C CERG Cyber Engineering, Risk & Governance
Markdown GitHub
Document ID CERG-GOV-JD-RISKOPS-005
Version 1.0
Status Approved
Classification Public
Owner Risk Pillar Leader
Parent Policy CERG-POL-001 - Cybersecurity Policy
Review Cycle Annual
Frameworks NIST SP 800-181r1 (NICE)
Regulations Cross-cutting
Environments All CERG-managed workforce

OT Risk Analyst

Job Family: JF-RISKOPS — Risk Operations Job Level Range: L1-L4 (CERG Grade S1-S4/M3) CERG Canonical Role: OT Risk Analyst (CERG-GOV-OM-001 §6.1)

1. Role Summary

The OT Risk Analyst owns OT-safe vulnerability assessment and industrial control system threat intelligence. They are the Risk pillar’s specialist for operational technology environments, where a misconfigured scan can have physical consequences and threat actors have different motivations and techniques than in enterprise IT.

2. NICE Workforce Framework Mapping

Mapping Level NICE Work Role NICE Work Role ID NICE Work Role Category
Primary Threat/Warning Analyst AN-TWA-001 AN

NICE Work Role Definition: See JF-002 for the official NICE Work Role definition and complete CERG-to-NICE mapping. The NICE TKS database is available at https://www.nist.gov/nice/framework/.

3. Job Family & Level Placement

Family JF-RISKOPS — Risk Operations
Level Range L1 through L4
CERG Grade Range S1-S4/M3
Terminal Grade S4/M3 — see JA-001 §7 for details
Track SME / Dual-track

4. Key Responsibilities

4.1 Core Responsibilities (All Grades)

  • Conduct OT-safe vulnerability assessments: passive scanning, protocol-aware assessment, and where appropriate, controlled active scanning during maintenance windows - Track ICS-specific threat actors and campaigns: their targets, TTPs, and relevance to the organization’s OT environment - Produce OT threat intelligence products for OT operators, Engineering, and leadership - Map OT threats to MITRE ATT&CK for ICS and translate into detection and control recommendations - Partner with OT Security Engineer to prioritize remediation based on operational context - Support the NERC-CIP compliance program with OT vulnerability data and risk assessments - Support incident response for OT incidents with threat context and containment guidance that respects operational constraints - Maintain OT-specific vulnerability and threat intelligence tooling

4.2 Grade-Level Responsibility Differentiation

Grade-level responsibility differentiation for this role is defined in JA-001 §7 (Role-to-Grade Mapping). The grade definitions (S1-S4 SME Track, M1-M4 Management Track) and leveling dimensions are in CERG-GOV-JA-001 §4-5. Behavioral anchors at each grade are in CMP-001.

5. Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

5.1 Domain Expertise

  • Deep expertise in OT/ICS environments and their operational constraints - OT vulnerability assessment tools and techniques (passive and active) - ICS threat landscape: actors, campaigns, malware (BlackEnergy, CrashOverride, Triton/Trisis, Pipedream/Incontroller) - MITRE ATT&CK for ICS - NERC-CIP requirements, particularly CIP-007 and CIP-010 - Understanding of OT operational constraints: safety systems, real-time requirements, change windows

5.2 Technical Skills

Technical skills for this role are documented in the original JD-001 content extracted into this file (see §5.1 Domain Expertise). Additional technical skill definitions aligned to NICE Skill Statements are maintained in JF-002.

5.3 CERG-Specific Knowledge

CERG-specific knowledge requirements for this role are defined in OM-001 §6 (Canonical Role Roster) and RAC-001 §7 (Role Descriptions). See §12 (Related CERG Documents) for the complete list of standards and procedures relevant to this role.

6. NICE TKS Statement References

The following Task, Knowledge, and Skill statements are extracted from the NIST NICE Framework v2.2.0 Work Role [PD-WRL-006 — OT Risk Analyst primary mapping] and filtered by relevance to this CERG role. The full TKS database is maintained at https://www.nist.gov/nice/framework/.

