Media Malware Analyst, Senior

About the role

Leidos Intelligence Sector seeks a highly qualified and trained Senior-level Media Malware Analyst to support United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) operations by identifying and analyzing sophisticated malware threats targeting USCYBERCOM, the Department of Defense Information Network (DODIN), and associated networks and organizations. This vital on-site support to USCYBERCOM J3 (Operations), Cyber National Mission Force (CNMF), and Joint Task Force-Ares (JTF-ARES) underpins USCYBERCOM support to United States National Security objectives. This opportunity is in anticipation of a potential future contract award.

Responsibilities

• Provide timely, accurate, relevant support to USCYBERCOM in identifying and assessing emerging threats and vulnerabilities in the Cyberspace domain.
• Lead forensic analysis of vulnerable or compromised systems and media; identify and analyze adversary TTPs and intrusion artifacts.
• Lead static and dynamic malware analysis, including reverse engineering and extracting malicious files from digital media; conduct detailed file analysis as appropriate.
• Create technical analysis reports with actionable intelligence findings; deliver timely, accurate, relevant threat briefs and analysis updates that meet explicit and implied requirements.
• Deliver presentations to leadership in appropriate formats.
• Identify unique indicators for signature and heuristic development.
• Oversee drafting, release, and implementation of security incident response policies.
• Analyze operational reporting to correlate attack trends and shared tradecraft; support development and improvement of enterprise malware analysis tools.
• Conduct log/system analysis (routers, Windows, UNIX) for threat detection and update DoD situational awareness mechanisms (e.g., USCYBERCOM portals).
• Research open-source intelligence to inform threat assessments and signature creation.
• Develop and maintain validated MD5 hash lists for signature repositories.
• Analyze and evaluate All-Source finished intelligence, single-source intelligence, and technical data from various sources to identify Cyber threat patterns and anomalies.
• Conduct and publish in-depth risk assessments to evaluate and categorize the risk posture of detected cyber threats; support development and refinement of risk assessment methodologies and tools.
• Collaborate with operational, technical, and intelligence elements across USCYBERCOM to enhance situational awareness and threat response capabilities.
• Maintain a current understanding of advanced persistent threats (APTs), threat actor tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), and cyber threat trends affecting national security.
• Maintain situational awareness of, and execute on demand, CO crisis plans.
• Provide situational awareness to range of projects, Crisis Action Teams, and current operations activities supporting Operational Planning Teams (OPTs).
• Execute resource allocation decisions aligned with organization objectives.
• Apply knowledge of cyber threats and attack methods and techniques emanating from state and non-state adversaries and tiered vulnerabilities within Blue Space as focus of threats.
• Review, approve, prioritize, and submit operational requirements for research, development, and/or acquisition of Cyber capabilities.
• Interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies, and guidance relevant to daily activities.
• Communicate complex information, concepts, or ideas in a confident and well-organized manner through verbal, written, and/or visual means.

Requirements

• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility and Polygraph required.
• BA/BS degree or higher within Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Digital Forensics, or related field, or ability to complete degree within one year of hire. Can substitute formal education with extended experience and technical certifications.
• Eight plus years’ demonstrated proficiency in malware analysis (static/dynamic), incident handling, and reverse engineering.
• Working experience with tools such as IDA Pro, Ghidra, Wireshark, Volatility, and sandbox environments.
• Strong familiarity with network protocols, OS internals (Windows/Linux/UNIX), and cyber threat analysis.
• Broad knowledge of Blue-space Cyber capabilities and demonstrate understanding of available Cyber infrastructure or platforms to conduct Defensive (DCO) and Offensive Cyberspace Operations (OCO).
• Knowledge of computer networking fundamentals as well as concepts, terminology, and operations of a wide range of communications media (computer and telephone networks, satellite, fiber, wireless).
• Ability to support timely, accurate, relevant analytical production, to include documents, summaries, issue papers, talking points, and briefings.
• Demonstrated proficiency working in a fast-paced collaborative environment, ability to proactively multi-task and meet short deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal, critical thinking, and communication skills, including the ability to clearly convey complex and technical data to nontechnical consumers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters’ Degree or higher within Cybersecurity, Information Security, or related fields.
• Experience developing detection signatures and writing technical reports for leadership.
• Deep understanding of USCYBERCOM organizational structure and mission.
• Prior experience supporting Joint operations across multiple warfighting domains.
• Demonstrated experience incorporating Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning into operations at any level to increase efficiency and effectiveness of operational outcomes.
• Experience with Space-enabled CO.
• Formal training within field of Cyber Warfare and Joint Operations.
• Familiar with art of Data Science and applicability to CO.
• Familiar with Microsoft Power BI data visualization software.

Desired Certifications

• GIAC Reverse Engineering Malware (GREM)
• Certified Reverse Engineering Analyst (CREA)
• Certified Malware Analyst (CMA)
• Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR)
• GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst (GCFA)
• GIAC Cyber Threat Intelligence (GCTI)

Pay

Pay Range $107,900.00 - $195,050.00. The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.