A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline skills and experience that directly relate to this position.

The Information and Technology Services (ITS) organization has an immediate opening for a Data Center Operations Support Specialist Associate to provide Tier I support monitoring networks from a centralized IT operations center ensuring high availability and attainment of service level agreements by effectively detecting, analyzing and escalating alarms for Network, Voice, Video, Hardware, Data Center infrastructure and related systems. This position provides Tier I after-hours phone support to faculty, staff, students, guests, and alumni. The Specialist also performs computer operations tasks such as tape handling, printing, laptop management, job scheduling, and access to data centers. The successful candidate will possess problem resolution, diagnostic and customer service skills.

This position will report to the Director of Data Centers.  The ITS Data Center Operations department provides Tier I monitoring support for networking systems, security and datacenter infrastructure as well as provide backup support for the ITS Service Desk after-hours.

This role requires someone who can work under minimal supervision, effectively use documented procedures and standards in a consistent manner and takes initiative to keep up-to-date with changing job requirements. The person in this role exhibits a willingness to work with others to advance knowledge and expertise as well as be an active participant in team discussions for process enhancements. This role also requires excellent written skills for the purpose of writing and updating documentation as well as providing details in ticketing systems.  In this role, the Specialist will accept a reasonable level of risk in decision-making when faced with unusual situations relating to customer calls and alerts.

Note:  ITS Data Center Operations operates 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Successful candidates will need flexibility to work overtime, weekends and some holidays.  Additionally, this position is considered critical and may be required to work onsite during the University's Emergency Reduction in Operations policy

For more information about the department of ITS, please visit our website: http://www.its.umich.edu/

Production Support

As a Data Center Operations Support Specialist Associate for the ITS  Infrastructure and Operations department at the University of Michigan,  this position's key responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Perform monitoring functions using a variety of tool sets to monitor networks, job schedules, and physical infrastructure with the ability to identify and address alerts to ensure timely escalation.
• Interact with network services, systems support, applications development and hardware vendors to restore service. Escalate complex problems to specific support groups.
• Perform research to isolate and troubleshoot alarms and events by applying basic networking fundamentals.
• Receive inbound emails, phone calls from end-users and service request tickets. Evaluate problems and determine priority of responding.  Provide basic research, isolate, and troubleshoot technical instances.  
• Provide Tier I resolutions, workarounds, and escalate problems to Tier II support.  Follow up with users to ensure problem resolution. 
• Support internal teams and projects.  Participate in system testing and knowledge management activities.
• Maintain proper handling and storage of media to ensure integrity of data for Disaster Recovery needs which involves processing tapes. 
• Consult with vendors to report hardware failures. 
• Provide access to Data Centers utilizing established guidelines.
• Contribute, participate and share information and ideas with the team.  Develop and maintain positive, collaborative relationships, inside and outside of the workgroup, interacting in a friendly, open, and honest manner.  

Service Improvements

• Collaborate with team members, support groups in the development and modification of written procedures, processes, and technical support knowledge base, resulting in improvement of department policies and procedures
• Support and recommend service enhancement projects that involve quality improvements to monitoring and departmental processes
• Demonstrate relationship building and effective communication skills through active listening and frequent communication with department staff and other Tier 2 and 3 teams
• Collaborate with subject matter experts to document, research, review, and update knowledge based documentation

Development of Self and Others

• Stay current with relevant advances in technologies. Responsible for maintaining and updating knowledge of IT policies and procedures, hardware, software and technical services.  This can include: on-the-job training, attending technical courses or conferences, reading, research and testing.  Develop and follow best practices and procedures and shares knowledge with team members.
• Demonstrate skill development by actively participating in growth opportunities for continuous development and improvement and applying new skills/knowledge to the job as evident by the ability to efficiently and effectively perform assigned duties, resulting in meeting or exceeding customer expectations and performance metrics.
• Maintain an overall awareness of the organization's key IT services for which support is provided by joining IT collaborative groups, reading all correspondence of organizational initiatives, webcasts and publications

• Minimum of 6 months  of experience in a related role requiring confidentiality, timeliness, customer service, organization, prioritization, troubleshooting, and working independently to successfully assist customers with their computing needs.
• Demonstrated understanding of networking fundamentals.
• Minimum of 6 months of professional experience in a related Information Technology customer service role .requiring confidentiality, organization, prioritization, troubleshooting, and working independently to successfully assist customers with their computing needs.
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge with IT Service Management ticketing tools.
• Demonstrated knowledge of operating systems (Windows, MacOS) and industry standard web browsers.
• Demonstrated proficiency with current computer technology and applications (e.g. word processing, spreadsheet, and collaboration applications).
• Demonstrated effective interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills

• CompTIA Network+ certification, or equivalent level of certification in network or security.
• Demonstrated experience with Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) tools such as dcTrack, Eaton Foreseer, and Tridium.
• Experience and knowledge with hardware and network monitoring software tools such as Nagios, Netflow Traffic Analyzer,, Spectrum, Intermapper, etc
• Experience with Job scheduling software

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

• Punctual, regular, and consistent attendance is required.
• Normal amount of sitting
• Average mobility to move around an office environment.
• Able to conduct normal amounts of work at a computer.
• May require to travel to various locations on and off campus.
• Responsible for protecting data and information from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion; and, following applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of data, etc. as stated in a computer access agreement which the incumbent signs.
   

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled anytime after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.