Cybersecurity Analyst

The Cybersecurity Analyst is responsible for monitoring, assessing, protecting, and improving the security of Polk State College information systems, networks, cloud services, endpoints, applications, and institutional data. Reporting within the Institutional Technology division, this position serves as a senior technical resource for security operations, incident response, vulnerability management, security engineering, risk assessment, compliance support, and the continuous improvement of the College’s cybersecurity program.

The Cybersecurity Analyst works closely with technology teams, data owners, functional departments, vendors, auditors, and College leadership to identify and reduce cybersecurity risk. The position applies the NIST Cybersecurity Framework to governance and operational practices; supports compliance with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), GovRAMP requirements, and other applicable standards; and helps ensure that security controls are effective, documented, measurable, and aligned with institutional priorities.

Essential Functions/Duties

• Monitor security alerts, logs, events, threat intelligence, and anomalous activity across networks, endpoints, identities, applications, email, and cloud environments.
• Investigate suspected cybersecurity incidents; perform triage, analysis, containment, eradication, recovery, documentation, and post-incident review in accordance with the College’s incident response plan.
• Administer, configure, monitor, and optimize security technologies including security information and event management, endpoint detection and response, identity protection, email security, vulnerability management, and network security platforms.
• Perform vulnerability scanning, risk-based prioritization, remediation tracking, validation, and reporting for servers, endpoints, network devices, applications, and cloud services.
• Support the development, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of cybersecurity controls using the NIST Cybersecurity Framework functions of Govern, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, and Recover.
• Support the College’s GLBA information security program, including risk assessments, safeguards, service-provider oversight, control testing, incident response, and required documentation.
• Support FERPA compliance by helping protect education records through appropriate access controls, monitoring, secure handling, incident management, and user awareness.
• Evaluate cloud service providers and technology solutions for security, privacy, regulatory, and contractual risk, including review of GovRAMP authorization status and applicable security documentation.
• Conduct security risk assessments and control reviews for systems, applications, vendors, projects, integrations, and changes to the technology environment.
• Assist with identity and access management, multifactor authentication, privileged access, conditional access, role-based access controls, access reviews, and account lifecycle security.
• Analyze firewall, intrusion prevention, virtual private network, network segmentation, web filtering, and related network-security configurations; recommend and implement improvements within assigned authority.
• Develop and maintain cybersecurity policies, standards, procedures, baselines, incident playbooks, risk registers, control evidence, diagrams, and technical documentation.
• Coordinate cybersecurity audit and assessment activities; collect evidence, document control operation, track findings, and assist responsible owners with corrective action plans.
• Develop security metrics, dashboards, risk reports, vulnerability reports, and incident summaries for technical teams and College leadership.
• Participate in disaster recovery, business continuity, tabletop exercises, penetration testing, and incident response exercises.
• Support cybersecurity awareness activities, phishing simulations, security advisories, targeted training, and technical guidance for faculty, staff, and students.
• Research emerging threats, vulnerabilities, attack techniques, regulatory developments, and security technologies; recommend practical improvements to the College’s security posture.
• Coordinate with law enforcement, cyber insurance resources, incident response partners, vendors, and external specialists when authorized and appropriate.
• Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned., * Polk State College participates in E-Verify. Candidates must provide documentation of eligibility to work in the United States. Polk State College does not provide visa sponsorship.
• To request Veteran’s Preference, please be sure to upload all necessary documents (DD-214, etc.) to your application.
• Polk State College is a drug-free workplace.
• Polk State College is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants and employees with disabilities. Reasonable accommodation is considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Employment visa sponsorship is unavailable for this position. Applicants requiring employment visa sponsorship now or in the future (e.g., F-1 STEM OPT, H-1B, TN, J1, etc.) will not be considered.
• Reference checks, successful completion of a background check, and third-party Education Verification for all stated degrees will be required prior to employment.
• Polk State College does NOT provide relocation assistance for this position., Do you have experience monitoring and investigating security events using SIEM, endpoint detection and response, network-security, identity-security, or comparable technologies?
• Yes
• No

13

Do you have experience performing vulnerability assessments, prioritizing security findings, coordinating remediation, and validating corrective actions?

• Yes
• No

14

Do you have experience responding to cybersecurity incidents and documenting investigation, containment, recovery, lessons learned, and follow-up actions?

• Yes
• No

15

Do you have experience applying security frameworks, policies, standards, or regulatory requirements to technical and operational controls?