NICE TKS Type Statement ID Statement Summary Relevance to This Role
Task T1020 Determine the operational and safety impacts of cybersecurity lapses Core work activity for this NICE Work Role
Task T0685 Evaluate threat decision-making processes Core work activity for this NICE Work Role
Task T0845 Identify cyber threat tactics and methodologies Core work activity for this NICE Work Role
Task T1772 Identify indications and warnings of target communication changes or processing failures Core work activity for this NICE Work Role
Task T1799 Notify appropriate personnel of imminent hostile intentions or activities Core work activity for this NICE Work Role
Knowledge K0675 Knowledge of risk management processes Foundational knowledge for this role
Knowledge K0674 Knowledge of computer networking protocols Foundational knowledge for this role
Knowledge K0684 Knowledge of cybersecurity threat characteristics Foundational knowledge for this role
Knowledge K0786 Knowledge of physical computer components Foundational knowledge for this role
Knowledge K0788 Knowledge of adversarial tactics principles and practices Foundational knowledge for this role
Skill S0430 Skill in collaborating with others Core capability for this role
Skill S0433 Skill in creating analytics Core capability for this role
Skill S0516 Skill in performing threat emulation tactics Core capability for this role
Skill S0709 Skill in developing analytics Core capability for this role
Skill S0111 Skill in interfacing with customers Core capability for this role

Full TKS Reference: The complete TKS statement set for the primary NICE Work Role (AN-TWA-001 → PD-WRL-006) is in the NICE Framework Components v2.2.0 dataset (download). JF-002 contains the complete CERG-to-NICE crosswalk with secondary role mappings.

7. Typical Qualifications

7.1 Education

  • 5-15+ years in OT/ICS environments, with 3+ years of cybersecurity focus - Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent OT experience - Relevant certifications: GICSP, GRID, CISSP, or equivalent

7.2 Certifications

Certifications for this role are defined in TRN-001 §3 (Certification Matrix). The matrix specifies Required, Recommended, and Aspirational certifications per role and grade.

7.3 Experience

Typical experience ranges by grade are defined in JA-001 §4-5. See §7.1 (Education) above for education requirements.

8. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

KPIs for this role are defined in MTR-001 (Metrics, Dashboard, and CISO/Board Reporting). KPI allocation by job family and grade-level thresholds are documented in PERF-001. Each role’s evaluation criteria are embedded in the per-role JD document structure defined by JF-001.

9. Competency Expectations by Grade

Competency expectations for this role follow the Risk pillar behavioral anchors from CERG-GOV-CMP-001. Each cell describes observable behavior demonstrating the competency at that grade. Anchors are cumulative: an L3 expectation includes the L1 and L2 anchors.

