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Security Operations Center Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

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Security Operations Center information

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How much do security operations center jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 31, 2026, the average hourly pay for security operations center in California is $19.57, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.07 and $21.11 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a security operations center?

A Security Operations Center (SOC) job involves monitoring, detecting, analyzing, and responding to cybersecurity threats in real time. SOC analysts use various security tools to identify suspicious activities, mitigate risks, and protect an organization's digital assets. They work in a team environment, following incident response protocols to contain threats and prevent breaches. SOC professionals also conduct vulnerability assessments, generate reports, and collaborate with other IT teams to strengthen security defenses. The role requires knowledge of cybersecurity principles, threat intelligence, and security technologies.

What does a typical workday look like for someone in a security operations center role?

A typical day in a Security Operations Center involves monitoring network activity for suspicious behavior, responding to real-time security incidents, and conducting daily threat analysis using specialized software. SOC professionals often work in shifts within a collaborative, fast-paced team environment where quick decision-making and constant vigilance are required. Tasks may also include generating incident reports, performing vulnerability assessments, and coordinating with other departments to strengthen organizational security. This dynamic, hands-on role provides valuable experience and can serve as a strong foundation for advancing into more specialized cybersecurity positions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the security operations center position?

To thrive in a Security Operations Center, you need strong analytical abilities, a solid understanding of cybersecurity principles, and typically a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tools, intrusion detection/prevention systems, and certifications like CompTIA Security+, CISSP, or CEH are highly valued. Attention to detail, effective communication, and the ability to remain calm under pressure are crucial soft skills. These competencies enable professionals to quickly detect, analyze, and mitigate security threats while collaborating efficiently with IT and management teams.

Is a Security Operations Center an entry level job?

A Security Operations Center (SOC) analyst role can be entry level, especially for positions requiring basic knowledge of cybersecurity principles, monitoring tools, and incident response. However, many SOC roles prefer candidates with some experience, certifications like CompTIA Security+ or Cisco CCNA, and familiarity with security information and event management (SIEM) systems. Advancement often involves gaining experience and additional certifications.

What does a security operations center do?

A Security Operations Center (SOC) monitors and analyzes an organization’s security posture using tools like intrusion detection systems, firewalls, and security information and event management (SIEM) software. SOC analysts detect, respond to, and mitigate cybersecurity threats and incidents to protect critical systems and data around the clock.

What are the most commonly searched types of Security Operations Center jobs in California?

The most popular types of Security Operations Center jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Security Operations Center jobs in California?

For Security Operations Center jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Security Operations Center jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Security Operations Center jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Security Operations Center jobs?

Cities in California with the most Security Operations Center job openings:

Infographic showing various Security Operations Center job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 82% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $40,704 per year, or $19.6 per hour.

Security Operations Center Operator

Santa Monica, CA • On-site


Metro One LPSG

5.7

Company rating: 5.7 out of 10

Based on 48 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

73rd of 118 rated security

Recommended by students

Paid breaks

Respectful managers


$30 - $34/hr

Full-time

Posted 4 days ago


Job description

Job Description

Security Operations Center Operator

Physical security operations center Santa Monica, California

Location

On-site - Santa Monica, California

Employment type

Full-time, non-exempt (hourly). Dedicated to one client account.

Pay range

$30.00 - $34.00 per hour

Entity

M1 Global - part of the Specialized family of brands

About M1 Global

Since 1994, M1 Global has grown from a local security provider to the trusted security partner of Fortune 500 companies worldwide. We build security programs for complex enterprise environments - from loading docks to data centers, headquarters to event venues - powered by Aurix, our proprietary automation platform that pairs skilled specialists with proven processes for industry-leading prevention, detection and reporting. Wherever and however our clients operate, we integrate.

Protecting the companies that power the world.

The Role

You are the first response for everything that reaches the floor. Alarms, video verification, dispatch and the security service queue - you take them, verify them, dispatch them, document them while they are happening, and close them out against published response targets.

The center runs 24/7/365 with two operators and a shift lead on console at every hour. The shift lead carries no routine queue, which means you have a supervisor available when volume climbs rather than one buried in the same work you are.

