Cybersecurity Operations Center (CSOC) Student Analyst

STU AST - NON-CLERICAL & ADMIN

UF Student Assistant

This position is open to all UF students eligible to work on campus and must maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average.

Must be at least 18 years of age

UF Information Technology (UFIT) is currently seeking an entry-level Cybersecurity Student Analyst to join the Information Security Office’s Cybersecurity Operations Center (CSOC), a unit within UFIT.

The CSOC is a joint operation supporting both the University of Florida (university) and the State of Florida's Department of Management Services (state), providing coordinated cybersecurity monitoring, detection, and response capabilities to enhance the cybersecurity posture across university and state systems.

This role is primarily engaged in protecting university and state data and systems against cyber-attacks. Responsibilities include utilizing threat intelligence sources and detection tools to identify and prevent invasive attacks and applying established processes to respond to cybersecurity incidents as they occur.

This position provides hands-on experience in real-world cybersecurity operations while supporting dual security missions. Working under the supervision of the UFIT Information Security Cybersecurity Detection and Response (CDR) Team Lead and under the direction of the State of Florida's Associate CISO, Student Analysts will develop and apply practical cybersecurity skills in a collaborative environment that serves both university and state stakeholders.

Some key responsibilities and characteristics of this position are:

• Threat Management:
  
  • Monitors user activity, network events, and threat detection alerts from security tools to identify adverse or suspect events.
  • Conducts initial triage to distinguish false positives from legitimate security threats, filtering and validating incoming alerts to prioritize them for further investigation.
  • Collects contextual data, such as IP reputation, user identity intel, and endpoint events, to enrich analysis and verify the scope and validity of potential threats.
• Incident Management:
  • Conducts containment and mitigation actions to neutralize threats and minimize impact; escalates incidents to the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) when necessary and may participate as a CSIRT member during major security incidents.
• Vulnerability Management:
  • Identifies and assesses security vulnerabilities in the university's computing infrastructure. Takes appropriate action based on the technical implications of vulnerabilities found.
• Documentation, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement:
  • Documents investigation findings, response actions, and lessons learned to maintain institutional knowledge; creates and updates security playbooks, standard operating procedures, and technical documentation. Contributes to the continuous improvement of CSOC operations.
• Metrics:
  • Collects and contributes to operational and management security metrics required to inform stakeholders and support continuous improvement.

About UF Information Technology

Led by Senior Vice President and CIO Elias Eldayrie, the nine departments comprising UFIT are: Academic Technology; AI² Center; Applications, Development, and Integrations; Business Center; Customer Experience and Resource Planning; Data Platform and Analytics; Information Security Office; Infrastructure and Communication Technology; and Research Computing. UF Information Technology (UFIT) enables teaching, learning, research, and service on campus and across the region with state-of-the-art enterprise IT systems, including SEC and SUS universities, and the opportunity to teach using HiPerGator. For more information about UFIT and its goals and governance, visit https://it.ufl.edu/about-ufit/strategic-plan/.

About the University of Florida

One of America’s all-around best universities, the University of Florida drives future-making education, eye-opening discoveries, life-saving health care, and community-building collaboration for our state, our nation, and our world. UF is in Gainesville, a city of approximately 150,000 residents in North-Central Florida, 50 miles from Florida’s West Coast, 67 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, and within a 2-hour drive to large metropolitan areas (Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville). The beautiful climate and extensive nearby parks and recreational areas afford year-round outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, and nature photography. UF’s large college sports programs, museums, and performing arts center support various activities and cultural events for residents to enjoy. Learn more about what Gainesville has to offer at Visit Gainesville.

About the State of Florida, Department of Management Services

Under the Florida Department of Management Services (DMS), Florida Digital Services (FLDS) is responsible for securely modernizing the state government's technology and data services. Its mission is to leverage data and technology to transform government services and protect Floridians' data. FLDS has a mandate defined in the Florida Statutes to lead the state's enterprise IT and cybersecurity efforts, including Policy & Standards, Project Oversight, Cybersecurity Operations, Data Management. For more information about DMS or FLDS, please visit https://www.dms.myflorida.com/about_us or https://www.digital.fl.gov/.

UF Student Assistant

This position is open to all UF students eligible to work on campus and must maintain a minimum 2.0 grade point average.

Must be at least 18 years of age

The ideal candidate will possess the following education, experience, and skills:

EDUCATION & TRAINING

• Completed coursework in network security, security operations, incident response, or digital forensics
• Industry certifications or completion of cybersecurity bootcamps/training programs

EXPERIENCE

• Previous IT/cybersecurity internship, work experience, or personal lab projects
• Participation in cybersecurity competitions, CTF events, or student organizations

TECHNICAL SKILLS

• Proficiency in Windows and Linux operating systems
• Basic scripting (Python, PowerShell, or Bash)
• Log analysis and SIEM query writing
• Network protocol analysis
• Technical writing and documentation

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Effective written and verbal communication
• Ability to work collaboratively in team environments
• Self-motivated with strong attention to detail
• Capable of handling sensitive information with confidentiality

Work visa sponsorship is not available for this position

A Level 2 Criminal Background Screening is required.

Work Location and Schedule:

• In-person work required; CSOC located in Malachowsky Hall on UF campus
• Schedule established individually to accommodate academic commitments
• Maximum 20 hours per week
• Minimum 3 consecutive hours per shift
• Primary hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM when UF is open

Applicants are required to submit the following with their application:

• Cover Letter
• Resume

Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.