and API security tests in CI/CD pipelines with development teams, including repeatable tests for identified vulnerabilities.
• Document configurations, testing procedures, findings, and runbooks; report protection coverage, bot mitigation effectiveness, false positives, and remediation progress.
• Develop expertise in advanced bot protection and API security, maintain current application security knowledge, and help extend API visibility and controls to internal environments.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary
• Annual incentive awards for eligible employees
• Health, welfare, and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being
• Potential eligibility for additional compensation through an incentive program, subject to the applicable plan terms and conditions

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed