IT Operations Specialist

Amherst has taken a leadership role among highly selective liberal arts colleges and universities in successfully diversifying the racial, socio-economic, and geographic profile of its student body. The College is similarly committed to enriching its educational experience and its culture through the diversity of its faculty, administration and staff.

Job Description:

Amherst College invites applications for the IT Operations Specialist position. The IT Operations Specialist is a full-time, year-round position, starting at $57,000 per year - commensurate with experience. Given Amherst's distinction as one of the most diverse liberal arts colleges in the country, the successful candidate will demonstrate the ways in which they bring value to and will work towards supporting a broadly diverse community.

The IT Operations Specialist is primarily responsible for providing client support for Amherst College’s computing platforms. Reporting directly to the Assistant Director within IT Support Services, this role supports the educational and research missions of the college by ensuring reliable technology services across campus spaces. Responsibilities include researching new hardware and software technologies, providing expertise and best practices guidance to colleagues, enhancing existing technology services, and contributing to the development and support of new services. The Specialist collaborates closely with team members, providing backup support for system deployment and maintenance, and supports technology solutions across the institution. Work shifts include rotations from 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM and 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM. All Amherst College employees are expected to contribute actively to fostering a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming working environment.

Summary of Responsibilities:

Technology Support and Deployment

• Provide direct client support via phone, email, and in-person interactions for the college’s computing platforms

• Offer technical expertise in computer setup and deployment processes across all major operating systems and hardware

• Assist in the installation and maintenance of client hardware and software, working alongside IT colleagues to manage budget allocations, resource planning, and coordinating timely responses to faculty and staff requests

• Respond to standard and emergency support requests, aid colleagues with additional support tasks, and meticulously document all support activities and hardware tracking using provided ITSM tools

• Maintain comprehensive internal documentation for hardware, software, and equipment, covering procurement, configurations, maintenance schedules, and inventory records

• Adhere to best security practices regarding physical spaces, digital data handling, confidential information management, computer reuse policies, encryption standards, and response procedures for security alerts and breaches

• Proactively identify service gaps and collaborate with team members to address and resolve these gaps

• Provide occasional after-hours service and support, including weekends, evenings, and early mornings, as needed

• Assist in supervising student workers assigned to technology projects

• Stay abreast of emerging technology trends and best practices

• Collaborate with colleagues across IT departments to launch and improve technology services

• Apply acquired knowledge to enhance team processes and overall service delivery

Qualifications:

Required

• Bachelor’s Degree

• 1 to 3 years of related experience

• In lieu of minimum education and related experience, specialized skill training/certification may be considered (plus 4 years of experience)

• Proven experience in customer service and technology support

• In-depth knowledge of current versions of at least one major operating system (macOS, Windows) and working knowledge of a second

• Experience managing systems and protocols supporting numerous computing devices (desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones) in complex environments

• Strong commitment to continuous learning of new technologies and methods

• Experience in researching technical issues using diverse information sources

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, time management, and customer service skills

• Commitment to working with a diverse and inclusive community

• Successful completion of required reference and background checks

• Successful completion of pre-employment physical and lift test

Preferred

• Experie