SOC team: key roles and their responsibilities
What is a SOC and why does its structure matter?
A Security Operations Center (SOC) is the security command hub of an organization. It’s where specialists work around the clock monitoring, analyzing, and responding to cyber threats. Equipped with the right tools and technologies, they push their limits to skillfully protect businesses from attacks and ensure their security. It is the SOC team – more specifically, its people and structure – that determine the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the Security Operations Center.
In the age of advanced threats and complex IT environments, the structure of the SOC team can determine whether an organization responds to an incident quickly and effectively – or with a delay that could cost millions.
“SOC is not just about technology—it’s primarily about people: their knowledge, reflexes, and experience. Without clearly defined roles and procedures, even the best SOC tools won’t guarantee security”.
Olek Danczewski, IT Security Specialist / SOC L2 Team Leader
Who works in a Security Operations Center?
A SOC team is a well-organized structure – and although it may vary slightly from one company to another, certain roles remain constant. Clearly a ssigning responsibilities not only enables better incident management but also allows for efficient use of technical and analytical competencies.
SOC Analyst
The SOC analyst is the first line of defense. Depending on their experience, they operate at one of three levels:
- Tier 1 (Junior) – performs initial log and alert analysis, classifies tickets, conducts triage.
- Tier 2 – performs deeper incident analysis, correlates data, identifies false positives, collaborates with other departments.
- Tier 3 (Senior / Threat Hunter) – conducts advanced investigations, performs active threat hunting, studies new attack techniques, conducts Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and issues recommendations to prevent future incidents.
SOC Engineer
The SOC engineer is responsible for designing and maintaining the security infrastructure. They manage tools such as:
- SIEM (Security Information and Event Management),
- EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response),
- SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response),
- Vulnerability scanner.
They create detection rules, support automation, ensure log quality, and integrate systems. This role requires strong skills in system administration, networking, and DevOps.
SOC Manager
Manages the team, develops the incident response strategy, ensures compliance with regulations (e.g., GDPR, NIS2), and reports to the board. This role requires:
- leadership and communication skills,
- risk management capabilities,
- knowledge of standards (e.g., ISO 27001, NIST CSF).
Additional SOC Roles
Depending on the operational model (in-house SOC vs. outsourcing), an organization may extend the SOC with specialized roles:
- Threat Intelligence Analyst – analyzes external threat data, e.g., APT groups, new malware.
- Incident Responder – specialist in response and evidence collection.
- Forensic Analyst – examines attack traces on storage media, analyzes incident trajectories.
- Auditor / Compliance Specialist – supports SOC in aligning processes with standards (e.g., ISO 27001).
Why does the SOC structure matter?
Well-defined roles in a SOC are the foundation of effective security management. A clear division of responsibilities reduces chaos during incidents, speeds up response times, and enables the team to scale according to the organization’s needs.
Depending on the size of the organization and the chosen SOC operating model (in-house, outsourcing, or hybrid), the team composition may be more or less extensive.
In smaller companies that rely on external providers (MSSPs), additional roles—such as Threat Hunter or Threat Intelligence Analyst – are often handled by the partner. The organization then focuses on coordination, compliance, and response.
In contrast, larger enterprises, especially in regulated sectors (e.g., banking, energy), more often build their own SOC with a full set of internal roles. This gives them greater control and quicker response capability but also comes with higher costs and greater competency demands.
Regardless of the model, a well-designed SOC team structure pays off – it improves detection effectiveness, shortens threat response times, enables better use of resources and skills, and increases the organization’s resilience to attacks.
Summary – how is a SOC team structured?
A SOC team is not just about technology and logs – it’s primarily about people and processes. A properly designed structure determines how effectively an organization deals with cyber threats. For CISOs and executive boards, it’s a key element of strategic IT risk management, and for anyone seriously considering a SOC – it’s a topic worth exploring in depth.
