Security Specialist Associate — Vulnerability Management Dispositioning Analyst

American Electric Power•Columbus, OH

9d•$74,551 - $93,189•Onsite

About The Position

Responsible for low level security assignments with direction from senior team members. Establish basic understanding of Security operations and processes, which may include research and investigation of security events or project related activities. Assesses security controls through security testing or other means to ensure effectiveness. Create documentation and work activities in a clear, comprehensive manner, always maintaining high quality work. Demonstrates problem solving, research, and functional area knowledge. What you’ll do: Essential Job Functions & Tasks Operate as a junior analyst on the Vulnerability Management Dispositioning sub-team (Pillar 3), responsible for moving analyzed vulnerabilities through to a documented remediation decision in partnership with AEP business units. Receive analyzed vulnerabilities from the Vulnerability Analysis sub-team and partner with the affected business unit to build remediation action plans, including patch, mitigate, configuration change, or formal exception paths. Run the day-to-day vulnerability exception process, including intake of business unit submissions, validation of supporting information, risk ranking inputs, and routing of exceptions through the appropriate Director, VP, and SVP approval chain. Capture and enter business unit responses, action plans, and exception decisions into the on-premises Fortress vulnerability management platform with accuracy and consistency. Coordinate with Fortress Information Security contractors who provide staff augmentation for routine dispositioning processes, leveraging their capacity while maintaining AEP-side ownership of decisions and quality. Build and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with assigned business unit partners across IT, Operational Technology, and corporate functions; serve as a constructive, helpful point of contact rather than an adversarial enforcer. Engage AEP's Operational Technology partners (generation, transmission, distribution) with the same respect and partnership posture, recognizing the operational realities that influence remediation timing and approach. Produce junior-grade exception reports, approval packets, and status summaries for directors, VPs, and SVP-level audiences using established team templates and tooling. Perform a warm, structured handoff of dispositioned items to the Vulnerability Tracking sub-team (Pillar 4), ensuring approved exceptions, action plans, and remediation commitments transfer cleanly and with full context. Maintain clear, current documentation of exception status, business unit commitments, and outstanding action items so leadership has accurate visibility at any point in the process. Communicate effectively in writing and verbally with peers, business unit contacts, contractors, and leadership; ask clarifying questions and escalate appropriately when blocked. Demonstrate strong soft skills, including active listening, professionalism, attention to detail, time management, and the ability to navigate competing priorities across multiple business units. Maintain awareness of NERC CIP regulatory requirements as dispositioning activities interact with CIP-regulated assets and information. Participate in a shared on-call rotation across the broader Vulnerability Management team. Pass and maintain the background check required for access to NERC CIP-regulated assets and information.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree OR Associates degree with one year relevant experience in system administration/help desk/security (cyber or physical) OR High School Diploma/GED with 2 years relevant experience in IT system administration/help desk/security (cyber or physical); OR graduation from an approved Cybersecurity Program; alternatively may have non-degree qualifications (such as hands-on demonstrated ability in a technical interview/assessment).

Nice To Haves

Vulnerability Management Analyst
Cybersecurity Exception Analyst
Cybersecurity Risk Analyst
Vulnerability Dispositioning Analyst
Junior Cybersecurity Analyst
Cybersecurity Operations Analyst

Responsibilities

Operate as a junior analyst on the Vulnerability Management Dispositioning sub-team (Pillar 3), responsible for moving analyzed vulnerabilities through to a documented remediation decision in partnership with AEP business units.
Receive analyzed vulnerabilities from the Vulnerability Analysis sub-team and partner with the affected business unit to build remediation action plans, including patch, mitigate, configuration change, or formal exception paths.
Run the day-to-day vulnerability exception process, including intake of business unit submissions, validation of supporting information, risk ranking inputs, and routing of exceptions through the appropriate Director, VP, and SVP approval chain.
Capture and enter business unit responses, action plans, and exception decisions into the on-premises Fortress vulnerability management platform with accuracy and consistency.
Coordinate with Fortress Information Security contractors who provide staff augmentation for routine dispositioning processes, leveraging their capacity while maintaining AEP-side ownership of decisions and quality.
Build and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with assigned business unit partners across IT, Operational Technology, and corporate functions; serve as a constructive, helpful point of contact rather than an adversarial enforcer.
Engage AEP's Operational Technology partners (generation, transmission, distribution) with the same respect and partnership posture, recognizing the operational realities that influence remediation timing and approach.
Produce junior-grade exception reports, approval packets, and status summaries for directors, VPs, and SVP-level audiences using established team templates and tooling.
Perform a warm, structured handoff of dispositioned items to the Vulnerability Tracking sub-team (Pillar 4), ensuring approved exceptions, action plans, and remediation commitments transfer cleanly and with full context.
Maintain clear, current documentation of exception status, business unit commitments, and outstanding action items so leadership has accurate visibility at any point in the process.
Communicate effectively in writing and verbally with peers, business unit contacts, contractors, and leadership; ask clarifying questions and escalate appropriately when blocked.
Demonstrate strong soft skills, including active listening, professionalism, attention to detail, time management, and the ability to navigate competing priorities across multiple business units.
Maintain awareness of NERC CIP regulatory requirements as dispositioning activities interact with CIP-regulated assets and information.
Participate in a shared on-call rotation across the broader Vulnerability Management team.
Pass and maintain the background check required for access to NERC CIP-regulated assets and information.