This position is open to Alaska Residents only. Please check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.
What You Will Be Doing
Protect the State of Alaska by safeguarding the systems that keep government running.
Join the State Security Office’s Security Operations Team as an IT Security Specialist, where you will play a critical role in defending the State’s executive branch against cyber threats. As one of three Cybersecurity Analysts, you’ll work at the frontline of statewide cybersecurity—monitoring threats, responding to incidents, and administering enterprise-level security tools that protect thousands of users, devices, and services.
This position is one of three advanced-level security analyst positions on the Security Operations team and is expected to apply knowledge of a wide range of principles, concepts, and practices in information systems security to independently complete all levels of assignments including the most complex.
This is a mission-driven role with direct impact. You’ll help protect essential government operations, sensitive data, and citizen-facing systems relied on every day.
In this role, you will:
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Serve as the lead email and identity security analyst, monitoring and triaging threats across the State’s enterprise email and identity platforms—an essential safeguard for devices, user accounts, and data.
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Work independently to complete complex assignments.
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Closely monitor identity-based threats and perform remediation actions as needed.
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Devise methods and processes to analyze and resolve problems that require deviation from routine or available solutions for resolution.
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Administer and support key security technologies such as Endpoint Detection and Response, Secure Email Gateway, Secure Web Gateway, DNS security, SOAR platforms, IDS/IPS, SIEM, firewalls, identity protection solutions, and other enterprise security systems.
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Conduct daily cybersecurity alert analysis and incident response, using advanced defensive tools to determine severity, mitigate threats, and restore secure operations.
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Perform log searches and analysis across diverse sources to support investigations, respond to internal and external requests, and support audit and compliance needs.
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Participate in week-long rotations as part of the 24/7 on-call cybersecurity team, responding to urgent threats and incidents that impact statewide systems.
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Analyze security reports, audit findings, and technical data to provide accurate recommendations, documentation, and solutions to the Security Operations Manager.
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Travel when needed to datacenters or State offices to perform on-site troubleshooting, remediation, or emergency response using State-owned vehicles.
Working in the State Security Office requires successful completion of a background check and security clearance through the Division of Public Safety, including fingerprinting.
If you want to advance your career in cybersecurity, contribute to protecting critical public infrastructure, and work with enterprise-scale tools and technologies, this is your opportunity to lead, safeguard, and grow in Alaska’s cybersecurity frontline.
Our Organization, Mission, and Culture
Our Vision: One Government, empowered by innovative technical collaboration.
Collaboration is a fundamental underpinning for ensuring the State of Alaska's information technology services and solutions meet cybersecurity requirements and protect Alaskan citizens entrusted information.
SSO Mission:
The mission of the State Security Office (SSO) is to reduce risks to the information assets of the State of Alaska and its citizens. The SSO is authorized and empowered to create, train, and enforce security policies and standards that protect Alaska’s information and technology resources. The SSO strives to prevent security incidents, assist with the recovery from adverse events, and improve compliance with State and Federal laws as well as State policies, standards, regulations, and procedures.
The Benefits of Joining Our Team
Work on the Security Operations Team is exciting and presents team members with new challenges on a daily basis as well as a variety of training and professional advancement opportunities.
The State of Alaska offers a diverse training platform in many areas in support of your career goals, and a team dedicated to developing training plans to help you meet those goals.
The State of Alaska offers a competitive salary a solid benefit package that includes retirement plans (with employer contributions), health insurance for medical/dental/vision (with employer contributions), and group-based insurance benefits such as term life, short/long-term disability, pet insurance, and much more. Click on the Benefits tab of this posting to learn more.
The Working Environment You Can Expect
While the OIT SSO offices are primarily located in downtown Juneau, 5th Floor State Office Building and in Anchorage, the Bayview Building on Ship Creek Ave, this position is suitable for up to 100% (in-state) telework if all job duties and expectations are able to be met.
The working social environment will center around telework. Regular attendance at daily/weekly meetings will be essential to stay abreast of ongoing activities and projects.
Who We Are Looking For
We are interested in candidates who possess some or all of the following position specific competencies:
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Incident Management: Knowledge of the tactics, technologies, principles, and processes to protect, analyze, prioritize, and handle incidents.
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Vulnerabilities Assessment: Knowledge of the principles, methods, and tools for assessing vulnerabilities, and developing or recommending appropriate mitigation countermeasures.
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Identity Management: Knowledge of methods and controls to validate the identity of individuals to verify access approval.
Competency Based Minimum Qualifications Instructions
This job class uses competency based minimum qualifications. Please ensure your application (through work history, volunteer experience (duties summary), training, education, licenses, certifications, etc.) supports how you have gained the knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors (competencies) and that you possess the minimum required competencies for the job class.
Competency Description
The competency description(s) listed below have been designed to promote a common understanding of the essential elements of the job class. They highlight the more general and customary knowledge, skills, abilities (KSAs), tasks, and behaviors used to describe the competency. They typically list expectations, as opposed to specific tasks, and are to be used only as parameters and guidelines. A competency’s description is not intended to exclusively define every KSA, task, and behavior needed to successfully meet the competency, but rather to provide the manager/agency with a broad reference of options as to how an applicant can meet the job expectation.
Any combination of education and/or experience that provides the applicant with competencies in:
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Computer Network Defense: Knowledge of defensive measures to detect, respond, and protect information, information systems, and networks from threats.
