Cybersecurity Operations Analyst II

Job Summary:  The Cybersecurity Operations Analyst II supports and operates our enterprise cybersecurity program. This role is responsible for day-to-day threat monitoring, detection and response, Microsoft Defender EDR/XDR administration, vendor risk management, employee security awareness, compliance support, and remediation of identified security gaps.

This position combines hands-on security operations with ownership of several ongoing cybersecurity programs. The Cybersecurity Operations Analyst II will independently investigate common security events, manage third-party security risk assessments, maintain employee security education, support HIPAA compliance and HITRUST e1 readiness, and work directly with infrastructure engineers to incorporate security into day-to-day technology operations.

This is a hands-on cybersecurity role with meaningful program ownership, not an alert-monitoring or ticket-routing position.

Responsibilities: 

Security Operations & Incident Response

• Monitor enterprise security systems for malicious, suspicious, or abnormal activity
• Triage and investigate security alerts involving endpoints, identities, email, cloud services, and other enterprise systems
• Determine the scope, severity, and potential impact of identified threats and perform or coordinate containment and remediation actions
• Serve as a technical escalation point for cybersecurity issues requiring deeper investigation
• Maintain investigation notes, evidence, timelines, and incident documentation and participate in post-incident reviews

Microsoft Defender EDR/XDR

• Own day-to-day administration and operation of Microsoft Defender EDR/XDR
• Monitor platform health, security incidents, device coverage, and endpoint security posture
• Investigate and respond to Defender-generated alerts and incidents
• Tune security controls and workflows to improve detection effectiveness and operational efficiency
• Identify endpoint security gaps and coordinate remediation with engineering and support teams
• Maintain platform standards, documentation, and operational procedures

Vendor Risk Management

• Own the enterprise vendor cybersecurity risk management program
• Perform security assessments of prospective and existing third-party vendors
• Evaluate vendor security controls, policies, technical posture, and identified weaknesses
• Produce written vendor risk assessment reports and clearly document findings
• Provide technical guidance and risk-based recommendations to senior leadership regarding vendor approval, remediation, acceptance, or rejection
• Work with vendors and internal stakeholders to resolve identified concerns and track remediation through completion or formal risk acceptance
• Maintain assessment records and evidence required for compliance and audit activities

Security Awareness & Education

• Own the ongoing employee cybersecurity awareness and education program
• Administer recurring security awareness training and phishing simulation campaigns
• Track completion, participation, and program effectiveness and provide targeted education where appropriate
• Develop security communications related to phishing, credentials, emerging threats, and other relevant security topics
• Maintain training documentation and evidence supporting compliance requirements

Security Engineering & Risk Remediation

• Work directly with Infrastructure Engineering and other technology teams to incorporate security into normal operational and engineering activities
• Provide security guidance for endpoint, identity, network, cloud, and infrastructure changes
• Review findings from risk assessments, vulnerability reviews, incidents, and security testing
• Translate identified security gaps into actionable technical remediation and coordinate corrective actions with system owners
• Identify recurring control weaknesses and recommend broader technical, process, or automation improvements

Compliance & Security Governance

• Support the organization's ongoing HIPAA security compliance program
• Assist with implementation, validation, and maintenance of administrative and technical safeguards
• Support the organization's target of achieving and maintaining HITRUST e1 readiness and certification objectives
• Participate in security risk assessments, control reviews, evidence collection, audits, and remediation activities
• Help map operational security practices and technical controls to applicable compliance requirements
• Maintain documentation and evidence demonstrating control implementation and effectiveness

Requirements: 

• 5+ years of overall IT experience across cybersecurity, networking, systems engineering, infrastructure, or related technical disciplines
• 2+ years of direct cybersecurity operations, security monitoring, investigation, or incident response experience
• 1+ year(s) Experience administering or operating EDR/XDR technologies, including Microsoft Defender EDR/XDR
• 1+ year(s) Experience producing written security findings and recommendations
• 1+ year(s) Working knowledge of Windows security, Microsoft 365, Active Directory, and Entra ID
• Experience operating endpoint detection and response technologies and investigating security alerts
• Experience conducting technical security or vendor risk assessments
• Working knowledge of Windows security, Microsoft 365, Active Directory, and Entra ID
• Familiarity with vulnerability management, common attacker techniques, and security risk
• Experience supporting security or compliance activities in a regulated environment
• Ability to translate technical findings into clear business risk and recommendations
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with engineers, vendors, business stakeholders, and senior leadership

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Microsoft Entra ID, Conditional Access, and Identity Protection
• Microsoft 365 security technologies
• PowerShell scripting and security automation
• Vendor and third-party cybersecurity risk management
• Security awareness and phishing simulation program management
• Threat hunting and vulnerability management
• MITRE ATT&CK and NIST Cybersecurity Framework
• Experience conducting vendor security assessments or technical risk reviews
• HITRUST e1 readiness, assessment, or control implementation experience
• Experience supporting healthcare IT environments
• Experience translating technical security findings into executive-level recommendations
• Familiarity with HIPAA security requirements and security compliance activities
• Strong technical troubleshooting, analytical, documentation, and business communication skills

Specialized Dental Partners, its affiliates, related companies and independently owned supported clinical practices are proud to be Equal Opportunity Employers. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

The salary range for this role is $75,000 to $105,000 per year. At Specialized Dental Partners, its affiliates, related companies and independently owned supported clinical practices, we are committed to ensuring fair and equitable pay for all employees. We adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding pay equity and non-discrimination. Our compensation practices are designed to ensure that employees are paid fairly based on their role, experience, performance, and contributions to the company, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. We regularly review our compensation practices and conduct pay equity audits to identify and address any disparities. By fostering a culture of transparency and fairness, we aim to create an inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued and respected.