Competency Domain (CMP-001) L1 Expectation L2 Expectation L3 Expectation L4 Expectation
Technical Depth Operates the Risk pillar’s tools (vulnerability scanner, CSPM platform, threat intel platform, detection pipeline) under supervision. Triages alerts following established procedures. Recognizes false positives and true positives with increasing accuracy. Owns a Risk domain (e.g., exposure management for a platform class, vendor assessments for a business unit, a set of detection rules). Tunes tools to reduce noise and improve signal. Independently investigates findings and determines root cause. Shapes the Risk pillar’s approach to exposure management. Designs assessment methodologies. Correlates findings across tools to identify systemic weaknesses that individual alerts miss. Sets the analytical bar for the entire Risk pillar. Called upon for the hardest exposure questions. Represents the organization’s risk posture to regulators, auditors, and industry peers.
Cross-Pillar Fluency Understands that Engineering builds systems and Governance owns compliance. Reads architecture review outputs and compliance standards that affect their risk assessments. Delivers risk findings in a format Engineering can act on. Understands what evidence Governance needs from Risk assessments and provides it proactively. Participates in cross-pillar threat modeling sessions. Collaborates with Engineering to design controls that address risk findings, not just report them. Feeds risk intelligence into Governance’s compliance calendar. Anticipates which risk findings will become audit findings. Operates fluently across all three pillars. Contributes to Engineering architecture decisions and Governance standards as a peer. The person a pillar leader calls when a risk question spans all three pillars.
Risk Judgment Applies the risk taxonomy correctly when triaging findings. Distinguishes between Critical, High, Medium, and Low severity using the defined criteria. Escalates findings that exceed SLA without delay. Independently assesses the business impact of findings in their domain. Adjusts risk ratings based on context and documents the rationale. Produces risk assessments that the Risk Pillar Leader accepts without material revision. Assesses systemic risk: identifies patterns across individual findings that indicate a deeper weakness. Evaluates risk from new technologies, vendors, or business initiatives before they are operational. Shapes the organization’s risk appetite. Called upon by the CISO for independent risk evaluation on material decisions. Their risk judgment on novel or ambiguous situations is treated as authoritative.
Communication Writes clear finding descriptions with reproducible steps, impact statements, and remediation guidance. Updates stakeholders on finding status without being prompted. Delivers risk briefings to business owners and project teams. Translates vulnerability data into business risk without losing technical accuracy. Writes vendor risk assessment reports that procurement and legal can act on. Presents risk posture to executive audiences. Communicates threat landscape changes and their organizational implications. Writes threat intelligence products consumed by leadership. Communicates organizational risk posture to the board, regulators, and external stakeholders. Represents the organization’s risk position in industry forums.
Operational Discipline Triages findings within SLA. Documents assessment results in the designated system. Follows the exposure management and risk register procedures. Owns operational SLAs for their domain. Ensures risk register entries are current and complete. Maintains scanning schedules, detection rule lifecycles, or vendor assessment cadences without gaps. Designs risk assessment workflows that produce consistent, auditable output. Ensures the Risk pillar’s operational cadence is documented, measured, and improving. Identifies and automates repetitive risk assessment tasks. Sets operational standards for the Risk pillar. Defines what “defensible” risk assessment looks like under regulatory scrutiny.
Influence and Mentorship Learns from senior analysts. Asks good questions about methodology and judgment. Shares interesting findings with the team. Trains new analysts on Risk tools and procedures. Peer-reviews risk assessments and detection rules. Their analytical judgment is sought by other team members. Mentors analysts across Risk domains. Leads cross-functional risk initiatives. Their risk assessments shape how Engineering and business owners prioritize remediation. Develops the analytical capability of the entire Risk team. Sets the quality bar for risk assessment, threat intelligence, and detection engineering. Influences organizational risk culture.
Compliance and Regulatory Literacy Knows which regulatory frameworks apply and can describe how Risk assessments support compliance. Understands the specific regulatory requirements that govern their Risk domain. Produces risk assessments that meet the evidence standards of the relevant frameworks. Anticipates how regulatory changes will affect the Risk program’s scope and cadence. Advises Governance on the risk implications of compliance findings. Contributes to the organization’s regulatory strategy from a risk perspective. Engages with regulators on risk methodology.
Continuous Learning Completes assigned training. Pursues foundational certifications. Learns the organization’s threat landscape. Maintains current certifications. Tracks the threat actors, TTPs, and vulnerabilities relevant to the organization’s industry. Pursues advanced certifications. Contributes threat research or methodology improvements adopted by the team. Represents the organization in threat-sharing communities. Recognized externally for risk or threat expertise. Contributes to industry threat intelligence, risk methodology, or detection frameworks.

Full Reference: See CERG-GOV-CMP-001 for the complete competency model, including the Management Track addendum (§7) and guidance on using the model for hiring, development, and promotion (§8).

