Watch Analyst / Active Top Secret

Peraton•Washington, DC

6d•Onsite

About The Position

Peraton is seeking a Watch Analyst for its Federal Strategic Cyber group, located in Washington, DC (on site). This role is part of the DHS Cybersecurity Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) 24/7 SCIF/Operations Center, which is crucial for monitoring threats and risks to the nation’s critical infrastructure. The center coordinates situational awareness and response to protect national cyber and infrastructure security. The Watch Analyst will monitor various sources including classified databases, ticket management systems, alerting services, news, and social media for threats impacting critical infrastructure and national security. The position involves initial triage and analysis of cyber, physical, and communication incidents to determine severity and reporting needs. The analyst will work within a team to provide timely and actionable reports to government leadership, law enforcement, and partners, coordinating incident response until completion. This role requires an experienced Operations/Intelligence/Cyber practitioner capable of working in a time-sensitive environment, adhering strictly to security protocols and confidentiality. The candidate must possess strong multitasking, decision-making, critical thinking, analytical, and report-writing skills, with the ability to evaluate data and synthesize information for non-technical audiences. Understanding of IT hardware and software operations, and the ability to troubleshoot equipment issues, is also expected. The position operates within a 24x7x365 Classified Operations and Watch Center, with shifts assigned based on team needs, potentially including rotating assignments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, or HS and an additional 4 years of experience that may be substituted in lieu of a bachelor's degree.
Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Broad capabilities and expertise in research, analysis, and report writing skills.
Flexibility and ability to work within a 24x7x365 operations support environment.
Experience with open-source analysis and alerting systems.
Knowledge of Microsoft Office automation solutions.
Experience/expertise in one or more critical infrastructure sectors (as defined by HSPD-7 and the NIPP), cyber and/or emergency management.
Knowledge of National Incident Management System (NIMS) structure, emergency management operations, and background knowledge of one (1) or more critical infrastructure sectors.
Must complete FEMA IS-100.c, IS-453, IS-520, IS-545.a, IS-551, IS-700.b, IS-800.d, IS-860.c and IS-1300 before first day on the contract.
U.S. citizenship is required.
An active Top Secret security clearance required.
Must be able to obtain and maintain a favorably adjudicated DHS background investigation for continued employment.

Nice To Haves

Specialized operations center experience.
Experience in drafting and publishing national level reporting.
Experience with email triage and requests for information (RFIs).
Experience as an All-Source Intelligence Analyst in Joint Operations Center and/or Fusion Center.
Experience with cyber incident management and analysis.
Obtained Cyber certifications (i.e., CompTIA Security+).
Experience with Knowledge Management Systems and ServiceNow.
Ability to read technical cyber reporting, including IOCs and TTPs, and be able to extract the important information to provide clear and concise reporting for a non-technical audience.

Responsibilities

Monitor classified databases, ticket management systems, subscription-based alerting services, cable and local news, social media, and other open sources for threats to the nation’s critical infrastructure and global operations impacting national security.
Provide initial triage and analysis of cyber, physical, and communication incidents to identify the severity of impact to critical infrastructure and determine the level of reporting or briefing required.
Work with a small team to provide accurate, timely, and actionable reports to government leadership, law enforcement, federal stakeholders, and partners.
Coordinate incidents affecting critical infrastructure through incident completion.
Maintain strict adherence to security protocols and confidentiality requirements in handling sensitive information.
Multitask, make quick decisions, and utilize critical thinking skills in a time-sensitive environment under the direction of a federal CISA Duty Officer.
Evaluate data, synthesize information, and write reports.
Understand the operation of all communications and information technology hardware and software utilized to perform daily functions.
Troubleshoot all equipment issues as needed and coordinate a resolution with the help desk.
Provide other services and support as needed or directed by the government client.
Work at a 24x7x365 Classified Operations and Watch Center.