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Information Assurance: Knowledge of methods and procedures to protect information systems and data by ensuring their availability, authentication, confidentiality, and integrity.
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Information Systems/Network Security: Knowledge of methods, tools, and procedures, including development of information security plans, to prevent information systems vulnerabilities, and provide or restore security of information systems and network services.
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Systems Testing and Evaluation: Knowledge of principles, methods, and tools for analyzing and developing systems testing and evaluation procedures and technical characteristics of IT systems, including identifying critical operational issues.
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Web Technology: Knowledge of the principles and methods of web technologies, tools, and delivery systems, including web security, privacy policy practices, and user interface issues.
Equivalent to those typically gained by:
Training in computer science, information systems, information assurance, cybersecurity, or a similar field; professional certification in information systems security; professional experience assessing infrastructure and data to identify vulnerabilities in software and hardware that could expose the infrastructure to a security breach; and experience evaluating the effectiveness of existing security measures.
Special Note:
Some positions may require the incumbent to have/obtain and maintain specific information security certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Security+. These requirements will be specified in the recruitment bulletin and supporting position description.
“Competencies” means a combination of interrelated knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors that enable a person to act effectively in a job or situation.
“Typically gained by” means the prevalent, usual method of gaining the competencies expected for entry into the job.
“Training” means the process of acquiring knowledge and skills through instruction. It includes instruction through formal and informal methods (such as classroom, on-line, self-study, and on-the-job), from accredited and unaccredited sources, and long-duration (such as a post-secondary degree) and short-duration (such as a seminar) programs.
“Professional experience” means work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the power or right to decide or act according to one's own judgment.
“Progressively responsible” means indicating growth and/or advancement in complexity, difficulty, or level of responsibility.
Please read the below information carefully. This applies to your application submission.
THIS RECRUITMENT IS FOR ALASKA RESIDENTS ONLY
Please be sure to check our residency definition to determine if you qualify.
At time of interview, please be prepared to provide:
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Three (3) professional references and current contact numbers, including two (2) current or former supervisors;
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Copies of your two (2) most recent employment performance evaluations if available; please substitute with letters of recommendation if evaluations are not available.
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A copy of academic transcripts (unofficial are okay, please ensure that the institution name/URL is listed on the transcripts) to verify that you meet the minimum qualifications. if not provided, transcripts will be required prior to appointment.
APSIN
Please be aware – this position requires the use of the Alaska Public Safety Information Network (APSIN). A security clearance issued by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is necessary to use APSIN. DPS will deny security clearance for any applicant who has been convicted of a felony or misdemeanor in this state or another jurisdiction, or who may be a fugitive from justice. Additionally, security clearance will be withdrawn if DPS discovers that material information was falsified or omitted at the time of the initial application for security clearance.
EDUCATION
If post-secondary education is required to meet the minimum qualifications, you must fill in the Education section of the application. If you have not obtained a degree, please indicate the number of units completed. Copies of transcripts are required to verify educational credentials if used to meet the minimum qualifications for a position. Transcripts can be attached at the time of application or within 48 hours of the close of this recruitment to the contact person listed below.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR FOREIGN EDUCATION
Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the above requirements, if applicable. If utilizing this education you must show that the education credentials have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign educational credentials and that such education has been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education programs; or an accredited U.S. state university reports the other institution as one whose transcript is given full value, or full value is given in subject areas applicable to the curricula at the state university. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.
WORK EXPERIENCE
If using work experience not already documented in your application, also provide the employer’s name, your job title, dates of employment, and whether full-or part-time. Applications will be reviewed to determine if the responses are supported and minimum qualifications are clearly met. If they are not, the applicant may not advance to the interview and selection phase of the recruitment.
NOTE: Attaching a resume or curriculum vitae is not an alternative to filling out the application in its entirety. Noting "see resume or CV" or any similar response on any portion of your application may lead to a determination your application is incomplete and removal from consideration for this job posting.
APPLICATION NOTICE
You can ONLY apply for this position through the Workplace Alaska website or via hardcopy application. If you accessed this recruitment bulletin through a job search portal such as AlaskaJobs or any other database, you MUST use a Workplace Alaska online or hardcopy application to successfully apply. Instructions on how to apply with Workplace Alaska may be found on the Workplace Alaska "How to Apply" webpage, found here: http://doa.alaska.gov/dop/workplace/help/
EEO STATEMENT
The State of Alaska complies with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Individuals with disabilities, who require accommodation, auxiliary aides or services, or alternative communication formats, please call 1-800-587-0430 or (907) 465-4095 in Juneau or TTY: Alaska Relay 711 or 1-800-770-8973 or correspond with the Division of Personnel & Labor Relations at: P.O. Box 110201, Juneau, AK 99811-0201. The State of Alaska is an equal opportunity employer.
NOTICE
If you choose to be contacted by email, please ensure your email address is correct on your application and that the spam filter will permit email from the ‘govermentjobs.com’ domains. For information on allowing emails from the ‘governmentjobs.com’ domains, visit the Lost Password Help page located at https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword.
WORKPLACE ALASKA APPLICATION QUESTIONS & ASSISTANCE
Questions regarding application submission or system operation errors should be directed to the Workplace Alaska hotline at 1-800-587-0430 (toll free) or (907) 465-4095 if you are located in the Juneau area. Requests for information may also be emailed to [email protected].
For applicant password assistance please visit: https://www.governmentjobs.com/OnlineApplication/User/ResetPassword
