Nicholas A.
Southern
Operational Systems & Network Engineer with 6+ years in 24/7 NOC environments, secure system deployment, and classified DoD infrastructure. Specializing in Vulnerability Management, NIST Compliance, and Resilient SOC Architecture.
Operational Experience
Senior Information Systems Analyst (ISSM Support)
> Lockheed Martin | Jacksonville, FL
- Enforced NIST 800-171 compliance across RHEL and Windows environments, directly supporting data security for sensitive research frameworks.
- Executed technical vulnerability assessments and STIG hardening, serving as primary incident handler for system deviations and security alerts.
- Engineered Splunk dashboards for real-time security event analysis, tuning correlation rules to reduce false positives and ensure 100% audit log retention.
- Mentored junior staff on RMF packages and SOPs, fostering continuous monitoring and rapid response culture.
Information Assurance Analyst
> Five Stones Research Corp | Jacksonville, FL
- Configured McAfee HBSS for Endpoint Detection and Response, ensuring continuous visibility into threat activity on classified networks.
- Managed incident response workflows for system outages and security breaches, maintaining strict DoD reporting timelines.
- Conducted forensic analysis of endpoint logs to identify indicators of compromise (IOCs) and validate system integrity.
NOC Engineer & Systems Administrator
> United States Air Force | Ramstein AB, Germany
- Managed 24/7/365 network defense operations for 3,000+ personnel across JWICS/ISR networks.
- Administered Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers, maintaining 99.9% uptime through rigorous patch management.
- Resolved 1,000+ Tier 1/2 incidents, performing rapid triage and containment of critical connectivity and security issues.
- Mitigated zero-day vulnerabilities across 241 systems within 24 hours, preserving system accreditation during high-threat windows.
Technical Competencies
⚙ Field Engineering
💻 Operating Systems
🔒 Security Tools
⚡ Network & Scripting
Certifications & Education
GIAC Security Essentials
GIAC / SANS Institute
GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Tech
GIAC / SANS Institute
CompTIA Security+ CE
CompTIA DoD 8570 IAT II
CompTIA Network+
CompTIA
CompTIA A+
CompTIA DoD 8570 IAT I
ITIL 4 Foundation
Service Management
B.S. Cyber Security & Information Assurance
Strategic Frameworks
[01] CISSP Battle Plan
A transparent roadmap for mastering the 8 domains of information security. Tracking progress towards the industry gold standard.
[02] CISM Strategy
Management-focused strategies for information security governance, structured program development, and executive risk reporting.
[03] The Burnout Framework
A human-centric approach to sustainable security operations. Systems-thinking applied to mental resilience in high-stress SOC environments.
Secure Communication
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