Tier 1 Service Desk Specialist

Remote (United States)

Job Details

Location: United States

Workplace: Remote

Employment Type: Full-time, hourly

Core Areas: IT Service Desk Support, Incident Management, Service Request Management, ITSM Ticketing, ServiceNow, Active Directory Administration, Microsoft 365, Remote Desktop Troubleshooting

Compensation: $19–$21 per hour

About the Role

The Tier 1 Service Desk Specialist provides first-line technical assistance and administrative support for an enterprise IT service desk supporting federal government users. This position manages incidents, problems, and service requests across phone, email, live chat, and self-service channels. Key responsibilities include troubleshooting technical issues, documenting and prioritizing tickets, resolving user requests, coordinating escalations, and restoring disrupted IT services in accordance with service level agreements (SLAs) and operational level agreements (OLAs).

The role involves hands-on support for Windows 10/11, Microsoft 365, Active Directory, desktop hardware, network connectivity, and approved business applications. ServiceNow or Remedy is used for IT service management, while remote desktop tools such as BeyondTrust (Bomgar) support technical troubleshooting. Work is performed under supervision and requires practical technical knowledge, customer service skills, accurate documentation, and the ability to manage multiple support requests.

What You'll Do

• Provide Tier 1 technical support to users through telephone calls, email, live chat, self-service portals, and coordination with on-site support personnel.
• Create, categorize, prioritize, assign, update, and manage Incident, Problem, and Service Request tickets using ServiceNow, Remedy, or designated government ITSM systems.
• Respond to incoming telephone requests during normal working hours, document reported issues, attempt initial resolution, and escalate unresolved requests to appropriate technical support personnel.
• Monitor incoming email requests regularly and create service desk tickets within applicable SLA requirements.
• Classify incidents according to business impact and priority, track resolution progress, and help restore degraded or disrupted IT services as quickly as possible.
• Manage critical events by creating and tracking ITSM tickets, coordinating the resolution process, meeting applicable SLAs, and making event information available to service desk agents for real-time reference.
• Maintain accurate ticket documentation, including troubleshooting actions, user communications, incident status, escalation history, and resolution details.
• Ensure all open tickets are updated and managed according to established SLAs and OLAs.
• Confirm that reported issues have been resolved and affected services restored before closing tickets. Mark resolved issues appropriately, follow up with users, and obtain confirmation of satisfactory resolution.
• Take ownership of incident and service request resolution, including tracking work performed by other support teams or external organizations and escalating delays when necessary.
• Review incident records and related service desk information to identify recurring technical issues, potential trends, and common underlying causes.
• Create Problem tickets when recurring incidents indicate a common cause, associate related Incident tickets, and update linked records after problem resolution.
• Receive and process service requests submitted through telephone calls, voicemail, email, technician communications, and in-person channels.
• Notify users about scheduled maintenance, planned service interruptions, and outages through email communications.
• Provide remote desktop configuration and troubleshooting assistance using approved remote support tools, including BeyondTrust (Bomgar).
• Assist users with configuration, troubleshooting, and usage questions involving standard and approved software applications.
• Support Windows 10/11 and Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and OneDrive.
• Assist with basic Active Directory user administration, including password resets, account unlocks, and user account updates.
• Troubleshoot common desktop hardware, mobile device, VPN connectivity, Wi-Fi, and basic network-related issues.
• Provide technical assistance for accessibility and assistive technology tools, including Windows Ease of Use and JAWS.
• Support online collaboration platforms such as WebEx, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams, including meeting scheduling, basic usage assistance, and troubleshooting user issues.
• Handle high volumes of user requests professionally while maintaining accurate records, meeting service desk performance metrics, and following established support procedures.

Qualifications

Required Experience

• Practical technical support knowledge and training sufficient to perform Tier 1 service desk assignments under supervision.
• Experience accurately documenting technical incidents, service requests, troubleshooting activities, and user interactions.
• Ability to manage multiple support requests in a high-volume, metric-driven customer service environment.

Required Skills

• Working knowledge of Windows 10 and Windows 11 operating systems, including common user support and troubleshooting procedures.
• Basic proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and OneDrive.
• Ability to perform basic Active Directory user administration, including password resets, account unlocks, and routine user account updates.
• Familiarity with desktop and end-user hardware, including laptops, desktop computers, printers, monitors, and mobile devices.
• Understanding of fundamental networking concepts, including VPN connectivity, Wi-Fi troubleshooting, and basic TCP/IP.
• Working knowledge of ServiceNow or an equivalent IT service management (ITSM) ticketing system.
• Ability to document, track, and manage technical incidents and service requests accurately throughout the support lifecycle.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain technical information clearly to non-technical users.
• Ability to handle high call volumes professionally while maintaining consistent customer service standards.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to documentation accuracy, and the ability to prioritize and multitask effectively.
• Ability to work within defined service desk performance metrics, support procedures, and service level requirements.

Education & Certifications

• High school diploma or GED required.

Preferred Qualifications

• CompTIA A+ certification.
• HDI Support Center Analyst (HDI-SCA) certification.
• ITIL 4 Foundation certification.
• Microsoft 365 Fundamentals (MS-900) certification.
• At least one of the listed certifications is highly preferred.

Work Authorization & Eligibility

• Must be a United States citizen or a lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder) for at least three years.
• Must be compliant with federal tax obligations.

Benefits

• Benefits package supporting employee health, well-being, and work-life balance.
• Professional training and career development opportunities.
• Flexible work schedules.
• Compensation and employee benefits designed to support long-term professional development and engagement.