Security Detection & Response Lead

Protingent

San Jose, CA

JOB DETAILS
SALARY
$85–$90 Per Hour
SKILLS
Amazon Web Services (AWS), Analysis Skills, Automation, CISSP - Certified Information Systems Security Professional, Cloud Computing, Communication Skills, CompTIA Security+, Computer Science, Computer Security, Continuous Improvement, Cross-Functional, Customer Support/Service, Documentation, Endpoint Security, Enterprise Protection, Environmental Monitoring, Establish Priorities, Firewalls, GCIA - GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst, GCIH - GIAC Certified Incident Handler, Hunting, Incident Management, Incident Response, Information Technology & Information Systems, Information/Data Security (InfoSec), Internet Security, Intrusion Detection Systems, Intrusion Prevention Systems, Leadership, Linux Operating System, Mentoring, Metrics, Microsoft Windows Azure, Microsoft Windows Server, Onboarding, Operating Systems, Presentation/Verbal Skills, Problem Solving Skills, Process Improvement, Quality Management, Reporting Dashboards, Root Cause Analysis, Security Analysis, Security Attacks, Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), Security Infrastructure, Security Monitoring, Signal-to-noise Ratio (SNR), Splunk, Technical Leadership, Telemetry, Threat Modeling, Use Cases, Vendor/Supplier Selection, Writing Skills
LOCATION
San Jose, CA
POSTED
14 days ago
Job Title: Security Detection & Response Lead

Position Description: Protingent Staffing has an exciting contract Security Detection & Response Lead with our client located in San Jose, CA.

Job Description:
  • Lead enterprise-wide security monitoring and threat detection across SIEM, EDR, network, endpoint, and cloud security platforms.

Job Responsibilities:
  • Design, implement, validate, tune, and optimize detection rules, correlation logic, dashboards, and alerting use cases.
  • Continuously improve detection quality and reduce false positives to strengthen operational efficiency and signal-to-noise ratio.
  • Ensure effective log ingestion, parsing, normalization, field extraction, and telemetry coverage across critical systems and infrastructure.
  • Support onboarding and integration of new log sources, security tools, and telemetry pipelines into the security monitoring environment.
  • Lead investigation and response activities for security incidents across enterprise systems.
  • Serve as the technical lead during high-severity incidents, coordinating containment, eradication, recovery, and cross-functional response efforts with IT, cloud, and infrastructure teams.
  • Perform advanced analysis to determine incident scope, root cause, impact, and recommended remediation actions.
  • Conduct post-incident reviews and drive improvements to detections, playbooks, and response procedures based on lessons learned.
  • Lead proactive threat hunting efforts using SIEM, NDR, EDR, CASB, and cloud telemetry to identify advanced or evasive threats.
  • Investigate suspicious behaviors including lateral movement, privilege escalation, persistence, and data exfiltration attempts.
  • Map detections, investigations, and threat hunting activities to the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
  • Mentor and guide SOC analysts and incident responders in threat analysis, investigation techniques, and response workflows.
  • Develop, maintain, and improve incident response runbooks, threat models, triage procedures, and detection documentation.
  • Track and report on security operations metrics such as MTTD, MTTR, detection coverage, and recurring incident trends.
  • Partner with IT, infrastructure, engineering, and vulnerability management teams to prioritize remediation and strengthen overall security posture.
  • Collaborate across technical and non-technical teams to ensure rapid, effective response to security incidents and continuous improvement of detection and response capabilities.

Job Qualifications:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Security, or a related field; Master’s degree preferred.
  • 6-8 years of experience in security operations, threat detection, incident response, or related cybersecurity roles.
  • Hands-on experience with SIEM platforms such as Splunk, including rule creation, correlation logic, dashboarding, and log analysis.
  • Strong experience investigating alerts and incidents across endpoint, network, operating system, and cloud environments.
  • Deep understanding of incident response methodologies, threat investigation workflows, and root cause analysis.
  • Solid knowledge of enterprise log sources including Windows/Linux servers, firewalls, IDS/IPS, endpoints, and cloud-native services.
  • Strong knowledge of detection engineering, MITRE ATT&CK techniques, adversary behaviors, and threat hunting methodologies.
  • Experience with cloud environments such as AWS, Azure, or similar, including security monitoring and logging services.
  • Familiarity with SOAR, automation, or orchestration tools is a plus.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills in fast-paced operational environments.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly present findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Ability to lead incident response efforts, mentor team members, and collaborate effectively across diverse global teams.
  • Relevant certifications such as CISSP, GCIH, GCIA, Security+, Splunk Security certifications, or comparable credentials are a plus.

Job Details:
  • Job Type: Contract
  • Pay Rate: $85-$90 an hour.
  • Location: San Jose, CA.

Benefits Package: Protingent offers competitive salaries, insurance plan options (HDHP plan or POS plan), education/certification reimbursement, pre-tax commuter benefits, Paid Time Off (PTO), and an administered 401k plan.

About Protingent: Protingent is an Award-Winning provider of top-tier Engineering and IT talent, trusted by companies at the forefront of innovation — from Software and Aerospace to AI, Clean Tech, Medical Devices, and Connected Technologies. We’re passionate about making a positive impact by connecting exceptional talent with meaningful opportunities and helping our clients build the future.

About the Company

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Protingent