Technical Support Specialist

Job Title: IT Service Desk SupportLocation: Cambridge, MA (Onsite)Contract: Contract of 12 Months Job Summary:Client is seeking an experienced Senior Helpdesk Support Specialist to serve as a high‑level technical resource for our faculty, staff, and students. Unlike entry‑level roles, this position requires 5+ years of progressive IT support experience (preferably in higher education) and the ability to resolve complex issues independently, mentor junior staff, and manage critical academic systems with minimal supervision.You will be the escalation point for Tier 2/3 tickets involving Learning Management Systems (LMS), campus identity management, classroom AV, and research computing tools. Your expertise will directly impact student success and faculty productivity.Key Responsibilities (Senior Level)Advanced Technical SupportServe as the escalation point for complex helpdesk tickets that junior staff or student workers cannot resolve.Troubleshoot advanced issues with:LMS platforms (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle) – gradebook sync, API errors, third‑party LTI tools.Identity & Access Management – Azure AD / Active Directory, MFA (Duo/MS Authenticator), SSO (Shibboleth, SAML).Academic software – SPSS, MATLAB, Adobe Creative Cloud, Respondus LockDown Browser, statistical packages.Diagnose and repair hardware (laptops, desktops, peripherals) at component level (RAM, SSD, logic board, power delivery).Classroom & AV SystemsSupport Zoom Rooms, Teams Rooms, lecture capture (Panopto, Echo360), projectors, and document cameras.Provide rapid on‑site support during active class sessions to minimize downtime.Mentorship & DocumentationTrain and mentor junior helpdesk staff and student workers.Create and maintain knowledge base articles for both technical and non‑technical audiences.Lead post‑incident reviews and suggest process improvements.Compliance & Data PrivacyEnsure all support activities comply with FERPA, GDPR, and university data retention policies.Handle sensitive student and employee data with discretion.Required Qualifications5+ years of experience in IT helpdesk or desktop support (Tier 2/3 level).At least 2 years of experience in a higher education environment (college/university).Technical Skills:Operating Systems: Windows 10/11, macOS (advanced troubleshooting, imaging, configuration).Directory Services: Active Directory (user/group management, OU structure, password policies), Azure AD.Networking: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, Wi‑Fi (Eduroam / 802.1x), basic VLAN troubleshooting.Endpoint Management: Experience with one or more – SCCM, JAMF Pro, Intune, LANDesk.Ticketing Systems: ServiceNow, TeamDynamix, Jira, or Zendesk (advanced workflow customization a plus).Soft Skills:Exceptional patience and empathy when working with non‑technical faculty and stressed students.Ability to explain technical concepts to users with varying digital literacy.Strong documentation and process‑improvement mindset.