SOC Analyst Tier III

Piper Companies is seeking a Tier 3 SOC Analyst to join a leading cybersecurity and defense-focused organization in the Durham, NC area. The Tier 3 SOC Analyst will serve as a senior member of the Security Operations Center, leading advanced threat detection, incident response, and security investigations in a highly secure environment. This role requires an active Secret clearance , strong Splunk expertise, and the ability to work onsite five days per week., * Lead advanced incident response activities, including threat hunting, malware analysis, and forensic investigations.

• Monitor, analyze, and respond to complex security events and alerts across enterprise environments.

• Utilize Splunk to develop custom dashboards, searches, correlation rules, and detection content.

• Conduct root cause analysis and provide detailed recommendations for remediation and mitigation.

• Mentor junior SOC analysts and provide escalation support for high-priority security incidents.

• Collaborate with engineering, infrastructure, and compliance teams to strengthen security posture.

• Develop and maintain incident response procedures, playbooks, and security documentation.

• Stay current on emerging cyber threats, attack techniques, and industry best practices.

• Active Secret security clearance required.

• 5+ years of experience in a Security Operations Center (SOC), Cyber Defense, or Incident Response role.

• Strong hands-on experience with Splunk Enterprise for monitoring, alerting, and threat detection.

• Experience investigating advanced persistent threats (APTs), ransomware, and sophisticated cyber attacks.

• Knowledge of SIEM, EDR, IDS/IPS, and endpoint security technologies.

• Familiarity with MITRE ATT&CK framework, threat intelligence, and security best practices.

• Experience working within regulated or government-focused environments is highly preferred.

• Relevant certifications such as Security+, CySA+, GCIA, GCIH, CISSP, or similar are preferred.

• Salary range: $130,000 - $180,000 depending on experience

• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), and PTO

• Opportunity to support mission-critical cybersecurity operations