Associate Specialist, Cybersecurity Operations

As part of the Cyber Fusion Center (CFC), the Operational Technology (OT) Cyber Security Analyst supports efforts to identify, analyze, and remediate cyber security risks across manufacturing and OT environments. This role works closely with internal teams and stakeholders to strengthen cybersecurity posture, improve cyber hygiene, and support operational activities across OT infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Support the identification and remediation of OT vulnerabilities and misconfigurations in alignment with internal prioritization and remediation guidelines
• Collaborate with manufacturing sites, engineering teams, and cybersecurity teams to improve OT security posture
• Assist with vulnerability scanning and assessment activities across OT assets, applications, and infrastructure
• Monitor and analyze potential cyber threats and escalate issues to senior team members or incident response teams as appropriate
• Support threat analysis and threat hunting activities under guidance from senior analysts
• Assist in preparing reports and communications on OT risk, vulnerabilities, and remediation progress
• Support OT cybersecurity governance, metrics, and reporting activities within the Cyber Fusion Center
• Utilize enterprise tools (e.g., ServiceNow) to track and manage vulnerability remediation tasks
• Execute cyber hygiene activities across manufacturing environments, including asset inventory validation, patching coordination support, backup validation checks, endpoint hardening activities, account and access reviews, and identification of unnecessary services or network communications
• Support implementation and maintenance of baseline OT security controls such as network segmentation, firewall rule hygiene, and secure remote access
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives and help identify opportunities for automation and process enhancements

Requirements

• HS Diploma (minimum requirement)
• 0–3 years of experience in cybersecurity, IT operations, or related technical fields
• Foundational understanding of cybersecurity concepts including vulnerability management, incident response, and network security
• Exposure to security tools such as SIEM, endpoint protection, or logging platforms
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced environment
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams and stakeholders
• Basic experience with data analysis and working with multiple data sources

Preferred Qualifications

• Exposure to Industrial Control Systems (ICS), including PLCs, SCADA, or DCS environments
• Basic understanding of OT network protocols (e.g., Modbus, OPC, DNP3)
• Familiarity with cybersecurity tools or platforms used in OT or enterprise environments
• Awareness of cyber threats and vulnerabilities in OT/ICS environments
• Exposure to vulnerability management or ticketing tools (e.g., ServiceNow)
• Interest in pursuing cybersecurity certifications (e.g., Security+, GICSP)

Pay

The salary range for this role is $65,100.00 - $102,500.00. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs. The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including:

• Medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family)
• Retirement benefits, including 401(k)
• Paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days

More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

Schedule

• Hybrid work arrangement