Security Operations Consultant (Palo Alto Cortex Suite)
Job ID: 793833
Experience: 3 – 5 Years
Openings: 1
Work Location: Hybrid
Role Overview:
The Security Operations Consultant – Palo Alto Cortex Suite will be responsible for managing, configuring, and optimizing the Palo Alto Cortex XSIAM, XDR, and Cortex Data Lake platforms. The role is crucial for enhancing threat detection, incident response, and SOC operational efficiency across enterprise environments.
Key Responsibilities:
Platform Operations & Management
- Administer and maintain Palo Alto Cortex XSIAM and XDR environments.
- Manage data ingestion pipelines into the Cortex Data Lake.
- Ensure high availability, scalability, and optimal performance of security platforms.
Threat Detection & Response
- Develop and fine-tune detection rules, playbooks, and automation workflows.
- Monitor and analyze alerts and incidents generated by Cortex XDR/XSIAM.
- Collaborate with SOC analysts to investigate, contain, and mitigate threats.
Integration & Automation
- Integrate the Cortex Suite with other tools (SIEM, SOAR, EDR, etc.).
- Automate repetitive SOC tasks using Cortex Playbooks and APIs.
- Support onboarding of new log sources and data connectors.
Analytics & Reporting
- Develop and maintain dashboards and reports for system health, threat trends, and SOC metrics.
- Perform root cause analysis and support post-incident reviews.
- Provide actionable insights to enhance detection coverage and reduce false positives.
Governance & Compliance
- Ensure configurations align with security policies and compliance frameworks.
- Support audit preparation and regulatory documentation.
- Maintain updated operational runbooks and architecture documentation.
Required Skills & Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, or a related field.
- 3–5 years of hands-on experience in SOC operations or security engineering.
- Proficiency with Palo Alto Cortex XSIAM, XDR, and Data Lake platforms.
- Strong understanding of incident response, log management, and threat detection.
- Familiarity with Python/PowerShell scripting for automation.
- Knowledge of frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK, NIST, etc.
Preferred Certifications:
- Palo Alto Networks Certified Cybersecurity Entry-level Technician (PCCET)
- Palo Alto Networks Certified Detection and Remediation Analyst (PCDRA)
- CISSP, CEH, or equivalent certifications
Mandatory Skills:
- SOC L1/L2 – Monitoring
- SOC Operations
- Network Security
- OT Security – Industrial Protocols (Modbus, Profibus, Profinet, Bacnet, Canbus)
- OT Security Assessments