Incident Response Engineer

Location: Japan About Us Sophos is a cybersecurity leader defending 600,000 organizations globally with an AI-driven platform and expert-led services. Sophos meets organizations wherever they are in their security maturity and grows with them to defeat cyberattacks. Its solutions combine machine learning, automation, and real-time threat intelligence with frontline human expertise from Sophos X-Ops to deliver advanced, 24/7 threat monitoring, detection, and response. Sophos offers industry-leading managed detection and response (MDR) alongside a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity technologies — including endpoint, network, email, and cloud security, extended detection and response (XDR), identity threat detection and response (ITDR), and next-gen SIEM. Together with expert advisory services, these capabilities help organizations proactively reduce risk and respond faster, with the visibility and scalability needed to stay ahead of evolving threats. Sophos goes to market with a global partner ecosystem, including Managed Service Providers (MSPs), Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), resellers and distributors, marketplace integrations, and cyber risk partners, giving organizations the flexibility to choose trusted relationships when securing their business. Sophos is headquartered in Oxford, U.K. More information is available at www.sophos.com . Role Summary Incident Response Consultants play a key role in supporting customers through cybersecurity incidents by coordinating the response between the customer, DFIR consultants, and other technical teams. This is a customer-facing role focused on incident coordination, communication, and ensuring that response activities progress effectively from initial engagement through to resolution. You will work closely with DFIR consultants who conduct the technical investigation, while helping customers understand what is happening, what information or actions are required, and what the next steps are. You do not need to be a digital forensics specialist. However, you will need a strong understanding of enterprise technology and cybersecurity concepts, combined with excellent communication, organisation, and stakeholder management skills. Previous experience supporting or coordinating cybersecurity incidents will be highly valued. What You Will Do Act as a primary coordination point between customers and DFIR consultants during active cybersecurity incidents. Coordinate and host incident scoping calls with customers to understand the incident, establish requirements, and support the engagement of the appropriate DFIR resources. Coordinate incident response activities from initial engagement through investigation, remediation, and closure. Work with DFIR consultants to understand investigation progress, priorities, dependencies, and customer requirements. Maintain clear communication with customers throughout an incident, including investigation status, next steps, outstanding actions, and information requirements. Coordinate meetings, incident updates, deliverables, and follow-up activities between customers and internal technical teams. Help customers gather and provide the information, logs, system access, and technical context required by DFIR consultants. Track actions, decisions, dependencies, and outstanding items throughout the incident lifecycle. Identify potential delays, communication gaps, or blockers and work with the appropriate stakeholders to resolve or escalate them. Translate technical investigation updates into clear, customer-appropriate language without changing the technical findings or conclusions of the investigation. Translate incident reports, investigation updates, and other customer communications from English into Japanese when required, ensuring technical meaning and context are accurately maintained. Support the preparation and delivery of customer updates, investigation reports, and incident debriefing sessions. Coordinate with other cybersecurity teams, including Threat Intelligence, Technical Testing, Managed Detection and Response, and other relevant specialists when required. Help ensure customers receive a consistent, professional, and well-coordinated experience during what can be a highly stressful situation. What You Will Bring 3+ years of experience working in cybersecurity, information technology, security operations, incident management, technical support, or a related technical environment. Experience supporting, coordinating, or working with cybersecurity incidents will be highly valued. Strong understanding of cybersecurity fundamentals and common security technologies. Good understanding of enterprise IT environments, including Windows, networking, identity, cloud services, and security technologies. Ability to understand and discuss cybersecurity incidents with technical specialists without needing to personally conduct digital forensic investigations. Strong customer-facing communication skills and experience working with customers during technical or security incidents. Experience coordinating technical activities involving multiple teams and stakeholders. Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple activities, priorities, and dependencies during time-sensitive situations. Ability to communicate complex technical information clearly to stakeholders with different levels of technical knowledge. Confidence working with customers during high-pressure or business-critical situations. Native-level Japanese language proficiency, with professional proficiency in English. Desirable Experience working in a Security Operations Centre, Managed Security Service, Incident Response, cybersecurity consulting, technical account management, or similar environment. Previous experience coordinating cybersecurity incidents, major IT incidents, or other technical response activities. #B1 Ready to Join Us? At Sophos, we believe in the power of diverse perspectives to fuel innovation. Research shows that candidates sometimes hesitate to apply if they don't check every box in a job description. We challenge that notion. Your unique experiences and skills might be exactly what we need to enhance our team. Don't let a checklist hold you back – we encourage you to apply. What's Great About Sophos? · Sophos operates a remote-first working model, making remote work the primary option for most employees. However, some roles may necessitate a hybrid approach. While we are a remote first organization, applicants must have legal authorization to work in the jurisdiction where the position is posted, without requiring employer sponsorship. · Our people – we innovate and create, all of which are accompanied by a great sense of fun and team spirit · Employee-led diversity and inclusion networks that build community and provide education and advocacy · Annual charity and fundraising initiatives and volunteer days for employees to support local communities · Global employee sustainability initiatives to reduce our environmental footprint · Global fitness and trivia competitions to keep our bodies and minds sharp · Global wellbeing days for employees to relax and recharge · Monthly wellbeing webinars and training to support employee health and wellbeing Our Commitment To You We’re proud of the diverse and inclusive environment we have at Sophos, and we’re committed to ensuring equality of opportunity. We believe that diversity, combined with excellence, builds a better Sophos, so we encourage applicants who can contribute to the diversity of our team. All applicants will be treated in a fair and equal manner and in accordance with the law regardless of gender, sex, gender reassignment, marital status, race, religion or belief, color, age, military veteran status, disability, pregnancy, maternity or sexual orientation. We want to give you every opportunity to show us your best self, so if there are any adjustments we could make to the recruitment and selection process to support you, please let us know. Data Protection If you choose to explore an opportunity, and subsequently share your CV or other personal details with Sophos, these details will be held by Sophos for 12 months in accordance with our Privacy Policy and used by our recruitment team to contact you regarding this or other relevant opportunities at Sophos. If you would like Sophos to delete or update your details at any time, please follow the steps set out in the Privacy Policy describing your individual rights. For more information on Sophos’ data protection practices, please consult our Privacy Policy Cybersecurity as a Service Delivered | Sophos