Technical Support Specialist

Department: IT Technology Support Svcs
Salary/Grade: NEX/15

Target hiring range for this position will be between $ 52,970-68,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Job Summary:

Provides endpoint technology support for Northwestern University customers. Responsible for workstation setup, end-user support, device management, and decommissioning. This includes working with university stakeholders to design, purchase, configure, and distribute assets to meet business objectives; tagging, managing, and decommissioning assets over their lifecycles; and provide quality workstation support to end users as requests/issues/problems are reported. Diagnoses and resolves technical issues, questions, and inquiries utilizing hardware and software testing tools and techniques. Working closely with peers and users to deliver optimum service and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction.

Responsible for maintaining security standards, including, antivirus software provisioning, software patching, and encryption configuration. Also, responsible for imaging, backup, and restoration services for managed devices. Implements policies, procedures, and standards and ensures their conformance.

Please enter description of workplace endpoint technology: Core desktop operating systems including Microsoft Windows 10 and 11 MacOS X as well as Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Office Suite and other desktop productivity applications. Dell, Lenovo, and Apple desktops, laptops and tablets.

Specific Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

• Assists in the creation of workplace endpoint technology initiatives.

Administration

• Recommends modification of practices and procedures to increase effectiveness or efficiency.
• Partners with users on projects utilizing IT units systems to meet specific user goals.
• Authors Scopes of Work for small projects.
• Creates and maintains user documentation.

Development

• Installs, repairs and adjusts workplace endpoint technology using standard tools and test equipment while following established procedures.
  • Provide installation, configuration and troubleshooting assistance for core desktop operating systems including Microsoft Windows 7/8/10, Macintosh OS X as well as Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft Office suite and other desktop productivity application.
• Performs such tasks as replacing components, use of diagnostic tools to investigate, diagnose, resolve and recover end user device issues.
• Performs routine preventive maintenance tasks in accordance with established practices.
• Maintain hardware and software inventories and documentation, assist in the creation of hardware replacement lifecycle plan for departments.

Performance

• Diagnoses and resolves complex problems, questions and inquiries encountered by clients according to established practices.
• Handle tickets escalated from the Service Desk and tickets that arrive directly from supported departments. Consultations may take place via e-mail, remote session, telephone, or in person (desk side or walk- up). Visit departments on campus to coordinate work and resolve tickets, including frequent trips across the NU campus.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Successful completion of a full 2-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to an associate's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 2 years IT, CS user support or other relevant experience required.
• Adobe Creative Cloud Suite
• OneDrive and SharePoint
• Information security
• LDAP
• Mac OS X Operating System
• Microsoft Exchange
• Microsoft Teams
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Outlook)
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Windows Operating System
• Kace, Bomgar, JAMF Pro, Crowdstrike Falcon
• Critical Thinking
• Judgment
• Problem Solving
• Troubleshooting
• Organizational Skills
• Planning

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, organizational skills, management of own time, and respect for the time of others.
• Demonstrate a take ownership attitude
• Ability to establish and maintain respectful and effective relationships with management, co-workers and customers.
• Ability to act on own initiative to further organizational and University goals.
• Demonstrated experience documenting IT related procedures & processes to improve overall team knowledge.
• Demonstrated familiarity with desktop computing and support environments and Internet utility software.
• Demonstrated familiarity with ITIL framework and concepts.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science
• Certification in IT Service Management using ITIL framework.
• Experience in desktop support for multiple clients.
• Experience with Microsoft Configuration Manager, Intune, JAMF Pro, Crowdstrike Falcon, BitLocker, Bomgar Remote Desktop Support, Linux

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Strong reasoning and problem-solving skills
• Exceptional customer service values and skills, including ability to successfully resolve conflict constructively and to maintain positive relationship with customers
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
• Ability to work under pressure and consistently meet deadlines

Benefits:

At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful and competitive benefits. The available benefits package for this position will include health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre-tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, including eligibility details, visit us at to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at to learn more .

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement . Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process .