User Support & Systems Specialist

Please note, we are not offering H-1B or Green Card sponsorship for this position. This position does not offer a STEM OPT training program.

The University of Minnesota is committed to fostering local talent through employment opportunities. This position utilizes an on-site modality, prospective applicants must be located either in the state of Minnesota or near the Wisconsin border or otherwise open to relocation.

The Information Technology department within the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) is searching for an User Support & Systems Specialist to join our team! The User Support & Systems Specialist is a key member of the CFANS team supporting the cutting-edge research and academic mission of the College. Primary duties include supporting the full support lifecycle for critical services, serving as the primary escalation point for complex hardware and software issues and providing consultative Tier-2 support to end users. You will have the opportunity to work across a broad range of technologies, directly influencing the operational efficiency and research success of CFANS.

Job Responsibilities

Tier 2 User and Research Support (50%)

• Provide Tier-2 direct customer support for hardware, software, and connectivity to University of Minnesota services via phone, remote access, email, or in-person.
• Support research labs with hardware and software installations & configuration, troubleshooting and Hardware/Software product recommendations.
• Provide consultation and assistance in new hardware procurement, balancing user requirements with university-wide technology standards and guidelines.
• Create and maintain written documentation of technical CFANS-IT services, processes, and procedures for use by other support staff and customers.
• Advise faculty and researchers on the benefits of utilizing UMN Virtual machines, collaborating with Central IT to provision and maintain both Linux and Windows virtual servers.
• Maintain relationships with other colleges and central University groups as it directly affects Research or Lab support and other "working-group" technologies.

Computer Labs Administration (25%)

• Coordinate the maintenance and yearly refresh of the 148 desktop fleet for the CFANS computer labs including: evaluation of technology and furniture needs, yearly computer purchases, yearly software licensing tasks, and coordination of the purchasing budget through CFANS student fees funding.
• Collaborate with instructors to identify applications that would benefit students from being available virtually and work with IT teams to install, test, and offer to classes.
• Coordinate the use of ADI/VDI resources in CFANS courses with Central IT including: software requests and suitability evaluation, load testing, and assisting faculty and eligible students with connectivity to cloud resources.

Administrative Computer Replacement (15%)

• Manage the bi-annual administrative staff laptop refresh and deployment program.
• Maintain accurate inventory and asset data within the TDX system in collaboration with Central IT.
• Document and continuously improve hardware procurement and asset tracking processes within the college.

CFANS Active Directory OU Administration (5%)

• Co-Administer the CFANS Active Directory (AD) Organizational Unit (OU) including the creation, deletion, and update of: computers, users, groups, and group policy objects in the CFANS OU.
• Co-manage the SCCM OU (create, update, and deploy applications for CFANS. Creates and manages collections of CFANS machines to enable deployment of critical updates for research machines).

Student Supervision (5%)

• Provide mentorship, direction, and technical oversight to student team members on lab projects and daily support incidents.
• Participate in the hiring and interview process of new student team members.

Please Document Qualifications on Resume

Required Qualifications

• BA/BS plus at least two years of experience or a combination of related education and work experience to equal at least six years.
• Experience working in a technical environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting research/academic environments or specialized scientific software.
• Experience managing stakeholder/customer partnerships.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Active Directory (GPOs, OU management).
• Experience managing a deployment platform (e.g., SCCM, Jamf, Ivanti).
• Experience with hardware procurement and asset management practices.
• Experience with ITSM/Project management tools (Asana, TeamDynamix, etc.)
• Demonstrated strengths in communication skills, both oral and written.
• Demonstrated ability to research and solve issues.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.

Pay Range: $31.25 - $34.75 hourly ($65,000 - $72,280 annually); depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Civil-Service

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

Please include a resume and cover letter for a complete application.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022). #ZR