JOB DESCRIPTION

The Ford AI-Enhanced Cyber Defense team comprises highly technical security experts dedicated to defending Ford Motor Company against sophisticated cybersecurity attacks. This role moves beyond traditional L1/L2 segregation, providing an end-to-end service that leverages cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) capabilities to identify, analyze, communicate, and proactively contain cyber threats. The primary goal is to protect the organization from advanced threat actors, minimize the impact of incidents through AI-accelerated response, and continuously enhance our defensive posture using intelligent systems. This position is central to evolving Ford's cyber defense into an adaptive, predictive, and autonomous capability.

RESPONSIBILITIES

AI-Driven Detection and Automated Response:

Harness AI/ML-powered platforms and solutions to identify, defend against, and mitigate a wide spectrum of attacks, including sophisticated web application attacks, reconnaissance, advanced network intrusions (e.g., Windows Active Directory, cloud environments), credential attacks, post-exploitation techniques, drive-by attacks, and endpoint compromises.

Manage AI-driven anomaly detection systems to proactively identify the use of covert tools, exploitation techniques, and evasive methods employed by threat actors, ensuring rapid detection of stealthy activities.

Command and orchestrate defensive AI agents to engage directly against adversarial agents within the network, leading defensive swarms to hunt malicious code, stop attack sequences, and initiate automated system repair at machine speed, far outpacing human capabilities.
Orchestrate AI agents and automated playbooks to accelerate incident containment and remediation processes, significantly reducing dwell time and minimizing impact.
Conduct deep-dive investigations on critical security incidents, leveraging AI-assisted forensic analysis, AI-powered malware analysis, and AI-enhanced network investigation tools to understand attack vectors, scope, and impact, ensuring comprehensive containment and remediation.
Utilize AI/ML for proactive threat identification through advanced malware analysis, reverse engineering, and behavioral profiling, anticipating emerging threats before they materialize.

AI-Powered Threat Hunting:

Lead and execute AI-driven threat hunting operations, transforming raw threat intelligence into immediate, actionable hunting queries and patterns of activity for deployment across enterprise networks.
Develop and refine AI/ML models to identify and observe subtle malware indicators and sophisticated adversary Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), generating highly accurate and predictive threat intelligence.
Proactively hunt down, identify, counter, and recover from a wide range of advanced threats, including APT nation-state adversaries, organized crime syndicates, and AI-enhanced ransomware operators, leveraging AI to predict their movements and adapt defensive strategies.
Design, develop, and implement AI-powered tools, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for automated hunting, detection, and containment, enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of our cyber defense operations.
Collaborate with AI Threat Intelligence Analysts to integrate AI-generated insights into defensive strategies and automated response mechanisms.

AI-Driven Prompt Orchestration:

Contribute to the development and optimization of AI models for security applications, including threat prediction, anomaly detection, and automated response.
AI-powered Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) platforms, enabling autonomous detection, investigation, correlation, and response to threats.
Utilize Prompt Engineering techniques to optimize AI model interactions for security analysis, threat hunting, and incident response, developing prompt libraries for various security AI tools.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Data Science, or a related field.
3+ Years of Information Technology (IT) experience, with at least 1 year demonstrating practical application of AI/ML concepts in a security context.

Industry Certifications:

GCIH (GIAC Certified Incident Handler)
GREM (GIAC Reverse Engineering Malware)
GCFA (GIAC Certified Forensic Analyst)
Recommended AI/ML Security Certifications Relevant such as SANS, GCP, Azure certifications focused on AI/ML in cybersecurity or other advanced AI/ML security accreditations.

Core Knowledge: SIEM (e.g., QRadar, Splunk, Chronicle), EDR, IDS/IPS, Windows, Linux, Firewall, Cloud Security, OSINT, Sandbox, Phishing analysis, Malware analysis.

AI Focus: Understanding of AI/ML concepts in cybersecurity, ability to interpret AI-generated alerts and insights, foundational knowledge of prompt engineering for security tools.

Scripting knowledge: Well versed in atleast one scripting language (Powershell/Python/Shell etc)

Skill matrix required as below (0-5, 5 being the highest)

Detection & Monitoring

SIEM Tools (QRadar, Splunk, Chronicle) - Skill Rating Required: 4
AI-Driven Detection & Defense (Windows, Linux, Industrial Systems) - Skill Rating Required: 3-4
EDR/XDR and AI-Enhanced SOAR - Skill Rating Required: 3-4
AI-Enhanced Email Analysis (Proofpoint, OSINT) - Skill Rating Required: 3-4

Network & Threat Analysis

Network Protocols & AI-Accelerated Packet Analysis (Wireshark, tcpdump) - Skill Rating Required: 3-4
RegEx (AI-Assisted Searches, Log Parsing) - Skill Rating Required: 3-4

Digital Forensics & Investigation

AI-Assisted Digital Forensics (EnCase, FTK, Autopsy) - Skill Rating Required: 2-3
AI-Driven Memory Investigation (Volatility, ResponderPro, Axiom) - Skill Rating Required: 3-4

Malware & Threat Research

AI-Powered Malware Analysis (Static, Dynamic, Reverse Engineering) - Skill Rating Required: 2-3

AI/ML & Automation

AI/ML Automation and Scripting (Python, PowerShell, Shell) - Skill Rating Required: 3-4
Prompt Engineering for Security Applications - Skill Rating Required: 2
AI/ML Model Understanding & Application (Security Context) - Skill Rating Required: 2

Cloud Security

Cloud AI Security Simulation (GCP, Azure) - Skill Rating Required: 2-3

Cyber Defense Analyst