Desktop Support Engineer II / IT Specialist

About the role

The Desktop Support Engineer II / IT Specialist is the first point of contact for employees who need technical help, resolving Tier 1 and Tier 2 issues quickly and escalating advanced problems to the right third-party provider or internal team. The role covers user access and account management, network and VPN connectivity, and end-user hardware and software support. This is a hybrid role for Middle Georgia, Tampa, FL, or Sarasota, FL.

What you'll do

Tier 1 Help Desk Support

• Serve as the first point of contact for employees by phone, email, chat, walk-up, and ticketing portal.
• Log, categorize, prioritize, and track every request in the ticketing system (e.g., Happy Fox, ServiceNow, Jira Service Management).
• Diagnose and resolve common issues such as slow performance, application errors, printer faults, peripheral problems, and email or calendar sync.
• Provide remote support using tools such as Microsoft Teams, TeamViewer, Quick Assist, or ConnectWise.
• Escalate unresolved or complex incidents to the appropriate third-party provider or internal team with clear notes and steps already taken, and follow up until closure.
• Meet service level agreements (SLAs) for response and resolution times.

Access and Account Management

• Create, modify, disable, and delete user accounts in Active Directory / Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) according to onboarding and offboarding procedures.
• Reset passwords, unlock accounts, and verify user identity before granting access.
• Assign and remove access to shared drives, security groups, distribution lists, applications, and licenses (e.g., Microsoft 365).
• Support multi-factor authentication (MFA) enrollment and troubleshooting, and single sign-on (SSO) issues.
• Process access requests following least-privilege principles and approval workflows, and maintain an audit trail.
• Assist with periodic access reviews and compliance requests.

Networking and Connectivity

• Troubleshoot wired and wireless connectivity problems on user devices and in the office.
• Diagnose issues involving IP addressing, DHCP, DNS, and basic routing using tools such as ping, tracert, nslookup, and ipconfig.
• Check the status of switches, access points, patch panels, and network ports, and coordinate with the network team on faults.
• Support network printers, VoIP phones, and other networked peripherals.
• Document network issues and escalate suspected outages or infrastructure faults.

VPN and Remote Access

• Install, configure, and troubleshoot VPN clients (e.g., Cisco AnyConnect, GlobalProtect, FortiClient, or the company-standard solution) on Windows and macOS devices.
• Resolve VPN issues such as failed authentication, certificate errors, split-tunneling problems, and dropped connections.
• Support remote and hybrid employees with secure access to internal resources, virtual desktops, and cloud applications.
• Coordinate with the network and security teams on VPN profile changes, access policies, and incidents.

Hardware, Software, and Endpoint Management

• Set up, configure, deploy, and image laptops, desktops, monitors, docking stations, and mobile devices.
• Install, update, and troubleshoot operating systems (Windows, macOS) and business applications.
• Manage endpoints with tools such as Microsoft Intune, SCCM/Configuration Manager, or Jamf, including patching and software deployment.
• Handle hardware diagnostics, repairs, warranty claims, and vendor coordination.
• Maintain IT asset inventory, including tracking of assignments, returns, and disposals.
• Confirm that endpoint security tools (antivirus/EDR, disk encryption) are installed and working.

Documentation and Continuous Improvement

• Write and update knowledge base articles, how-to guides, and standard operating procedures.
• Identify recurring issues and recommend fixes or user training to reduce ticket volume.
• Support IT projects such as OS upgrades, office moves, and new system rollouts.
• Follow company security, data protection, and change management policies.

Branch Office Support

• Provide remote and, when needed, on-site support to branch office staff, treating their requests with the same priority and SLAs as headquarters.
• Coordinate with branch managers and local contacts on equipment needs, onboarding and offboarding, office moves, and scheduled maintenance.
• Troubleshoot branch-specific issues such as site-to-site VPN or WAN connectivity, local network equipment, printers, and phone systems.
• Work with remote hands, local contractors, and couriers to ship, install, and replace hardware at branch locations.
• Keep branch asset inventories, network diagrams, and site documentation current.
• Apply standard images, security configurations, and patching consistently across all branch endpoints.

Third-Party Technology Service Providers and Issue Remediation

• Act as the day-to-day contact for third-party vendors and managed service providers (e.g., ISPs, telecom carriers, managed network or security providers, hardware vendors, and software support teams).
• Open, track, and escalate vendor support cases and warranty claims, holding providers accountable to agreed SLAs and following up until resolution.
• Provide vendors with accurate diagnostic details, logs, and business impact to speed up troubleshooting.
• Coordinate vendor access to company systems and sites, following security, approval, and change management procedures.
• Verify that vendor fixes work and confirm resolution with the affected users before closing tickets.
• Perform root cause analysis on recurring or high-impact incidents, remediate the underlying issues, and document the corrective actions and lessons learned.
• Report vendor performance issues and recurring problems to IT management, and recommend improvements or changes in provider arrangements where warranted.

