MDR Shift Analyst, Unit 42

Our Mission

At Palo Alto Networks®, we're united by a shared mission-to protect our digital way of life. We thrive at the intersection of innovation and impact, solving real-world problems with cutting-edge technology and bold thinking. Here, everyone has a voice, and every idea counts. If you're ready to do the most meaningful work of your career alongside people who are just as passionate as you are, you're in the right place.

Who We Are

In order to be the cybersecurity partner of choice, we must trailblaze the path and shape the future of our industry. This is something our employees work at each day and is defined by our values: Disruption, Collaboration, Execution, Integrity, and Inclusion. We weave AI into the fabric of everything we do and use it to augment the impact every individual can have. If you are passionate about solving real-world problems and ideating beside the best and the brightest, we invite you to join us!

This role is remote, but distance is no barrier to impact. Our hybrid teams collaborate across geographies to solve big problems, stay close to our customers, and grow together. You will be part of a culture that values trust, accountability, and shared success where your work truly matters.

Job Summary

Job Summary

We are seeking a driven and analytical MDR Shift Analyst to join the Unit 42 Managed Detection and Response (MDR) team at Palo Alto Networks. In this role, you will help monitor customer environments, detect potential threats, and respond to cyber incidents affecting our customers' internal systems and business operations.

As part of our MDR team, you will analyze security alerts generated by industry-leading tools such as Cortex XDR, investigate suspicious activity, and work collaboratively with internal security teams to contain and remediate incidents. This role requires strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to follow established security investigation processes while communicating findings clearly.

The ideal candidate is a quick learner and effective communicator who thrives in fast-paced environments and enjoys solving complex security challenges. You will play an important role in protecting customer environments while contributing to the continuous improvement of Palo Alto Networks security capabilities.

This position requires flexibility to work in a 24x7 rotational shift schedule based on business and customer needs.

Your Impact

• Monitor customer environments and investigate alerts generated by security technologies including Cortex XDR and other endpoint and network detection platforms
• Detect, triage, and respond to cybersecurity incidents impacting customer environments
• Own and manage the incident lifecycle, from initial detection through investigation, containment, remediation, and closure
• Perform threat analysis to identify malicious activity, suspicious behaviors, and potential security incidents
• Collaborate with Security Research, Threat Intelligence, and Threat Hunting teams to detect and respond to emerging threats
• Provide clear and actionable updates to internal teams and customers regarding incident findings and remediation recommendations
• Document incident investigations, response actions, and security findings to maintain strong operational visibility
• Provide feedback to product, research, engineering, and threat teams to help improve detection capabilities across Palo Alto Networks products
• Contribute to operational improvements by helping refine investigation processes, playbooks, and response workflows
• Work closely with a global team supporting customers across different industries and regions

• 3+ years of experience working in a Security Operations Center (SOC), Incident Response (IR), or Managed Security Services environment
• Hands-on experience with security technologies such as:
  
  
  • EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response)
  • SIEM platforms
  • SOAR platforms
  • Firewall technologies
• Strong understanding of cyberattack techniques, threat vectors, and common attack patterns
• Experience investigating security alerts and performing incident triage
• Ability to analyze logs, endpoint activity, and security telemetry to determine potential threats
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English

• Experience working with Cortex XDR or Cortex XSOAR
• Familiarity with malware analysis or reverse engineering concepts
• Security certifications such as:
  
  
  • CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)
  • CompTIA CySA+
  • Other relevant cybersecurity certifications
• Experience working in a managed security or MDR environment
• Military cyber or intelligence experience

• This role operates in a 24x7 rotational shift model
• Candidates must be comfortable working in a fast-paced operational security environment
• Opportunity to work alongside industry-leading security researchers and threat analysts within Unit 42