L2 SOC Analyst
Job Type: Freelance ZZP
Location: Hybrid (1 day per week onsite in Amsterdam area)
Duration: 6 months with scope for extension
Rate: €60 – €85 per hour depending on experience
Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced L2 SOC Analyst to support our Financial Services client’s Security Operations Centre (SOC). The successful candidate will play a key role in monitoring, detecting, and responding to security incidents, with a strong focus on Microsoft security technologies, including Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Sentinel.
This is an initial 6-month contract with potential for extension, offering the opportunity to work in a dynamic, security-focused environment within the Financial Services sector.
Key Responsibilities
- Monitor and triage security alerts and incidents using Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender suite
- Perform detailed investigation and analysis of security events, identifying root causes and recommending remediation actions
- Escalate complex incidents to L3 teams where required, ensuring proper documentation and handover
- Conduct threat hunting activities to proactively identify potential security risks
- Maintain and improve detection rules, playbooks, and use cases within Microsoft Sentinel
- Respond to incidents in line with defined SLAs and security procedures
- Collaborate with IT, infrastructure, and application teams to remediate vulnerabilities and security issues
- Produce clear and concise incident reports and documentation
- Support continuous improvement of SOC processes, tooling, and workflows
Required Skills & Experience
- Proven experience working as an L2 SOC Analyst or similar role
- Hands-on experience with:
- Microsoft Sentinel (SIEM)
- Microsoft Defender (Endpoint, Identity, Cloud Apps, Office 365)
- Strong understanding of security incident lifecycle and response processes
- Experience analysing logs from various sources (network, endpoint, cloud)
- Knowledge of common attack vectors, threat actors, and MITRE ATT&CK framework
- Familiarity with KQL (Kusto Query Language) for querying and detection tuning
- Experience with security tools such as EDR, SIEM, and SOAR platforms
- Understanding of networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, firewalls)
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
