Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst

State of Iowa•Des Moines - 50309 - Polk County, IA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Management’s Division of Information Technology (DoIT) is seeking a senior-level Information Technology Specialist 5 (ITS5) – Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst to serve as the authoritative intelligence resource supporting the Security Operations Center (SOC). This role collects, reviews, and analyzes intelligence data to identify threats targeting state and local government environments and transforms that information into actionable outcomes for SOC analysts, threat hunters, engineering teams, GRC, and leadership. The analyst develops and maintains Priority Intelligence Requirements (PIRs), assesses cyber risks, identifies adversary tactics, and motives, and ensures intelligence is aligned to state security objectives. The role leverages CTI platforms, OSINT sources, and structured analytic methodologies to produce accurate and timely intelligence reports. It also coordinates intelligence exchanges with external partners including CISA and peer government entities. This ITS5 position requires deep technical understanding, high integrity, and the ability to communicate complex intelligence to diverse audiences.

Requirements

Cyber Threat Intelligence lifecycle management (PIR development, collection, analysis, dissemination)
Strong knowledge of threat actor motivations, targets, behaviors, and TTPs
Proficiency with CTI platforms, malware/trend research tools, enrichment feeds, and OSINT techniques
In-depth understanding of MITRE ATT&CK, attack surface concepts, incident response, and vulnerability prioritization
Ability to translate intelligence into operational actions, detections, and risk-driven recommendations
Excellent communication, presentation, and technical writing skills
Strong problem-solving, critical-thinking, and independent decision-making ability
Five or more years of experience in cyber threat intelligence, cyber defense analytics, or related field
Strong understanding of cybersecurity frameworks (MITRE ATT&CK, Kill Chain, Diamond Model)
Demonstrated knowledge of attack vectors, penetration methods, and defensive countermeasures
Experience with OSINT, intel feeds, CTI platforms, and log or alert correlation
Excellent problem-solving, writing, briefing, and documentation skills
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and in a multidisciplinary team
Strong integrity, judgment, and professional conduct with sensitive information
Minimum of 18 months of full-time work experience in cyber security planning at a professional level that included the following major functions: participating in and leading a company-/agency-wide cyber security planning program including the identification of cyber security risks, development of prevention and response plans to minimize cyber-attack damages including mass care and consequences management, and the development of continuation of business operation plans; participating in national cyber security planning initiatives and exercises; responding to and participating in the recovery work from cyber security incidents; and working across governments, private sectors, and non-profit organizations collaboratively on cyber security planning activities and plans for response.
6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both in Strategic Planning. For experience to count, the applicant must have had the responsibility either for coordinating or developing the organization's strategic plan.
6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both in building and maintaining skillset and knowledge base for security issues that impact information technology systems.
6 months’ experience, 12 semester hours, or a combination of both in analyzing and identifying risks and the corresponding potential impact to information and information technology systems.
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in any field, and experience equal to three years of full-time work in application development and database management, business analysis, systems and network administration, technical training and reporting, IT vendor and purchasing management, IT project management, IT product management, system testing and quality assurance, mainframe and platform administration, and/or information technology security.
Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with a degree in computer science, computer applications, software engineering, computer engineering, management information systems, business analytics, or cyber security, and experience equal to two years of full-time work in application development and database management, business analysis, systems and network administration, technical training and reporting, IT vendor and purchasing management, IT project management, IT product management, system testing and quality assurance, mainframe and platform administration, and/or information technology security.
Three years of full-time work experience in application development and database management, business analysis, systems and network administration, technical training and reporting, IT vendor and purchasing management, IT project management, IT product management, system testing and quality assurance, mainframe and platform administration, and/or information technology security; and a total of four years of education and/or full-time experience (as described in part a), where thirty semester hours of accredited college or university coursework in any field equals one year of full-time experience.
Five years of full-time work experience in application development and database management, business analysis, systems and network administration, technical training and reporting, IT vendor and purchasing management, IT project management, IT product management, system testing and quality assurance, mainframe and platform administration, and/or information technology security; and either certification from an authorized educational institution/major computer or software producer in one or more of the specialty areas listed in part a; or Eighteen semester hours from an accredited college or university in one or more of the specialty areas listed in part a.
Current, continuous experience in the state executive branch that includes six months of full-time work as an Information Technology Specialist 4.

Nice To Haves

CISSP, CISA, GSEC, or related cyber/intelligence credentials

Responsibilities

Collect, maintain, and enrich intelligence data from internal telemetry, OSINT, commercial intel feeds, third-party reporting, and government partners.
Correlate external threats with SOC alerting and state-specific vulnerabilities.
Analyze cyber threat data to assess likelihood, impact, and relevance to state and local government.
Identify threat actor TTPs, campaigns, emerging vulnerabilities, and exploitation trends.
Produce tactical, operational, and strategic reports for diverse stakeholder groups.
Develop, maintain, and refine PIRs aligned to evolving state risks.
Manage intelligence workflows including collection planning, source evaluation, assessment documentation, and dissemination tracking.
Translate CTI findings into actionable activities including detection recommendations, risk prioritization, threat hunting leads, vulnerability context, and architecture hardening actions.
Support incident response as an intelligence subject-matter expert.
Coordinate with CISA, law enforcement, and peer government agencies to exchange intelligence, validate trends, and support joint defensive efforts.
Maintain and optimize CTI platforms, automation pipelines, and enrichment tools.
Mentor SOC team members on intelligence concepts, frameworks, and analytic tradecraft.
Present intelligence briefings to technical and non-technical audiences in a clear, concise manner.
Document analytic methods, assumptions, and findings following best practices and structured analytic techniques.