IT Specialist

Position Available: The expected start date is as soon as possible after the closing date. This is a 100% Academic Professional appointment.

Responsibilities:  There is one IT Specialist position available.  The positions will be part of the Workstation and Network Support group:  http://www.library.illinois.edu/it/wns/.

IT Specialist work as part of a team charged with supporting the technology profile of the University Library. Staff in these positions configure and deploy a variety of hardware and software including workstations, laptops, printers, operating systems, applications, and endpoint management tools. They are also responsible for contributing to the routing, troubleshooting, resolving, and documenting of technology-related issues and customer support initiatives.

Major Duties and Responsibilities

• Work with Library faculty and staff on hardware, networking, and software-deployment related technology projects and problem resolution

  • Interview staff to understand their problems and determine their technology needs

  • Research and maintain knowledge of current technology trends, hardware and software improvements, ongoing issues, and changes in services, and proactively use that knowledge to recommend process improvements or new technologies and to solve problems

  • Undertake problem analysis, perform independent research, and work with other technology experts to formulate and document a plan for problem resolution

  • Execute the plan, either independently, by supervising hourly employees, or in coordination with other senior IT staff

• Perform hardware and software maintenance

  • Maintain desktop and laptop computing hardware and loaner pool (laptops, tablets, etc.), including interacting with vendors, warranty repair, upgrades, and life cycle management

  • Create and distribute software packages to workstations and laptops

• Serve as tier 2 support for issues which are escalated from the Help Desk team;

  • Work with the Help Desk staff to properly route and troubleshoot issues, questions, and user requests in a timely and accurate manner

• Assist with instructional space technology

• Assist with inventory management

• Solve problems independently, seeking assistance from subject experts where appropriate

• Supervise student workers and hourly staff

• Write reports, summaries, and documentation as required

• Other related duties as assigned

Academic Professional employees are encouraged to use “investigation time” to pursue areas of interest, not directly in support of an immediate program need, in accordance with the University Library’s policy on Investigation Time for Academic Professional Employees http://www.library.illinois.edu/administration/human/resources/investigationtime.html. Some investigations originating in this manner may evolve into regular work assignments or production activities.

Environment: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) Library is a leader in the delivery of user services, and active programs in information, instructional, access, and scholarly services that help the Library to maintain its place at the intellectual heart of the campus. The Library also holds one of the preeminent research collections in the world, encompassing more than 13 million volumes and a total of more than 23 million items. The Library is committed to maintaining the strongest collections and service programs possible, and to engaging in research, development, and scholarly practice - all of which support the University's missions of teaching, research, and public engagement. The Library employs approximately 90 faculty members, and more than 300 academic professionals, staff, and graduate assistants. For more information, see: http://www.library.illinois.edu/.

The Workstation and Network Support (WNS) group is responsible for the installation, maintenance, and support of the Library networked computing hardware and software infrastructure, including nearly 1200 workstations and laptops, peripherals, and network printers that serve Library Faculty, Staff, and patrons. Activities include responding to work requests, operating system and software installation and updates, and hardware lifecycle management.  Our current staff consists of the Manager of Workstation Network Support, three full time Academic Professionals and ten hourly and student employees.

The Library IT Help Desk is the first point of contact for most technology related services in the U of I Library. The Help Desk receives, resolves, and/or escalates all computer related requests from library employees by phone, in-person, via our ticketing system or email. The Help Desk is staffed by three employees consisting of two Academic Professionals and one hourly employee.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree

• One year of experience working with the Windows and/or OSX operating systems

• Ability to take responsibility for challenging issues requiring independent evaluation and creativity, either resolving or escalating them as needed

• Ability to collaboratively work with faculty and staff with varying levels of technical expertise

• Ability to effectively work in an environment with multiple concurrent priorities

• Enthusiasm for learning new skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills

• Dedication to excellent customer service

• Physical ability to lift 50 pounds

Preferred qualifications:

• Degree in an information technology (IT) or related field

• In-depth knowledge of Windows and Macintosh operating systems

• Knowledgeable and/or technically skilled with one or more of the following:  Networking, IT security, OS imaging, Active Directory, and MS Office;

• Understanding of IT service processes, such as using a ticketing system or routing and escalating problems

• Experience with end point management tools, such as SCCM or Munki

• Basic knowledge of network services and concepts like DNS, DHCP, VoIP, routing, switching, and wireless technologies;

• Basic knowledge of security concepts like access control, authentication, and authorization;

• Experience hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and training student or hourly staff

• Demonstrated understanding of asset management processes, such as purchases, inventory, and surplus;

Campus and Community: The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a comprehensive and major public land-grant university (Doctoral/Research University-Extensive) that is ranked among the best in the world. Chartered in 1867, it provides undergraduate and graduate education in more than 150 fields of study, conducts theoretical and applied research, and provides public service to the state and the nation. It employs 3,000 faculty members who serve 31,000 undergraduates and 12,000 graduate and professional students; approximately 25% of faculty receives campus-wide recognition each year for excellence in teaching. More information about the campus is available at www.illinois.edu.  The University is located in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana, which have a combined population of 100,000 and are situated about 140 miles south of Chicago, 120 miles west of Indianapolis, and 170 northeast of St. Louis. The University and its surrounding communities offer a cultural and recreational environment ideally suited to the work of a major research institution. For more information about the community, visit: http://illinois.edu/about/community/community.html or http://www.ccchamber.org/.

Salary and Rank: Salary commensurate with credentials and experience.

To Apply: To ensure full consideration, please complete your candidate profile at https://jobs.illinois.edu and upload a letter of interest, resume, contact information including email addresses for three professional references.  Applications not submitted through this website will not be considered. For questions, please call: 217-333-8169.

Deadline: In order to ensure full consideration we urge candidates to submit application materials on or before August 10, 2018.  Interviews and offers may take place before the closing date. All applications received by the closing date will receive full consideration.

The University Library of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign values diversity of thought, perspective, experience and people, and is actively committed to a culture of inclusion and respect. We are dedicated to the practices of social justice, diversity, and equality, and strive to overcome historical and divisive biases in our society and embrace diverse points of view as assets to the fabric of our community. All positions will be called on to contribute to building this environment in the Library and throughout the campus community, and we encourage candidates to apply who share these values.