Security Operations Analyst - Tier 1

Cybersecurity Analyst (Entry-Mid Level) - Federal & DoW Cloud Operations

Are you ready to defend national security and critical public services? At Knox, we're not just operating clouds; we're building and securing the secure, high-stakes AI and cloud environments that power the U.S. government's most vital missions. Our customers depend on us to deploy production systems that meet the absolute highest standards for security, reliability, and compliance. This isn't just a job; it's a calling to make an immediate, measurable impact.

Work at Knox is profoundly purpose-driven. The challenges are significant, the expectations are high, and your contributions are directly visible. Here, speed, rigor, and trust aren't just buzzwords—they're the foundation of everything we do, because the environments we secure simply cannot fail. Join a team operating at federal scale, where your expertise is relied upon to protect some of the most sensitive government systems in the country.

Break Free from Silos: How We Work

Forget the traditional divide between security and network teams. At Knox, we've innovated a unified approach: one cohesive team monitors everything—performance, availability, and security—all from a single, integrated queue. This means you gain a comprehensive understanding of the entire operational picture, preventing issues from languishing with the "wrong" team. It's an infinitely better way to work and an accelerated path to mastery, seeing the full lifecycle of a problem from alert to resolution.

Mission-Critical Priorities: How We Prioritize

In our high-stakes environment, clarity and swift action are paramount. Our prioritization model ensures we always tackle the most critical issues first:

Active intrusion or suspected compromise
Service-affecting outage
Degradation and early warning signs
Customer requests and tickets

You will never be asked to handle a routine ticket while a live, high-priority alert demands your attention. Our mission dictates our focus.

Your Impact: What You'll Do

As a Cybersecurity Analyst, you'll be on the front lines, ensuring the integrity and performance of our critical systems:

Be a frontline defender: Work a full, fixed shift on either a weekday or a four-day rotation schedule, providing thorough written handovers for seamless transition.
Make critical decisions: Review and analyze security alerts, determining the appropriate action—escalate, contain, or close—with meticulous reasoning documented.
Holistic problem-solving: Address performance and availability challenges alongside security incidents, all within our integrated queue.
Execute and escalate: Follow our robust runbooks for incident containment, knowing when to confidently engage the senior analyst on duty if a runbook's scope is exceeded.
Customer-centric support: Address customer requests and tickets efficiently once all higher-priority operational and security incidents are clear.
Ensure continuity: Document all activities and findings clearly, enabling the next shift to pick up operations without interruption or needing to contact you.

Your Essential Toolkit: What You'll Need

We're looking for driven individuals with a foundational passion for cybersecurity and operations:

**Certification Commitment:** Possess a CompTIA Security+ certification or demonstrate the ability to achieve it within 90 days of your start date.
**Practical Experience:** Hands-on experience in IT operations, a help desk environment, a network operations center, or a similar practical role.
**Sound Judgment:** Proven ability to exercise good judgment, especially in knowing when to escalate critical issues.
**Autonomous Capability:** Comfort and proficiency in working independently, particularly during overnight shifts.

Accelerate Your Growth: What We'll Teach You

We invest deeply in our team's development. You'll gain invaluable, cutting-edge expertise in:

**Advanced Cloud Security:** Master cloud security monitoring, SIEM tools, and how to finely tune detection mechanisms.
**FedRAMP Expertise:** Understand the practical application of FedRAMP controls and how we meticulously evidence compliance.
**Incident Response & Networking:** Develop robust incident containment strategies, advanced network troubleshooting skills, and proficiency with our comprehensive runbooks.
**Career Progression:** Chart your clear path to a Tier 2 Analyst role, typically achieved within three years.

Your Journey Starts Here: What We Don't Require

We believe in talent, not arbitrary checkboxes. Your experience and drive are what truly matter:

**No Degree Required:** We value skills and potential above formal academic degrees.
**No Prior Corporate Experience:** Your enthusiasm and aptitude are more important than a corporate resume.
**No Active Security Clearance:** While a previous or current clearance is a plus, it is absolutely not a requirement for this role.

Exceptional Rewards: What We Offe

We pride ourselves on supporting our team with stability, growth, and work-life balance:

**Predictable Scheduling:** Enjoy a fixed and published schedule; shifts do not rotate, allowing for consistent planning.
**Enhanced Time Off:** Benefit from three consecutive days off every week on our appealing four-day rotation schedules.
**Investment in You:** All certification costs and renewals are fully covered, including your first attempt and a retake.
**Premium Compensation:** Earn a shift premium on hours worked within premium windows, paid at a transparent, published rate.
**Transparent Career Path:** Access a published salary band for your role and the level above you, ensuring clarity in your career progression.
**Visible Impact:** Join a small, agile team where your contributions are highly visible and your impact is undeniable.

Compensation Range: $65k-$95k, variable annual bonus, equity, and monthly premium payments.

Hiring Requirement
Due to the critical nature of our work with federal government clients and compliance with applicable regulations, this position requires U.S. citizenship. Dual citizenship is not permitted for this role. Candidates must be able to provide documentation verifying sole U.S. citizenship status as part of the background check process and ability to pass a government background investigation.
Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of all required pre-employment screenings, including a background check, in accordance with applicable laws and government contract requirements.

Benefits & Perks
Knox offers a competitive employee benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life & Disability, unlimited PEO, and an employee funded 401k plan. Please note, benefits are subject to change.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.
Knox is proud to support veteran hiring — we encourage veterans and transitioning service members to apply and welcome the unique skills and experience you bring.