Desktop Support Specialist Intermediate/Associate

University of Michigan; Ann Arbor (MI); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts is hiring a Desktop Support Specialist to join a diverse team of desktop support professionals.

You will provide front-line technical assistance to faculty, staff, and students, install and troubleshoot computers and software, manage tickets, and help maintain campus workstations in a hybrid on‑campus environment. This role emphasizes customer service, teamwork, and proactive problem solving in a dynamic academic setting.

Qualifications

• Associate degree in a related field and/or equivalent combination of education, certification, and experience
• Two or more years of technical support experience, including providing outstanding customer service and accurately documenting detailed information
• Two or more years of related experience in desktop support, troubleshooting macOS/Linux/Windows-based systems
• Proficient with word processing, spreadsheets, Google Apps, and other collaboration platforms
• Can identify the root cause of technical issues and make customized recommendations based on customer needs
• Understands working components of computers, how they interact & can troubleshoot failures
• Can help install and troubleshoot many types of specialty research software
• Communicates both verbally and in writing in a respectful & attentive manner tailored to each customer’s needs
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain positive relationships, inside and outside of their team, interacting in a friendly, open, honest, and accepting manner

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate quality service and accountability while resolving incidents, meeting customer needs and exceeding expectations
• Establish customer and team relationships using effective communication and collaboration skills
• Update current tickets in a timely manner, prioritize incoming tickets and existing work, complete tickets within acceptable time frames
• Install, configure, customize, troubleshoot, integrate, and maintain systems, software, and other devices
• Track computer systems and device inventory in order to record accurate data for asset management
• Analyze, plan, and implement system maintenance, including software patches and upgrades
• Monitor systems for availability, error conditions, and performance
• Participate in cross organizational projects that ensure our environment is up to date and secure
• Be a resource for less technical staff on technical issues freely sharing information for their development

Skills

Technical support

Desktop support

Root cause analysis

Hardware basics

Research software

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Problem solving

Software installation

Education

Associate degree in related field

Tools

Google Apps

Job description

Job Summary

The University of Michigan’s College of Literature, Science, and the Arts is hiring a Desktop Support Specialist to join a diverse team of desktop support professionals.

What You’ll Do

About the Job

The LSA Technology Services Desktop Support team provides technical support to faculty, staff and students within the College of Literature, Science & the Arts. Our teams support a range of technology with a focus on teaching, learning, and research that occurs in our LSA physical science, social science, and humanities divisions. We build relationships within our community becoming a partner in IT needs.

Our work and our support is broad and diverse. The support we provide and the skills we learn are driven by the colleges’ research mission. Your week may begin by helping with administrative tasks such as printer support, building new computers, or doing software refreshes. Later in the week, you may be helping troubleshoot computers that control telescopes or building machines that do image analysis on stages of animal development.

Our work is challenging but rewarding because every day is a different technical issue or problem to solve.

Role responsibilities include

• Demonstrate quality service and accountability while resolving incidents, meeting customer needs and exceeding expectations


• Establish customer and team relationships using effective communication and collaboration skills


• Update current tickets in a timely manner, prioritize incoming tickets and existing work, complete tickets within acceptable time frames


• Install, configure, customize, troubleshoot, integrate, and maintain systems, software, and other devices


• Track computer systems and device inventory in order to record accurate data for asset management


• Analyze, plan, and implement system maintenance, including software patches and upgrades


• Monitor systems for availability, error conditions, and performance


• Participate in cross organizational projects that ensure our environment is up to date and secure


• Be a resource for less technical staff on technical issues freely sharing information for their development

About You

You love to tinker. You enjoy a job where you are constantly learning and tackling new challenges. You enjoy spending the time to thoroughly investigate problems to completion. You are secure in not always knowing the answer and see these opportunities as a time to develop your skills. You are willing to ask questions, seek input, and advocate for answers to find the root cause of technical problems. You take initiative in your own growth and want a role where you are provided a wide variety of opportunities to build your skill set.

You like working with people and being part of a team, collaborating with others, and actively sharing information with your teammates. You have excellent written and verbal communication skills and work to build trusting relationships with those around you. You take an active partnership with the people in your community to solve technical problems.

You are detail oriented and can actively manage many tasks at once. You find working in a dynamic environment enjoyable. You are able to pick up, manage, and close support tickets in a timely manner for our customers. You know when to elevate work that is outside your current skill set. You take time each week to address administrative tasks so that we have accurate documentation, details, inventory, and data for our customers, business partners, and teammates.

You thrive in an environment where every day is a little bit different then the day before.

Required Qualifications

For Intermediate Candidates

• Associate degree in a related field and/or equivalent combination of education, certification, and experience


• Two or more years of technical support experience, including providing outstanding customer service and accurately documenting detailed information


• Two or more years of related experience in desktop support, troubleshooting macOS/Linux/Windows-based systems


• Proficient with word processing, spreadsheets, Google Apps, and other collaboration platforms


• Can identify the root cause of technical issues and make customized recommendations based on customer needs


• Understands working components of computers, how they interact & can troubleshoot failures


• Can help install and troubleshoot many types of specialty research software


• Communicates both verbally and in writing in a respectful & attentive manner tailored to each customer’s needs


• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain positive relationships, inside and outside of their team, interacting in a friendly, open, honest, and accepting manner

For Associate Candidates

• Associate degree in related field and/or equivalent combination of education, certification and experience


• 0-2 years of technical support experience, including providing outstanding customer service and accurately documenting detailed information


• 0-2 years of related experience in technical support troubleshooting macOS/Linux/Windows based systems


• Proficient with word processing, spreadsheets, Google Apps, and other collaboration platforms


• Identifies causes of simple technical problems and can provide practical solutions


• Can install software and troubleshoot basic issues


• Communicates both verbally and written in a respectful & attentive manner tailored to each customers needs


• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain positive relationships, inside and outside of their team, interacting in a friendly, open, honest, and accepting manner

Desired Qualifications

For Intermediate Candidates

• Understanding of server hardware and concepts, including services, security, and administration


• Demonstrated ability to support specialized research computing needs


• Experience working in higher education in a support capacity


• Experience with programming and statistical applications

For Associate Candidates

• Experience in technical support troubleshooting


• Understanding of server hardware and concepts including services, security, and administration


• Demonstrated ability to support specialized research computing needsExperience working in higher education in a support capacityBasic experience with programming and statistical applications
  

  Modes of Work

  
  

  Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment.

  
  

  Work Locations: Flexible Work Arrangements

  
  

  As part of the University of Michigan’s Future Work Initiative and the LSA Interim Policy on Flexible Work Arrangements, this position may work on campus or a potential hybrid flexible schedule of both on campus and remote.

  
  

  Underfill Statement

  
  

  This position may be underfilled at a lower classification depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate.

  
  

  Additional Information

  
  

  As one of the world’s great liberal arts and sciences colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world.

  
  

  Salary range is based on experience and skills of the selected candidate.

  
  

  Intermediate range: $55,000-$64,600

  
  

  Associate range: $44,800 - $56,000.

  
  

  Work location: Ann Arbor Campus, Ann Arbor, MI. Mode of work: Hybrid. Full-Time, Regular (nonexempt).