Help Desk Technician

Athens State University; Athens (AL); On-site; USD 38,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Athens State University, located in Athens, Alabama, is seeking a Help Desk Technician to provide Tier 1 support for university systems, including the learning management system and instructional technologies, for students, faculty, and staff.

The role emphasizes customer service, problem solving, and technical troubleshooting, with opportunities to develop knowledge across university systems and security practices. Evening and weekend coverage may be required.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to provide great customer service and technical support to a diverse audience.
• Flexible schedule, including evenings and Sundays.

Responsibilities

• Provide Tier 1 technical support by phone, email, online, and in-person.
• Manage help desk tickets with complete contact information and issue details.
• Troubleshoot hardware, software, email, and learning management system issues; escalate when needed.
• Create self-service materials and update orientation resources for faculty, staff, and students.
• Support desktop deployment and part-time access troubleshooting as required.
• Follow IT service management practices for incidents, requests, and communication.

Skills

Critical thinking

Problem solving

Customer service

Communication skills

Flexibility

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Associate/Bachelor’s Degree in technology-related field (preferred)

Job description

Position Information

Department/College

Department/College Client Support Services

Position Title

Position Title Help Desk Technician

Job Category

Job Category Staff

Posting Number

Posting Number 00544

FLSA

FLSA Non-Exempt

Full or Part Time

Full or Part Time Full-Time

Other

Temporary

Temporary No

If Temporary, number of months

Position Summary Information

Duties

The primary function of the Helpdesk Technician is to provide Tier 1 technical support for university systems, including the learning management system, instructional technologies, and desktop computing, for students, faculty, and staff. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS :

• Provide technical assistance to end-users by phone, email, online, and in-person.
• Manage help desk ticket intake, capturing complete contact information and issue description, and assigning appropriate tier-level support per established protocols
• Provide Tier 1 support, including intake resolution and in-depth troubleshooting of hardware, software, email, and learning management system issues, escalating network and Banner-related issues to the appropriate team.
• Recommend and refine Tier 1 troubleshooting procedures based on recurring ticket patterns
• Escalate unresolved issues to systems and network staff, with documented analysis of the problem and attempted resolutions
• Create self-service materials to empower end-users to resolve common issues independently
• Assist in the developing and updating of faculty, staff, and student orientation materials
• Continuously build product knowledge and Tier 1 troubleshooting skills through hands-on work with university systems and required training
• Provide backup support for desktop system deployment and management as needed
• Deliver consistent, high-quality customer service by following established protocols and timelines, and by fostering a cooperative, collaborative atmosphere with the University community
• Proactively identify and implement opportunities for process improvement, efficiency, and end-user empowerment in support of the University mission
• Demonstrate flexibility and sound judgment — adapting to changing work scope, solving problems independently and collaboratively, and self-monitoring performance for continuous improvement
• Follow established ITY service management practices for incident management, request fulfillment, documentation, escalation, and customer communication.
• Assist users with account management, password resets, multifactor authentication enrollment, and access-related issues in accordance with university security policies.
• Support university cybersecurity initiatives by promoting secure computing practices, identifying suspicious activity, and adhering to institutional security standards and procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED :

• High School Diploma or GED
• Strong critical thinking and problem solving skills
• Excellent verbal and nonverbal communication skills
• Strong organization and multi-tasking skills
• Ability to provide great customer service and technical support to a diverse audience
• Must be able to accommodate a flexible work schedule including early evenings and Sunday afternoons.

Other Qualifications and Job Requirements

PREFERRED :

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in technology-related field
• Work experience in a higher education setting supporting instructional technologies such as learning management systems, online courses, lecture capture, online storage, and portals.
• Experience using a work order ticketing system
• Experience with developing instructional training materials on various topics

Working Conditions

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for 65% of the time
• Occasionally performs duties that require spending time in low posture positions such as crawling, crouching, kneeling, and stooping
• Must be able to adjust or move objects up to 25 pounds in all directions
• Requires frequent communication
• Frequently performs tasks that uses repeating motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers
• Requires clarity of vision for frequent use of computers and other technological devices
• After-hours and weekends may be required as needed

Located in historic Athens, Alabama, Athens State University offers junior and senior-level coursework to community college graduates and transfer students holding sufficient credits from other institutions. Approximately 3,000 students each semester have selected Athens State because of its neighborly environment where over 50 majors and degree programs are offered, with courses taught by a supportive and exceptional faculty. Approximately 95% of the students are enrolled in at least one online course. The typical student is a working adult who commutes. Recently, the University was named the Most Affordable College in Alabama by The Best Schools, as well as a 2024 Great College to Work For by ModernThink. Athens State offers undergraduate degree programs in Liberal Arts, Teacher Preparation, and Business. The University employs more than 392 full and part-time employees with approximately 88 full-time faculty members in three colleges: College of Arts and Sciences, College of Business, and College of Education. 83% of the full-time faculty members hold a terminal degree. Athens State is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Athens, Alabama is located in North Alabama equidistant between Nashville, TN and Birmingham, AL. Athens is home to several events and festivals that have been featured as the Southeast Tourism Society’s “Top 20 Events in the Southeast” including the Athens Storytelling Festival and the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention.

EEO Statement

Non-Discrimination Policy Statement Athens State University, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. Athens State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation, disability, religion, genetic information, or veteran status in employment, or admissions to or participation in educational programs and activities. Inquiries or concerns may be addressed to the Office of the Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services, 300 N. Beaty St., Athens, AL 35611, 256- 233-8175.

In accordance with Athens State University Policy and guidelines, the applicant chosen for employment will be required to sign a consent form for a criminal background check. Employment will be contingent upon the receipt of a clearance notification from that criminal background check.

Close Date

Open Until Filled Yes

Additional Information

Athens State University participates in the E-verify System to verify employment eligibility for all newly-hired employees.

Review of applications will begin as soon as possible and remain “open until filled”.

For assistance, contact the Human Resources Office at 256-216-3333 or email us at [e-mail].

Posting Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * How did you hear about this employment opportunity?
  • Chronicle of Higher Education web or print ad
  • Higher Ed Jobs.com
  • Special Publication or Professional Journal
  • Athens State University website (Athens.edu)
  • Personal or Employee Referral
  • Local newspaper adOther
  • Inside Higher Ed