Lead Threat Analyst (Black Lotus Labs)

Lumen is the trusted network for the AI‑powered world, connecting people, data, and applications through our expansive fiber network and connected ecosystem. We enable secure, high‑performance connectivity across cloud, edge, and AI workloads for enterprises, governments, and communities.

At Lumen, you’ll work on infrastructure customers rely on today and build for what’s next, where performance, security, and resilience matter.

This is a high accountability environment where bold ideas drive real innovation for our customers, partners, and industry. The work is challenging, expectations are clear, and trust is built into how we operate. If you’re ready to take ownership, deliver meaningful impact, and help shape the future of AI‑ready connectivity, join us today.

The Role

Black Lotus Labs has an opening for a Lead Information Security Engineer who will support threat hunting, investigation, and discovery of evolving malicious activity using Lumen’s unique network visibility, analytic platforms, and approved AI-enabled tools. Our global visibility into one of the world’s largest and most interconnected IP backbones, combined with our computing cluster and analytic platforms, presents exciting opportunities to apply machine learning, graph analytics, automation, and AI-enabled tools to help identify threats across the internet. Black Lotus Labs has detected and disrupted key evolving threats at an internet scale for years.

This position will work alongside Black Lotus Labs advanced security researchers, data engineers, malware reverse engineers, data scientists, and our customers to support investigations into evolving threats using technologies like our Hadoop ecosystem (HBase, HDFS, Spark, Kafka, AirFlow), Elasticsearch and Redis clusters, Docker using Docker Swarm, malware environment, a network of honeypots, and modern AI-assisted research and development capabilities.

This is a close-knit, experienced, amazingly smart team that you can be a part of and help build out. This is a remote/work-from-home opening with requirements for in person collaboration at the customer site as needed in Annapolis Junction, Maryland.

This position requires an active TS/SCI security clearance w/ CI Poly.

Location

This is a remote postion open to candidates based anywhere in the US.

The Main Responsibilities

• Research attacker tools, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and contribute to analytic approaches that support automated detection.
• Work with cyber operators and senior researchers, when requested, to support investigations into cyber threat activity and assist with mitigation guidance.
• Support automation of investigations through Python scripting, data analysis, and visualization in Jupyter Notebooks and Grafana.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with internal intelligence teams, law enforcement, and outside groups.
• Support customer RFIs on incidents and emerging threats with guidance from senior team members as needed.
• Use approved AI-enabled tools to assist with research, coding, data exploration, documentation, and knowledge discovery while validating outputs through sound analytical judgment.
• Contribute to repeatable workflows that combine analyst expertise, automation, and AI-assisted capabilities to improve investigative efficiency and analytical quality.

What We Look For in a Candidate

• Candidates must effectively communicate complex domain-specific concepts, ensuring clarity for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Familiarity with adversary capabilities, infrastructure, and techniques, with the ability to apply that knowledge in collaboration with supporting teams and partners.
• Experience using OSINT methods for investigation, including discovering novel threats in malware repositories.
• Scripting experience with Python and familiarity with large-scale or distributed data analysis concepts.
• Experience supporting cyber threat hunting, security investigations, or analysis of suspicious activity using structured data sets.
• Familiarity with network-based threats and identifying suspicious behaviors from network telemetry.
• Strong analytical thinking and ability to quickly pick up new methods, tools and programming languages.
• Willingness to learn new cyber threat research tradecraft and apply unfamiliar data sources, investigative methods, analytic tools, and AI-assisted workflows to mission-focused problems.
• User-level experience in a Unix-based environment.
• Familiarity with extracting data through SQL.
• Strong writing skills to assist in documenting findings and sharing knowledge with technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrable knowledge of several of the following areas: cybersecurity concepts, network protocols, firewalls, IDS/IPS systems, cyber threat hunting, malware analysis concepts, cyber threat intelligence, common threat actor TTPs, application security concepts, or cloud security fundamentals.
• Ability to develop proficiency in unfamiliar technical domains through foundational analytical skills, self-directed learning, and effective use of AI-assisted research and problem-solving tools.
• Ability to use AI-enabled tools responsibly to support technical research, analysis, coding, documentation, and report development while maintaining professional skepticism and analytical rigor.
• Ability to review and validate AI-generated outputs before using them in analysis, findings, or recommendations.

Candidates may also have the following preferred skills or experience:

• Previous work experience with Department of Defense (DoD), Intelligence Community, or other government agencies is preferred.
• Hands-on experience with Spark, distributed computing, or large-scale data analysis platforms is preferred.
• Experience developing automation and analysis in Python-based environments.
• Ability to collaborate with peers and senior team members while developing expertise in new technical topics.
• Exposure to generative AI, AI-assisted coding, retrieval-augmented analysis, or agent-based workflows in cyber research, threat hunting, or intelligence production is preferred.

Preferred:

• Familiarity with analyzing NetFlow data to identify unusual patterns and potential security threats.
• Interest in conducting trend analysis to uncover patterns and emerging threats, enabling proactive defense strategies.
• Demonstrated curiosity and sound judgment when using AI-enabled tools in mission-focused environments while maintaining data protection requirements, analytical integrity, and human accountability for findings and recommendations.

Compensation

This information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors.

Location Based Pay Ranges

$105,786 - $141,047 in these states: AL AR AZ FL GA IA ID IN KS KY LA ME MO MS MT ND NE NM OH OK PA SC SD TN UT VT WI WV WY $111,074 - $148,099 in these states: CO HI MI MN NC NH NV OR RI $116,364 - $155,152 in these states: AK CA CT DC DE IL MA MD NJ NY TX VA WA

Lumen offers a comprehensive package featuring a broad range of Health, Life, Voluntary Lifestyle benefits and other perks that enhance your physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing. We're able to answer any additional questions you may have about our bonus structure (short-term incentives, long-term incentives and/or sales compensation) as you move through the selection process.

Learn more about Lumen's: Benefits

LI-Remote

Requisition #: 342922

Life at Lumen

Life at Lumen is human and connected, even in a fast moving, AI‑focused organization. We set clear expectations and trust people to meet them. With real support and shared accountability, teams collaborate better, move faster, and deliver meaningful outcomes.

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To learn more about Life at Lumen and how we live the Lumen 8, please visit:

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Disclaimer

The job responsibilities described above indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to include a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities for this job. Job duties and responsibilities are subject to change based on evolving business needs and conditions.

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