SOC Analyst

SOC Analyst | £35k | Manchester/Hybrid | Cyber Security (Managed SOC)   Join a fast-growing, specialist cyber security provider delivering managed detection and response services to a range of customers. We’re looking for a SOC Analyst to join a collaborative team focused on identifying and responding to threats across modern Microsoft environments.   This is a hands-on role where you’ll be actively monitoring, investigating, and responding to security activity, while developing deeper expertise across the Microsoft security ecosystem. You’ll work closely with senior analysts and engineers, contributing to both operational response and continuous improvement of detection capabilities.   What You’ll Do Monitor and triage security alerts across Microsoft Defender XDR and Sentinel, separating genuine threats from noise Investigate alerts end-to-end, driving incidents through to resolution Proactively hunt for threats, misconfigurations, and suspicious activity across customer environments Escalate high-priority incidents with clear, structured technical handovers Support onboarding of new customers onto security platforms, ensuring smooth transitions Document investigations, findings, and remediation steps to a high standard Collaborate with engineering teams on automation, integrations, and detection improvements Participate in an on-call rota (with full compensation)  What We’re Looking For 1–2 years’ experience in a SOC or similar security operations role Must have hands-on experience with Microsoft Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel Strong working knowledge of Kusto Query Language (KQL) Ability to correlate data across multiple sources and build attack timelines (e.g. using MITRE ATT&CK) Clear communicator, able to present technical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences Comfortable working in a fast-paced, incident-driven environment Willingness to take part in an on-call rota Based within commuting distance of Manchester and eligible to work in the UK Willing to undergo BPSS clearance  Nice to Have Microsoft security certifications (e.g. SC-900, SC-200) Experience in a 24/7 or shift-based SOC environment Exposure to threat intelligence tooling or additional EDR platforms Scripting experience (PowerShell, Python) for automation  Benefits £35k Hybrid working with one day in the Manchester office Flexible working hours 25 days annual leave + bank holidays Pension scheme Fully funded certifications and ongoing training (including cyber security and AI) Paid on-call rota Regular team socials Clear progression opportunities within a growing cyber security business