IT Solutions Specialist L1

Cardinal Point Technologies; Valparaiso (IN); On-site; USD 52,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits package

Job summary

Cardinal Point Technologies in Valparaiso, Indiana, is seeking an IT Solutions Specialist to provide day-to-day IT support for hardware and software across client environments, including workstations, servers, and network devices. The role is in-person and on-site.

The qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in CS or MIS, dependable transportation, and strong English communication. This position emphasizes problem solving, teamwork, and security best practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or MIS or equivalent demonstrable training and experience
• Must have dependable transportation
• Experience with Windows 10/11 and Windows Server environments
• Familiarity with cyber security basics and best practices
• Strong communication and customer service skills

Responsibilities

• Troubleshoot broad technical problems and coordinate resources
• Configure, install, set up, and maintain workstations, servers, devices, switches, and firewalls
• Manage user accounts across AD/Office 365 and MDM tools
• Respond to hardware and software support issues for Office 365 apps and devices
• Log time and maintain thorough ticket notes for clear handoffs and history
• Maintain inventory and asset documentation

Skills

Customer service

English fluency

Time management

Problem-solving

Independent work

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS or MIS

Tools

Office 365/Azure AD

MDM tools (Sophos/Jamf/Meraki)

Windows/macOS/Server knowledge

Job description

In-Office:

This is an in-person job and not a remote position.

Company Profile & Core Values

Cardinal Point Technologies (CPT) is committed to an overarching vision: use the boundless power of technology to improve the lives of our fellow citizens and leave a legacy of knowledge for future generations. At every level, we embrace a mission that serves our vision through the enhancement of organizational performance, a drive to positively impact financial outcomes, and a desire to instill and safeguard a security posture for our clients by developing and delivering strategically aligned, value-added IT solutions and services in a measurable way. Our value system is comprised of five fundamental traits that team members must possess and steward to succeed at delivering the CPT Client Experience:

• Loyalty
• Knowledge/Skill
• Integrity
• Ownership

CPT has developed a reputation for excellence and trust which has ignited our growth and geographic footprint. When it comes to our team, we place immense value on the character and personality traits you cannot train while also considering the qualifications and skills you can train. In every role, we are looking for individuals with these character traits to join our close-knit team.

Summary

CPT is seeking a qualified individual to fill the role of IT Solutions Specialist. This individual will be responsible for the execution of day-to-day IT support services as they relate to the unique needs of the hardware and software systems of each client. This may include (but is not limited to) workstations, laptops, device peripherals, switches, firewalls, point-of-sale systems, mobile devices, productivity software, virtualized environments, backup & disaster recovery systems, legal management systems, and hospitality/hotel property management systems, including property management software (e.g., Oracle Opera) and its supporting interface hardware. This individual should be comfortable communicating over the phone using remote assistance software, as well as helping clients in person onsite.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or Management Information Systems or equivalent demonstrable and verifiable combination of training and experience. Must have dependable transportation.

General Responsibilities:

• Troubleshoot broad technical problems and quickly identify what needs to be done or what resources need to be coordinated to address the issue
• Configure, install, set up, and maintain workstations, servers, mobile devices, network switches and firewalls
• Provide user account management across device types and systems (Microsoft Active Directory, Microsoft Office 365/Azure AD, MDM software such as Sophos Mobile, Jamf or Meraki, etc.)
• Respond to customer hardware and software support issues for Microsoft Office 365 applications (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel), Phone/Voicemail, Printers, Mobile devices, etc.
• Manage environments using Windows 10/11, Windows Server, and the Office 365 ecosystem (Hosted Exchange, SharePoint Online, Teams, Power Automate)
• Break down and identify necessary actions related to the installation of application software that may be unfamiliar and/or poorly documented or supported by the 3rd party vendor
• Maintain (patches, updates, and fixes) software used on desktop systems including OS, anti-virus, and malware protection
• Assist with IT security audits to identify risks, threats, and vulnerabilities and implementation of security controls as necessary
• Track and update IT inventory and asset documentation
• Accurately log time against the correct ticket in real time as work is performed, and maintain clear, thorough ticket notes that would allow another engineer to pick up the ticket cold
• Arrive at every dispatch with a fully stocked field “go bag” (cable tester, patch cables, basic hand tools, etc.), and complete tool-specific training and sign-off before being dispatched solo
• Know when and how to escape promptly, whether the issue is technical, scope-related, safety/risk-related, or driven by customer sentiment, rather than working an issue indefinitely without support
• Approaches unknown issues through independent research rather than immediate escalation. When escalation is necessary, presents a well-reasoned hypothesis and rationale rather than an open-ended request for help.
• Coordinate and manage issue resolution that requires action from multiple software, hardware, or service vendors
• Assist in testing for automated workflows and integrations with other systems
• Perform miscellaneous related duties as assigned

