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Security Operations Centre Analyst

(SOC Analyst, IT Security Analyst, Cyber Security Analyst, Information Security Analyst)

IT & Data

Salary

€38,000 - €75,000/yr

Level

Professional

Outlook

Growing

What does a Security Operations Centre Analyst do?

As a Security Operations Centre (SOC) Analyst you monitor an organisation's IT infrastructure around the clock, reviewing security alerts and triaging potential incidents to determine their severity and impact. You investigate suspicious activity such as malware infections, unauthorised access attempts, and data breaches, escalating serious threats to senior analysts or incident response teams. Your day-to-day work involves using security information and event management (SIEM) tools, analysing logs, and documenting findings in clear technical reports. You collaborate closely with network engineers, IT administrators, and management to ensure that security controls remain effective and that any vulnerabilities are promptly addressed. Many SOC roles in Ireland operate on a shift rota, providing 24/7 coverage for financial institutions, multinational technology firms, managed security service providers, and public-sector bodies.

A Day in the Life

Listen: a day as a Security Operations Centre Analyst

0:00 / 0:00

You arrive at the SOC at 07:45 for an 08:00 shift handover. Your colleague from the night shift runs through the overnight log: two low-priority alerts were investigated and closed, but one suspicious login attempt from an unfamiliar IP address in Eastern Europe is still open. You take ownership of that ticket and settle into your workstation, pulling up the SIEM dashboard — in this case IBM QRadar — which aggregates security events from across the organisation's network in real time. By 09:00 you are deep into the logs. You cross-reference the suspicious login against threat intelligence feeds and internal user records. The account belongs to a sales manager who, it turns out, is travelling abroad and simply forgot to notify IT. You document your findings clearly in the ticketing system, mark the alert as a false positive, and close the ticket with a full written explanation. False positives are a large part of the job, and thorough documentation matters every time.

Required Education

A Level 8 Honours Bachelor degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Technology, or a related discipline is the most common entry route, available through universities such as UCD, DCU, TU Dublin, and MTU, or through technological universities nationwide. A Level 7 Ordinary Bachelor in Computing or Network Systems can also provide entry, particularly when combined with industry certifications. Leaving Certificate subjects that strengthen your application include Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, and Applied Mathematics, as a solid grounding in logical thinking and problem-solving is essential. Industry certifications are highly valued by Irish employers: CompTIA Security+, CompTIA CySA+, and EC-Council CEH are commonly requested at entry and mid-level, while CISSP or CISM are associated with more senior roles. PLC courses at Level 5 or 6 in Computing or Network Technology can serve as a stepping stone to a degree via the CAO or through progression agreements with institutes of technology. No statutory registration body governs this role, but membership of professional bodies such as (ISC)² or ISACA is increasingly recognised in the Irish market.

Required Skills

Career Perspective

Most SOC Analysts in Ireland begin at Tier 1, handling alert monitoring and initial triage, before progressing to Tier 2 or Tier 3 roles involving deeper forensic investigation and threat hunting, typically within two to four years. From there, experienced analysts often move into roles such as SOC Team Lead, Incident Response Manager, or Threat Intelligence Analyst. Some choose to specialise further, pursuing areas such as penetration testing, cloud security, or digital forensics, which may involve a Level 9 Masters in Cybersecurity or Advanced Professional Diploma. Others move into security architecture or management roles, where qualifications such as CISSP or CISM and several years of operational experience are expected.

AI Impact on the job

AI-powered security tools are significantly changing the SOC analyst's workflow, automating the initial filtering and correlation of high volumes of alerts and reducing the burden of repetitive, low-level triage tasks. This allows analysts to focus more time on complex investigations, threat hunting, and improving detection logic rather than manually reviewing thousands of routine events. However, adversaries are also beginning to use AI to craft more sophisticated attacks, meaning analysts must continually upskill to understand AI-driven threat techniques and how to counter them. Overall, AI is expected to augment rather than replace SOC analysts, with demand for skilled human judgement, contextual reasoning, and ethical oversight remaining high.

Career Ladder

→ Security Operations Centre Analyst (Current role)

Employers in Ireland

Organisations in Ireland that employ people in this occupation.

Accenture Security

Multinational

Dublin City Centre

Operate a managed SOC monitoring client infrastructure globally from Dublin.

IBM Security (IBM Ireland)

Multinational

Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Run 24/7 SOC operations and threat intelligence services for enterprise clients.

Atos Ireland

Multinational

Dublin City Centre

Deliver managed security and SOC analyst services to large Irish clients.

Defence Forces Cyber Security Operations Centre

Public sector

Newbridge, Co. Kildare

Monitor and defend national military networks and critical infrastructure.

National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC Ireland)

Public sector

Dublin City Centre

Analysts monitor and respond to cyber threats targeting Irish state systems.

Fujitsu Ireland

Multinational

Dublin City Centre

Provide managed SOC and SIEM monitoring services to public and private sectors.

Integrity360

Irish company

Dublin City Centre

Leading Irish MSSP running a dedicated SOC for Irish and UK clients.

BT Ireland

Multinational

Citywest, Dublin 24

SOC analysts monitor and manage security events for large enterprise customers.

Ergo Group

Irish company

Citywest, Dublin 24

Irish-owned managed services provider operating SOC functions for Irish businesses.

AIB Group

Irish company

Molesworth Street, Dublin 2

In-house SOC analysts protect banking infrastructure and customer data 24/7.

Version 1

Irish company

Dublin City Centre

Growing Irish tech firm with an internal SOC and security managed services team.

Palo Alto Networks Ireland

Multinational

Dublin City Centre

Unit 42 threat intelligence and SOC support roles based at Irish operations.

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