• Yes
• No

16

Do you have experience preparing technical documentation, risk assessments, audit evidence, security metrics, and reports for varied audiences?

• Yes
• No

17

Do you have experience administering or supporting Palo Alto Networks or Fortinet FortiGate next-generation firewalls, including policies, VPNs, threat prevention, logging, and network segmentation?

• Yes
• No

18

Do you have experience with the Microsoft cybersecurity stack, including Microsoft Defender XDR, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Office 365, Defender for Cloud, Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Purview, and Microsoft Intune?

• Yes
• No

19

Do you have experience with cloud security, conditional access, identity protection, privileged identity management, data loss prevention, information protection, and security automation?

• Yes
• No

• Strong knowledge of cybersecurity operations, incident response, threat detection, vulnerability management, security engineering, and risk management.
• Working knowledge of GLBA Safeguards Rule requirements, FERPA protections, GovRAMP authorization concepts, and the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
• Knowledge of common attack methods, indicators of compromise, security event analysis, malware behavior, phishing, identity-based attacks, and network threats.
• Experience with SIEM, endpoint detection and response, vulnerability scanning, identity security, email security, firewalls, intrusion prevention, and cloud-security tools.
• Understanding of TCP/IP, DNS, authentication, encryption, certificates, operating-system security, network segmentation, cloud architectures, and secure configuration practices.
• Ability to analyze security logs and technical evidence, distinguish normal from suspicious activity, and communicate appropriate response actions.
• Ability to conduct risk and control assessments and translate technical findings into clear business risk statements and remediation recommendations.
• Strong analytical, investigative, troubleshooting, organizational, documentation, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to manage sensitive information and cybersecurity incidents with discretion, sound judgment, and attention to legal and institutional requirements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work effectively with technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, respond calmly under pressure, and participate effectively in time-sensitive incident response activities.
• Commitment to continuous learning, ethical conduct, customer service, and the protection of institutional information resources., * Bachelor’s degree or higher in Cybersecurity, Information Security, Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Digital Forensics, or a related field from a regionally accredited college or university.

Preferred Education:

• Master’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Security, Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Digital Forensics, or a related field.

Required Experience:

• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in cybersecurity operations, information security, network security, systems security, incident response, or related information technology work.
• Experience monitoring and investigating security events using SIEM, endpoint detection and response, network-security, identity-security, or comparable technologies.
• Experience performing vulnerability assessments, prioritizing security findings, coordinating remediation, and validating corrective actions.
• Experience responding to cybersecurity incidents and documenting investigation, containment, recovery, lessons learned, and follow-up actions.
• Experience applying security frameworks, policies, standards, or regulatory requirements to technical and operational controls.
• Experience preparing technical documentation, risk assessments, audit evidence, security metrics, and reports for varied audiences.

Preferred Experience

• Experience administering or supporting Palo Alto Networks or Fortinet FortiGate next-generation firewalls, including policies, VPNs, threat prevention, logging, and network segmentation.
• Experience with the Microsoft cybersecurity stack, including Microsoft Defender XDR, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Office 365, Defender for Cloud, Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Purview, and Microsoft Intune.
• Experience with cloud security, conditional access, identity protection, privileged identity management, data loss prevention, information protection, and security automation.
• Experience implementing or assessing controls under the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, NIST Special Publications, GLBA, FERPA, or comparable regulatory and security frameworks.
• Experience in higher education, government, financial services, healthcare, or another regulated environment.
• Experience with penetration testing, digital forensics, threat hunting, incident response exercises, or security orchestration and automation.
• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, GIAC, CompTIA Security+, CySA+, Microsoft SC-100, SC-200, or SC-300, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, or comparable credentials.

Alternative Credentials:

• High School Diploma or equivalent with 9 years of directly related experience.

or

• Associates degree with 7 years of directly related experience., * High School Diploma/GED
• Associates Degree
• Bachelors Degree
• Masters Degree
• Masters Degree + 18 graduate hours
• Doctorate Degree

10

Do you have a Bachelors Degree or higher in Cybersecurity, Information Security, Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Digital Forensics, or a related field from a regionally accredited college or university?

• Yes
• No

11

How many years of progressively responsible experience in cybersecurity operations, information security, network security, systems security, incident response, or related information technology work do you have?