10. Success Profile

An OT Risk Analyst is successful when OT risk is measured, tracked, and managed with the same rigor as IT risk — while respecting OT operational constraints. Key indicators: the OT risk register covers all critical industrial control systems; risk assessments incorporate both cybersecurity and safety impact; findings are prioritized by actual operational risk, not CVSS alone; OT-specific threat intelligence feeds into risk assessments. The analyst speaks the language of both control engineers and security professionals fluently.

11. Career Path

11.1 Within-Family Progression

Within JF-RISKOPS, progression follows the Risk Operations level ladder in JF-001 §9.2: L1 Associate Analyst/S1, L2 Analyst/S2, L3 Senior or Lead Analyst/S3, and L4 Principal Analyst/S4. Promotion evidence should show increasing ownership of risk workflows, stronger analytical judgment, documented influence on remediation or risk acceptance decisions, cross-pillar collaboration with Engineering and Governance, and mentoring of less experienced analysts. The grade definitions and progression dimensions are maintained in JA-001 §4.

11.2 Cross-Family Movement

Cross-family movement options are defined in the Family-to-Family Career Lattice (JF-001 §4). The Left-Right Knowledge Model (FRM-001 §9.2) and cross-training expectations (OM-001 §10.4) operationalize cross-family career movement.

11.3 Management Track Option

At L3+ (SME track), a Management track option may be available per CERG-GOV-JA-001 §8.1 (SME to Management Transition). Readiness indicators include: consistently sought out for guidance by junior team members, leading cross-functional initiatives without formal authority, and communicating clearly with non-technical stakeholders. The transition is a track change, not a grade promotion — an S3 Advisor moving to M1 Manager carries their technical credibility into the management role. Management competencies are defined in CERG-GOV-CMP-001 §7. See CERG-GOV-JA-001 §5 for Management grade definitions (M1-M4) and §9 (Span of Control and Team Design) for when to create a management role.

Document ID Relevance
Operating Model CERG-GOV-OM-001 Canonical role name; pillar structure
RACI Instrument CERG-GOV-RAC-001 This role’s accountability assignments
Job Architecture CERG-GOV-JA-001 Grade definitions; progression criteria
Competency Model CERG-GOV-CMP-001 Full behavioral anchors
Performance Framework CERG-GOV-PERF-001 Performance review cadence and calibration
Training Framework CERG-GOV-TRN-001 Certification matrix
Job Families Overview CERG-GOV-JF-001 Family structure and level definitions
NICE Crosswalk CERG-GOV-JF-002 NICE Work Role mapping

13. Document Control

Field Value
Document ID CERG-GOV-JD-RISKOPS-005
Version 1.0
Status Approved
Effective Date 2026-06-11
Classification Public
Owner Risk Pillar Leader
Approved By CISO
Parent Policy CERG-POL-001 - Cybersecurity Policy
Review Cycle Annual
Next Scheduled Review 2027-06-11
Frameworks NIST SP 800-181r1 (NICE)
Regulations Cross-cutting
Environments All CERG-managed workforce

Revision History

Version Date Author Change Summary
1.0 2026-06-11 Governance Pillar Leader Initial release. Extracted from monolithic JD-001 into enhanced per-role format with NICE mapping, KPI sections, and competency anchor sections.

Review Triggers

  • Change to this role’s definition in CERG-GOV-OM-001 §6.1
  • Change to this role’s NICE Work Role mapping in JF-002
  • Change to this role’s grade range in CERG-GOV-JA-001 §7
  • Direction from the CISO

Governance owns this document. The Governance Pillar Leader (Policy & Standards) is responsible for initiating reviews, managing the revision cycle, and obtaining approval for all changes.

Document ID Relationship
Cybersecurity Policy CERG-POL-001 Parent policy
Job Families Overview CERG-GOV-JF-001 Family structure and level definitions
NICE Crosswalk CERG-GOV-JF-002 NICE Work Role mapping

Source: roles/jf-riskops/CERG-GOV-JD-RISKOPS-005_OT_Risk_Analyst.md · Download .md · View on GitHub