Documentation is written during the incident, not reconstructed afterward. That standard is the difference between a record that holds up and one that does not.

Key Responsibilities

Alarm and Video

Monitor intrusion, duress and access control alarms across the client's portfolio, and acknowledge inside published targets.

Verify alarms on video before dispatching where video exists, and say so clearly when a point cannot be verified.

Monitor camera systems for developing activity rather than only reacting to what the system flags.

Dispatch and Coordination

Dispatch on-site security personnel with clear, disciplined radio traffic and confirm receipt.

Coordinate with on-site guard vendors and local security teams using the published interface for each site.

Escalate on defined criteria and notify stakeholders through the documented path without waiting to be told.

Support emergency response coordination, including law enforcement and emergency medical services contact where the procedure directs it.

Documentation and Service Queue

Write the record while the event is running - timestamped actions, disposition, responder identity, authorizations obtained and handoff status at shift change.

Work the security service request queue to published service levels and close with a documented disposition.

Hand off open items completely at shift turnover so nothing depends on your memory.

Floor Discipline

Maintain console readiness, system status awareness and radio discipline through the shift.

Follow post orders and procedures as written, and flag where they no longer match reality.

Take direction from the shift lead on escalation calls, and raise anything that looks wrong.

Required Qualifications

Experience: Two or more years in a command center, corporate security operations center, public safety or 911 dispatch, or a campus or hospital operations center.

Console skill: Multi-screen console operation under simultaneous load, with the composure to hold quality when several things happen at once.

Radio: Radio dispatch discipline - clear, brief, confirmed.

Documentation: Accurate documentation written concurrently with the event, not afterward.

Communication: Customer service and de-escalation skill on the phone and on the radio.

Typing: 40 words per minute minimum, tested at interview.

Education: High school diploma or equivalent. Post-secondary education preferred but not required.

Availability: Able to work any shift in a 24/7/365 operation, including nights, weekends and holidays.

Eligibility: Authorized to work in the United States. Able to pass background, drug and client-required security screening.

Preferred Qualifications

Certifications: APCO or NENA public safety telecommunicator training. Emergency Medical Dispatch certification.

Platforms: Prior experience with an enterprise access control platform (LenelS2 OnGuard or comparable) or video management system (Milestone or comparable).

Background: Prior corporate global security operations center experience.

Languages: Professional working proficiency in a second language.

Key Competencies

Console Operations

Alarm Handling

Radio Discipline

Video Verification

Documentation Rigor

De-escalation

Escalation Judgment

Composure Under Load

Schedule Adherence

Work Environment

On-site at a client security operations center in Santa Monica, California. This is an embedded role - you work inside the client's operation, in their systems and their workspace, under M1 Global.

24/7/365 operation on eight-hour shifts, three per day on a rotating cycle. Shift assignment includes nights, weekends and holidays.

Two operators and a shift lead on console at every hour. Your shift lead carries no routine queue and is available to you.

Sustained console work across multiple screens and systems, with concurrent audio and radio traffic.

Your incident records are sampled monthly against a published quality rubric, with the score returned to you and your supervisor.

Schedule construction, call-out coverage and relief staffing are handled by M1 Global's Fusion Centers, which support every M1 Global contract. You are not asked to find your own relief.

M1 Global is the employer of record. You are assigned to a single client program and work on no other M1 Global account.

Employment is contingent on background, drug and client-required security screening. Authorization to work in the United States is required; visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Certification Requirements After Hire

M1 Global funds and schedules these credentials. Each is a condition of continued assignment once its clock expires. Candidates who already hold them are preferred.

Mass notification and visual command platform operator certification within 90 days.

CPR, First Aid and AED certification before first unsupervised shift, maintained current.

Compensation

$30.00 - $34.00 per hour

The posted range is the pay scale M1 Global reasonably expects to pay for this position, published in accordance with California Labor Code section 432.3. Actual placement within the range depends on experience and credentials held at hire. This position is non-exempt and eligible for overtime under California law. Compensation includes M1 Global's standard employee benefits package.

Equal Opportunity

M1 Global is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Qualified applicants with criminal histories are considered consistent with the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance and the California Fair Chance Act.

M1 Global. We are security, smarter.


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