Cyber Defense Analyst II

Location: Chicago - 20 S. Wacker

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

The Cyber Defense Analyst II position is responsible for monitoring, detecting, and validating security threats across our environment. As our Security Operations Center transitions toward an engineering and automation-first model, this role acts as an active contributor bridging traditional cyber defense monitoring and modern development practices. You will perform telemetry analysis and triage while dedicating time to identifying process bottlenecks and developing automation scripts to improve our workflow.

This position is ideal for candidates with foundational security experience looking to evolve their career by applying an engineering mindset to everyday monitoring challenges, helping us eliminate manual toil, improve detection fidelity, and support the deployment of AI-augmented triage workflows.

Position Responsibilities

• Perform analysis, triage, and validation of security events across network, host, identity, and cloud (GCP) telemetry to accurately identify malicious activity and filter out false positives.
• Ensure seamless handoffs to the Incident Response team or senior engineers by providing well-documented, contextualized, and enriched security alerts.
• Identify manual, repetitive monitoring tasks within the SOC and write scripts or develop SOAR playbooks to automate them.
• Contribute to our transition to Detection-as-Code (DaC) by assisting in the development, testing, and deployment of SIEM detection rules using version control (Git).
• Utilize and provide operational feedback on new AI-assisted workflows and agentic triage outputs to help engineering teams refine high-accuracy monitoring.
• Participate in hypothesis-driven threat hunts and help operationalize threat intelligence into automated detection mechanisms.
• Collaborate with peers to foster a culture of continuous learning, critical thinking, and automation within the SOC.
• Maintain and update detailed documentation of monitoring processes, playbook logic, and detection schemas within the Knowledge Management System.

Position Requirements

Experience & Technical Skills

• 1–3 years of experience in a Level 1 SOC environment or related Information Security role.
• Proficient with Python, Rust, Java, or a related programming language, specifically for automating tasks, interacting with APIs, or processing data (JSON/XML).
• Working knowledge of network protocols, operating system internals (Windows/Linux/macOS), and adversary tactics mapped to the MITRE ATT&CK framework.
• Exposure to or hands-on experience using modern SOAR platforms (e.g., Cortex XSOAR, Splunk SOAR, Torq, or Tines) for alert enrichment and response.
• Familiarity with cloud environments (preferably GCP or AWS) and understanding of cloud-specific telemetry.
• Interest in modern engineering practices, including version control (Git) and basic CI/CD workflows.
• Willingness to learn and adapt to emerging AI capabilities, including using LLMs to assist in security investigations.

Soft Skills & Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset; naturally curious about how things work and how to make them more efficient.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of translating telemetry and log data into clear, actionable summaries for Incident Response and engineering peers.
• Self-motivated and able to balance active alert analysis with assigned automation and playbook development projects.
• Collaborative team player who enjoys bridging the gap between daily monitoring operations and long-term development goals.

Formal Education & Certifications

• BA/BS in Computer Science, Information Security, Engineering, or related field (non-tech degrees acceptable with appropriate levels of Information Security job experience and/or certifications).
• Relevant industry certifications preferred: CompTIA CySA+, SANS GSEC, GCIA, or foundational automation/cloud certs (e.g., AWS/GCP Cloud Practitioner/Security, basic programming certifications).
  

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CME Group is committed to offering a competitive total rewards package for our employees that recognizes their contributions to the business and reflects our long-term investment in their future. The pay range for this role is $93,900-$156,500. Actual salary offered will be dependent on a wide array of factors including but not limited to: relevant experience, skills, education and comparison to internal employees (where relevant). Our compensation program also includes an annual target bonus opportunity for all employees, as well as the opportunity to become an owner in the company through our broad-based equity program. Through our benefits program, we strive to offer flexibility, value and choice. From comprehensive health coverage, to a retirement package that includes both a 401(k) and an active pension plan, to highly competitive education reimbursement provisions, paid time off and a mental health benefit, CME Group offers a holistic benefits package for our team and their dependents.

CME Group: Where Futures are Made

CME Group is the world’s leading derivatives marketplace. But who we are goes deeper than that. Here, you can impact markets worldwide. Transform industries. And build a career by shaping tomorrow. We invest in your success and you own it – all while working alongside a team of leading experts who inspire you in ways big and small. Problem solvers, difference makers, trailblazers. Those are our people. And we’re looking for more.

At CME Group, we embrace our employees' unique experiences and skills to ensure that everyone’s perspectives are acknowledged and valued. As an equal-opportunity employer, we consider all potential employees without regard to any protected characteristic.

Important Notice: Recruitment fraud is on the rise, with scammers using misleading promises of job offers and interviews to solicit money and personal information from job seekers. CME Group adheres to established procedures designed to maintain trust, confidence and security throughout our recruitment process. Learn more here.