R00326332 Microsoft Security Operations Centre (SOC) Analyst - T2 & T3

• Microsoft Security Operations Centre (SOC) Analyst - T2 & T3
• (Security Clearance Required)
• Preferred Location - Newcastle

Job Description

The SOC Analyst Team operates as a next-generation, intelligence-led Security Operations function, designed to deliver high-quality, scalable 24x7 security monitoring and response.

All SOC analysts participate in a 24x7 shift model, ensuring uninterrupted service coverage, while also contributing to detection improvement, automation feedback, and service optimisation when operational demand allows.

Tier 2 - SOC Analyst

Technology Primary - Microsoft Sentinel & Service Now.

Role Purpose

Tier 2 SOC Analysts represent the primary human analysis function, responsible for investigating escalated alerts and incidents that require human judgement, contextual understanding, and analytical depth.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform deep investigation of escalated alerts and incidents from automated Tier 1 workflows
• Validate threats, scope impact, and determine severity using contextual analysis

• Investigate across multiple data sources, including

• SIEM
• EDR / XDR
• Identity and authentication telemetry
• Cloud and Saa S platforms

• Coordinate and execute response actions in line with

• Defined playbooks
• Client-specific requirements
• Incident response procedures
• Maintain clear, high-quality investigation documentation and handover notes
• Operational Expectations
• Operate as part of a 24x7 shift rota
• Maintain accountability for investigation accuracy and quality
• Escalate complex or ambiguous cases to Tier 3 appropriately

• Provide structured feedback into

• Detection tuning
• Alert quality improvements
• Automation optimisation
• Continuous Improvement Contributions

When operational demand allows, Tier 2 analysts are expected to contribute insight time to platform improvement activities, supporting the Platform Automation Lead through:

• Identification of repeatable investigation patterns
• Feedback on automation opportunities
• Playbook refinement and improvement
• Detection logic tuning recommendations
• Tier 3 - Senior SOC Analyst / Incident Specialist
• Role Purpose

Tier 3 analysts provide advanced security expertise and escalation handling, focusing on complex, high-risk, or ambiguous security incidents and ensuring consistent investigation quality across the SOC.

Key Responsibilities

• Handle escalations involving

• High-impact or business-critical incidents
• Advanced or evasive attacker techniques
• Ambiguous or novel threat behaviour

• Conduct advanced threat analysis, including

• Attacker behaviour and intent assessment
• Cross-incident correlation
• Campaign and intrusion analysis
• Provide oversight and quality assurance of Tier 2 investigations
• Lead complex incident response coordination where required
• Leadership & Mentorship
• Participate in 24x7 escalation coverage, via on-call or senior shift roles
• Act as a technical mentor to Tier 2 analysts
• Support analyst development through coaching and investigative guidance
• Set investigation and response quality standards across the SOC
• Platform & Automation Feedback

Like Tier 2, Tier 3 analysts are expected to provide structured feedback into platform and automation initiatives, working indirectly with the Platform Automation Lead to:

• Improve detection fidelity
• Reduce repeat incident patterns
• Increase automation coverage over time
• Ensure complex incidents inform long-term service improvement
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