IT - SCDHHS - Security Analyst - Consultant

Position Overview

Join our dynamic team in Columbia, SC, where you will report to the Office of Cybersecurity SOC Lead. This hands-on technical cybersecurity role supports daily security operations, providing invaluable support to SCDHHS leadership, business units, vendors, and external partners. You will contribute independently on technical tasks while assisting senior analysts on complex initiatives.

Project Scope

• Support the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of agency systems and services.
• Assist in strengthening network security, compliance, and cybersecurity operations.
• Work across on-premises and cloud networking environments.

Core Technical Requirements

• Network design best practices.
• Routing and switching protocols.
• Network security best practices.
• On-premises and cloud networking environments.
• Security monitoring and incident response.

Daily Responsibilities

• Support and mature network security and compliance solutions.
• Investigate and respond to network security alerts.
• Perform network security assessments for firewall and infrastructure changes.
• Conduct technical analysis for network security planning and engineering.
• Review firewall requests, connectivity requests, and website access requests.
• Analyze on-premise and cloud network environments for threats.
• Review and analyze network traffic for compliance with Ports, Protocols, and Services (PPS) standards.
• Monitor emerging cybersecurity threats and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with technical teams to implement security controls.
• Support network infrastructure enhancement and cloud security projects.
• Ensure compliance with CMS ARC-AMPE, HIPAA, and SCDIS-200.
• Assist with KPI development and trend reporting.
• Participate in firewall rule reviews and recertification activities.
• Provide cybersecurity guidance and best practices to technical teams.
• Perform additional SOC-related duties as assigned.

Security & Compliance Experience (Desired)

• CMS ARC-AMPE.
• HIPAA.
• NIST Framework.
• FISMA Risk Management Framework (RMF).
• Enterprise security architecture and compliance programs.
• Multi-tenant cloud security environments.
• Vendor integration security reviews.

Technical Skills Required

• 3–5 years of hands-on experience in network design, implementation, and support.
• IT Security or System Administration experience.
• Secure network design and security architecture knowledge.
• Understanding of compliance tools, data protection controls, and identity and access management models.
• Experience analyzing security logs, alerts, and network telemetry.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite.

Technical Experience Preferred

• Windows, macOS, and Linux administration.
• Enterprise switching and routing.
• Enterprise firewalls.
• Network auditing.
• IDS/IPS platforms.
• Network security monitoring tools.
• SIEM platforms: QRadar, Splunk (preferred).
• Vulnerability management tools: Nessus, Qualys.
• Cloud infrastructure security: AWS, Azure.

Preferred Experience

• Regulatory or compliance-driven environments.
• Healthcare IT environments.
• State government environments.
• FISMA, NIST, HIPAA, and CMS security standards.

Required Education & Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
• Equivalent experience may be considered.
• Network security certification required: CCNA, PCNSE, or similar network security certification.

Preferred Certifications

• CISSP
• CompTIA Security

Pre-Employment Requirements

• Criminal background check.
• Drug screening.
• Credit check.
• Motor vehicle record check.