• No experience
• Less than 1 year of experience
• 1 year but less than 2 years of experience
• 2 years but less than 3 years of experience
• 3 years but less than 5 years of experience
• 5 years but less than 7 years of experience
• 7 years but less than 9 years of experience
• More than 9 years of experience, Access Control, Analysis Skills, Authentication, Automation, CISM - Certified Information Security Manager, CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Cloud Applications, Cloud Architecture, Cloud Computing, Communication Skills, CompTIA Security+, Computer Forensics, Computer Science, Computer Security, Content Filtering Software, Continuous Improvement, Corrective Action, Cryptography, Customer Support/Service, DNS (Domain Name System), Data Analysis, Develop Methodologies, Disaster Recovery, Document Control, Documentation, Email Security, Establish Priorities, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), Financial Services, Firewalls, GIAC - Global Information Assurance Certification, Government, Healthcare, High School Diploma, Higher Education, Hunting, Identify Issues, Identity Data Management, Incident Management, Incident Response, Information Technology & Information Systems, Information/Data Security (InfoSec), Insurance, Internet Security, Intrusion Prevention Systems, Law Enforcement, Leadership, Legal, Loss Prevention, Malware Analysis, Metrics, Microsoft Product Family, Multitasking, Network Configuration Management, Network Security, Network Support, On Call, Operational Audit, Operations Security (OPSEC), Patient Assessment, Penetration Testing, Phishing, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Privacy Controls, Privacy Regulations, Problem Solving Skills, Publications, Regulations, Regulatory Requirements, Reporting Dashboards, Retirement Plan, Risk, Risk Analysis, Risk Management, Security Analysis, Security Attacks, Security Auditing, Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Security Infrastructure, Security Monitoring, TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), Team Player, Technical Leadership, Technical Writing, U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), VPN (Virtual Private Network), Vendor/Supplier Evaluation, Vulnerability Scanners, Writing Skills

• This is a full-time, on-campus position within the Institutional Technology department.
• Work hours may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and on-call response as needed to address cybersecurity incidents, maintenance windows, upgrades, assessments, and critical operational activities.
• Travel between Polk State College campuses and centers may be required.
• Frequent use of computers and office technology is required.

Salary and Benefits Information:

• This position is classified at Level P16.

Polk State College offers an excellent employer-paid benefits package, including Medical, Dental, Life, Long-Term Disability, Vacation, Holiday, and Sick Leave, Retirement (if eligible), and college fee waivers. Additional voluntary benefits are also available., We encourage applicants to provide feedback on their experience or request help at Careers@polk.edu.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage; short-term disability; paid holidays and sick leave; vacation (excluding faculty positions); retirement benefits for eligible employees; and college fee waivers.

To learn more details, visit our benefits page.

01

Are you over the age of 18?

• Yes
• No

02

Are you currently authorized to work in the United States for any U.S. employer?

• Yes
• No

03

Will you now or in the future require any type of employer sponsorship or immigration-related support to legally work for Polk State College? (This includes but is not limited to the following: H-1B, H-1B1, J-1, TN, E-3, O-1, F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT.)

• Yes
• No

04

Are you currently in a period of F-1 CPT or OPT or seeking employment under one of these programs?

• Yes
• No

05

Are you a United States Veteran or a qualifying family member seeking to use Veterans Preference? (Please upload your DD-214 documents to your profile/application.)

• Yes
• No

06

Are you a current employee at Polk State College?

• Yes
• No

07

Are you bilingual?

• Yes
• No

08

I am able to work 100% on campus and I do not require a remote or hybrid schedule.

• Yes
• No

09, Do you have experience implementing or assessing controls under the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, NIST Special Publications, GLBA, FERPA, or comparable regulatory and security frameworks?

• Yes
• No

21

Do you have experience with penetration testing, digital forensics, threat hunting, incident response exercises, or security orchestration and automation?

• Yes
• No

22

Do you have experience in higher education, government, financial services, healthcare, or another regulated environment?

• Yes
• No

23

Do you have relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, GIAC, CompTIA Security+, CySA+, Microsoft SC-100, SC-200, or SC-300, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, or comparable credentials?

• Yes
• No

24

The information provided in your application must support your selected answers in the supplemental questions. The information you provide will be verified and documentation may be required. Please be honest and accurate as possible. You may be asked to demonstrate your knowledge and skills in a work sample or during the interview. By completing this supplemental questionnaire, you are attesting that the information you have provided is accurate. Any misstatements, omissions, or falsification of information may eliminate you from consideration or result in dismissal.

• Yes, I understand and agree
• No, I do not agree

Required Question