Security Analyst

Seeking an experienced Security Analyst for a 12 month contracted opportunity supporting cybersecurity and data protection operations located in Columbia, SC. This is a hybrid opportunity that will require 3 days in office. Candidate must be local to Columbia, SC and a current South Carolina resident. Scope Of Project: This position supports the cybersecurity and data protection operations, with a focus on DLP, Insider Risk Management, Copilot/AI data security, auditing, vendor security reviews, and device patching. The analyst will review and triage security alerts, investigate access and movement of sensitive information, perform system and vendor audits, document findings, assist with incident escalation, and work with technical and business teams to strengthen the overall security and data governance posture. What You Will Do In This Role: Data Protection & Data Governance Monitor and administer Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies and controls. Investigate potential data loss, data exposure, and unauthorized access incidents. Support Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) initiatives related to AI and Copilot. Review the movement, storage, and sharing of sensitive information. Assist in implementation of data classification and data handling requirements. Participate in data governance initiatives and support data owners and stewards. Security Monitoring & Incident Response Review and triage security alerts from DLP, Insider Risk Management, DSPM, and other security platforms. Investigate suspicious activity involving sensitive information. Document findings and maintain investigation records. Escalate incidents according to agency incident response procedures. Assist with containment, recovery, and post-incident activities. Monitor Insider Risk Management alerts and cases. Analyze user activity associated with potential policy violations. Conduct investigations while maintaining confidentiality and proper chain of evidence. Recommend corrective actions and risk mitigation strategies. Vendor Security Management Participate in third-party and vendor security assessments. Review vendor security documentation, audit reports, and questionnaires. Identify cybersecurity risks associated with third-party services. Assist in tracking remediation efforts and risk acceptance decisions. Security Auditing & Compliance Support cybersecurity audits and compliance reviews. Collect and analyze evidence for regulatory and policy requirements. Assist with risk assessments and control validation activities. Work with technical and non-technical staff to address security concerns. Prepare reports, metrics, and presentations regarding security risks and trends. Participate in cybersecurity awareness and training initiatives. Recommend improvements to security policies, procedures, and controls. Required Experience: The candidate must have 3 years experience supporting enterprise cybersecurity operations, including threat monitoring, incident response, and risk analysis. The candidate must have 3 years hands‑on experience working with data protection technologies such as data loss prevention (DLP), insider risk management tools, and data security posture management for AI (DSPM for AI). The candidate must have 3 years experience reviewing and triaging data related security alerts, analyzing access and movement of sensitive information, documenting findings, and escalating incidents according to established procedures. The candidate must also have 3 years of collaborating with technical and nontechnical teams to resolve security issues and supporting continuous improvement in the data security posture. Preferred Experience: Experience working with AI driven security tools, Cortex, particularly DSPM platforms designed to manage sensitive data used by AI systems, is preferred. Experience finetuning DLP policies, refining insider risk alerts, or supporting data governance programs is beneficial. Familiarity with Azure security, identity‑based access controls, conditional access, and security automation or scripting is also preferred. Required Education: Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, information technology, computer science, or a related field is required; equivalent experience may be considered. A foundational security certification such as CompTIA Security+ or GIAC Security Essentials (GSEC) is required. Preferred certifications include Microsoft SC100, SC200, CEH, or an Associate level CISSP. #J-18808-Ljbffr