Technology Architecture Involvement

• Contribute frontline user and endpoint perspective to architecture discussions on networks, identity and access, endpoint platforms, and cloud services.
• Help evaluate, pilot, and document new tools, standards, and configurations before wider rollout.
• Follow approved architecture standards, baseline images, and naming and configuration conventions so that deployments stay consistent and supportable.
• Flag design gaps, single points of failure, and recurring pain points found through support work, and recommend improvements.
• Support technology refreshes, migrations, and integrations, including testing and user communication.

Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery

• Support the organization's business continuity (BCP) and disaster recovery (DR) plans by keeping runbooks, contact lists, and recovery procedures accurate.
• Take part in backup verification, failover tests, and DR exercises, and document the results and any issues found.
• Restore service quickly during outages by following incident response procedures, including re-imaging devices, restoring user data, and setting up temporary or alternate access (such as VPN or loaner equipment).
• Maintain readiness for remote work and branch office continuity, including spare equipment and alternate connectivity options.
• Communicate status to affected users and IT leadership during major incidents, and contribute to post-incident reviews.

Separation of Duties and Governance

• Understand and collaborate with the Information Security and apply separation of duties: the person who requests, approves, implements, and reviews a change or access grant should not be the same person where policy requires otherwise.
• Perform only the access and administrative tasks within the role's assigned authority, and route privileged or out-of-scope requests to the appropriate approver or team.
• Follow documented approval workflows for access changes, new accounts, administrative rights, and system changes, and never bypass them, even for urgent or senior requests.
• Use individual named accounts and least-privilege access, keep administrative credentials separate from day-to-day accounts, and never share credentials.
• Keep complete, accurate ticket records so that access decisions and changes can be audited.
• Support internal and external audits and compliance requests, and report suspected policy violations or conflicts of interest.

Escalation and Handoff

• Resolve Tier 1 and Tier 2 issues in-house; escalate advanced remediation (such as network infrastructure faults, server or cloud platform issues, and complex software or security problems) to the responsible third-party provider.
• Know which provider owns each system, service, and site, how to contact them, and what their support hours and SLAs are.
• Before escalating, confirm the issue, gather logs and screenshots, record the steps already tried, and state the business impact and priority.
• Open the vendor case, record the case number in the internal ticket, and stay the point of contact for the user until the issue is resolved.
• Escalate to IT management when a provider misses an SLA, an outage affects many users, or a security or business continuity risk is involved.
• Use the Tier 3 / provider handoff to learn from each fix, and add the resolution to the knowledge base so similar issues can be handled in-house next time.

Qualifications

Experience and Education

• 2 to 4 years of experience in a help desk or desktop support role, including Tier 2 troubleshooting and working with outside service providers.
• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Technical Skills

• Windows 10/11 and macOS support, including installation, configuration, and troubleshooting.
• Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID user and group administration.
• Microsoft 365 administration basics (Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, licensing).
• Networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, Wi-Fi, and common network troubleshooting tools.
• Experience supporting VPN clients and remote-access solutions.
• Familiarity with MFA and SSO tools (e.g., Microsoft Authenticator, Okta, Duo).
• Experience with a ticketing / ITSM platform and remote support tools.
• Working knowledge of printers, peripherals, mobile devices, and common business applications.
• Basic understanding of cybersecurity practices, including phishing awareness, patching, and endpoint protection.

Architecture, Continuity, and Governance Knowledge

• Understanding of IT architecture concepts, including how identity, network, endpoint, and cloud layers fit together.
• Familiarity with business continuity and disaster recovery concepts such as backups, RTO/RPO, failover, and incident response.
• Working knowledge of separation of duties, least privilege, change management, and approval workflows.
• Awareness of common compliance and security frameworks (e.g., ISO 27001, SOC 2, NIST, HIPAA, or PCI DSS, as relevant to the organization).

Preferred Qualifications and Certifications

• CompTIA A+, Network+, or Security+
• Microsoft certifications such as MS-900 or SC-900
• ITIL 4 Foundation or HDI Support Center Analyst
• Experience with Intune, Jamf, or SCCM for endpoint management
• Experience in a regulated environment (e.g., healthcare, finance) with compliance requirements

Core Competencies and Soft Skills

• Customer service: Patient, courteous, and able to explain technical concepts to non-technical users.
• Problem solving: Methodical troubleshooting, with the judgment to know when to escalate.
• Communication: Clear written and verbal communication, including accurate ticket notes and documentation.
• Time management: Able to prioritize competing requests and meet SLAs in a fast-paced environment.
• Reliability and integrity: Handles sensitive account and access information with discretion.
• Teamwork: Works well with other IT teams, vendors, and business stakeholders.
• Adaptability: Willing to learn new tools and technologies and to take on new responsibilities.

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