Ships & Modules

It has been my experience that if you want to mine in null, Skiff is really the only plausible option (unless in a large fleet). The Hulk cannot tank very much at all, and normally even a single BS spawn will be too much for it. Where a Skiff can tank as well as a BC or BS, and makes a much harder target for lone hunters.

I've managed to solo tank in a hulk in null sec, but you need to spend money on a good (deadspace) small shield booster. Depending on what kind of rats you're tanking you may need drop for some other good mods.

Skiffs can tank like a boss with just tech 2.

While the Hulk may be able to tank solo (and while the Skiff may be a much better option in that regard), it is important to remember that the Hulk was designed as a fleet miner...
If you fit for resists and buffer and have someone else providing the active reps the Hulk's tank gets much more significant... Granted, I can think of no job more tedious than to sit in a logi (Basi for example) and watch miners work... just in case a rat group spawns... But each unbonused (max skilled) Light shield maint bot II adds a good 10DPS tanked to a moderately fit Hulk, a couple of flights and the average BS spawn shouldn't be too much of a problem given the available buffer... at least presming that the rats can be killed reasonably promptly. The weapons available (discounting friendly ratters) will be drones of course, and two ships worth have been accounted for in logistics drones so there is a fleet size at which it becomes valid... and another fleet size where the buffer is enough for the added damage drones to DPS tank...

So if you're intending to solo (or you and your alt in an Orca/hauler) you're most likely better off taking a Skiff (or Procuror) (or multiples thereof) than trying to make the Hulk fit a task it is no longer suited to out of some sense of nostalgia - if you're in a good sized fleet however (rough mental numbers/instinct suggest five or six drone bays on site should be about the cut-off for an organised, active and aware group (depending on spawn)) the Hulk starts to look closer to survivable; and as the fleet size grows the yield and range start to pay off.

Yo're a couple years behind the times. The ship you're looking for is the Mack. Or Retriever/Covetor if code's about. AFK mining in a hulk is silly since it doesn't have the cargo hold to do 'afk'.