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Incident Handler Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

A track record of commitment to prior employers One or more security certification such as SANS/GIAC, CISSP, CISM, GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), Certified Expert Incident Handler (CEIH) or ...

GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) * GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN) * GIAC Web Application Penetration Tester (GWAPT) * GIAC Exploit Researcher and Advanced Penetration Tester (GXPN) * GIAC ...

IT Sys Sec Eng Sr Prin

Falls Church, VA · On-site

$132K - $226K/yr

GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH) * Access Data Certified Examiner (ACE) * Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) * Certified Computer Examiner (CCE) Preferred Skills and Education * 8+ Years Digital ...

Showing results 21-40

Incident Handler information

See Virginia salary details

$12

$19

$26

How much do incident handler jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average hourly pay for incident handler in Virginia is $19.09, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.92 and $20.48 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an incident handler?

Incident handlers are cybersecurity professionals responsible for managing and responding to security incidents within an organization. Their main duties include identifying, investigating, and mitigating cyber threats or breaches to minimize damage and recover normal operations. They also develop and implement incident response plans, analyze security alerts, and coordinate with other teams to ensure effective communication during incidents. Incident handlers play a crucial role in maintaining an organization’s security posture and ensuring regulatory compliance.

What are the most common challenges incident handlers face when responding to security incidents, and how can these be addressed in a team environment?

Incident Handlers often encounter challenges such as rapidly evolving threats, incomplete information, and coordinating with multiple departments under time pressure. Effective communication and a well-defined incident response plan are crucial for overcoming these obstacles. In a team environment, regularly practicing incident simulations and debriefing after real events help ensure everyone understands their roles and can collaborate efficiently, ultimately reducing response times and improving outcomes.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an incident handler, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Incident Handler, you need a solid understanding of cybersecurity principles, risk assessment, and network protocols, often supported by a degree in computer science or related certifications like CEH or CISSP. Familiarity with security information and event management (SIEM) tools, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and forensic analysis software is essential. Strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and effective communication are crucial soft skills for coordinating responses and documenting incidents. These skills and qualities are vital to quickly mitigate threats, minimize damage, and maintain organizational security.

What is the difference between Incident Handler vs Security Analyst?

AspectIncident HandlerSecurity Analyst
CertificationsCompTIA Security+, GIAC GCIHCompTIA Security+, CISSP, GIAC GSEC
Work EnvironmentResponds to security incidents, investigates breachesMonitors security systems, analyzes threats
Employer & Industry UsageCybersecurity teams in various industries, incident response firmsIT departments, security operations centers (SOCs)

Incident Handlers focus on responding to and managing security incidents, while Security Analysts primarily monitor, analyze, and prevent threats. Both roles require similar certifications and often work within the same environments, but Incident Handlers are more reactive, dealing with incidents as they occur, whereas Security Analysts are proactive in threat detection and prevention.

What are popular job titles related to Incident Handler jobs in Virginia?

For Incident Handler jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Incident Handler job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 86% Full Time, and 14% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $39,702 per year, or $19.1 per hour.

Cyber Security Engineer

DataSync Inc.

Richmond, VA • On-site

Other

Posted 15 days ago


Job description

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Cybersecurity Engineer (Splunk SIEM) to strengthen enterprise security operations through proactive threat detection, SIEM engineering, incident response, and security monitoring. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise with Splunk Enterprise Security, threat hunting, log analysis, security frameworks, and cloud security technologies to protect critical enterprise infrastructure.

This opportunity is based in Richmond, VA. The job is open to candidates within a 100-mile radius of Richmond, VA.

Key Responsibilities

  • Monitor, detect, and respond to cybersecurity threats using Splunk Enterprise Security.

  • Develop, maintain, and optimize Splunk correlation searches, dashboards, and alerts.

  • Perform incident investigation, threat hunting, and forensic analysis.

  • Create and enhance SIEM use cases, detection rules, and response playbooks.

  • Integrate and normalize log sources across enterprise infrastructure.

  • Support compliance reporting, audit readiness, and security control validation.

  • Collaborate with infrastructure, networking, and security teams to improve detection capabilities.

  • Analyze security events across network, endpoint, and cloud environments.

Required Skills (with Years)

  • Splunk SIEM Engineering & Security Operations – 8+ years

  • Splunk Processing Language (SPL) – 8+ years

  • Threat Hunting & Incident Response – 8+ years

  • Log Analysis & SIEM Use Case Development – 8+ years

  • Networking, Firewalls, EDR & Cloud Security (AWS/Azure/Google Cloud Platform) – 8+ years

  • Security Frameworks (MITRE ATT&CK, NIST, HIPAA, SOC 2) – 8+ years

  • Cybersecurity Operations & Threat Investigation – 8+ years

Preferred Skills

  • Splunk Enterprise Security Administration

  • SIEM Log Integration & Normalization

  • Security Compliance & Audit Support

  • Digital Forensics

  • Security Monitoring & Detection Engineering

Preferred Certifications

  • Splunk Core Certified User

  • Splunk Core Certified Advanced Power User

  • CompTIA Security+

  • GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH)

  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)