Critical Skills & Experience:

• Adaptable personality type that is flexible and receptive to high-rate change
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written skills
• Fluency in written and spoken English
• Strong customer service skills and focus to deliver a customer experience that goes beyond just issue resolution; our standard is first-trip resolution delivered with visible confidence and command of the situation
• Vigilant situational awareness and situational resource management skills
• Strong time management skills; ability to multi-task and prioritize assignments
• Ability to problem-solve and think creatively
• Demonstrates the ability to self-teach when facing unseen or unfamiliar issues; when uncertain of a resolution, builds a full picture of the problem and brings a proposed solution — not just a question — to senior engineers.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to accept constructive criticism and maintain compliance with training programs as assigned
• Ability to constructively approach conflict and embrace healthy disagreement to achieve the best solution for the client
• Fundamental understanding of cyber security and basic security protocols
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow technical and procedural documentation with accuracy
• Ability to troubleshoot and differentiate between symptom and cause, and provide support until root cause is resolved
• Knowledgeable in basic workflows derived from operating out of a ticketing and remote monitoring/management (RMM) system; experience with a PSA/RMM platform (e.g., Syncro, ConnectWise, Autotask, or similar) a plus
• See “Minimum Networking Knowledge Requirements” below
• Knowledgeable with Windows 10/11, Mac OS, and Windows Server operating systems
• Knowledgeable with Linux operating systems a plus but not required
• Knowledgeable in the Office 365 ecosystem
• Comfortable working alongside AI-assisted diagnostic and workflow tooling as part of daily ticket handling
• CompTIA A+ (or similar foundational IT certification) preferred, or willingness to obtain within the first 12 months; Sophos certification a plus

Candidates must be able to demonstrate the following without additional training:

• TCP/IPv4 fundamentals: what an IP address is, and the difference between private (RFC 1918) and public IP address ranges
• Subnetting basics: understand subnet masks (e.g., 255.255.255.0 / /24) and be able to determine whether two IP addresses fall on the same subnet
• CIDR notation: read standard CIDR notation (e.g., /24, /16) well enough to identify a network’s usable host range
• Default gateway: understand what a gateway is and its role in routing traffic beyond the local subnet
• DNS: understand what DNS does, how hostname resolution works, and be able to run basic diagnostics (e.g., nslookup, ipconfig /flushdns) when a DNS issue is suspected
• DHCP: understand how a device obtains an IP address, and recognize a 169.254.x.x (APIPA) address as a sign the device didn’t get a DHCP response
• NAT: conceptual understanding of how private IP addresses translate to a public IP for internet access
• Switches, routers, and firewalls: understand the distinct role each plays, and be able to describe the basic path traffic takes from a workstation to the internet
• TCP vs. UDP and common ports: baseline familiarity with common ports/protocols (e.g., 80/443 for web traffic, 53 for DNS, 3389 for RDP, 445 for SMB)
• Command-line diagnostics: comfortable using ping, tracert/traceroute, and ipconfig/ifconfig to isolate whether a problem is local, at the gateway, or further upstream
• Basic wireless networking: understand SSID, WPA2/WPA3 encryption, and the practical difference between 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands

Preferred, not required at hire:

• VLAN concepts and why network segmentation is used
• Basic firewall rule/ACL literacy
• Familiarity with cloud-managed networking platforms (e.g., Meraki) a plus

We are a close-knit, fast-paced team that works together through a wide range of fulfilling, high-impact, situations that demand focus. We also enjoy an equal amount of low-key, low-stress engagements that are well planned where we enjoy team camaraderie. Must have the flexibility to work a schedule that follows M–F, 8am–5pm CST. On rare occasion, this role may require the individual to work early or late as the job demands. This role will require an ability and willingness to be on-call at least 1 weekend per month to remotely monitor and respond to any emergency or mission-critical issues.. Infrequent overnight travel to destinations within a 4-hour radius may be required. When/if travel is necessary, accommodations are provided.

We offer a full benefits package, paid vacation, and a 401(k) plan.

Salary range is $52,000–$59,000, depending on experience.