Sr. Desktop Engineer

Position Summary:

The Senior Desktop Engineer serves as a technical leader within Desktop Engineering, independently architecting, implementing, and managing the university’s end‑user computing infrastructure. This role is accountable for advanced configuration management across macOS, Windows, and Linux platforms; deep expertise with enterprise management tools such as Jamf, Intune, MECM, and AWX; and for developing scalable, automated solutions that elevate reliability, security, and user experience across the Vanderbilt community. In addition to platform ownership, the Senior Desktop Engineer coaches and mentors Desktop Engineers to build team-wide skill redundancy, strengthen operational capabilities, and support long‑term workforce development.

About the Work Unit:

Vanderbilt University Information Technology is a human-centric organization that advances our university by delivering innovative solutions and frictionless experiences through collaboration.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

Desktop Engineering & Infrastructure Management:

• Autonomously design, implement, and maintain desktop engineering management infrastructure, including configuration profiles, compliance policies, automation pipelines, and enterprise‑wide deployment frameworks. 

• Serve as a subject matter expert in Jamf, Intune, MECM, GPO, and AWX, ensuring best‑practice configuration, security hardening, and platform optimization across all managed devices. 

• Develop and maintain advanced device management policies, continually refining enforcement, automation, and configuration baselines to improve security posture and end‑user experience. 

• Lead support, configuration, and enhancement of AWS Workspaces, AWS AppStream, and Azure Virtual Desktop environments. 

• Diagnose and resolve the most complex end‑user device and application issues, acting as an escalation point for Desktop Engineering and service desk teams. 

• Oversee enterprise software and update distribution, ensuring reliable, controlled deployment of applications, configurations, and OS updates. 

• Collect and analyze operational metrics, using data to drive service improvements and measure compliance, reliability, and adoption.
  
   

Coaching, Collaboration & Leadership:

• Coach Desktop Engineers on device management tools, scripting, automation, and troubleshooting methodologies to develop skill redundancy across the team. 

• Provide technical leadership on infrastructure projects, ensuring engineering standards, documentation, and operational readiness are met. 

• Collaborate with VUIT leadership to evaluate technologies, enhance service lines, and influence strategic direction for end‑user platform engineering.

Software License Management and Compliance:

• Serve as a resource for necessary software licensing models, terms, and compliance requirements. Act as the go to resource for interpreting licensing terms, especially for site and volume agreements.

• Track and Document License Usage including where and how they are deployed across the university. Use license-tracking systems to monitor usage and ensure alignment with contractual entitlements. 

• Coordinate license renewals with users and departments to manage the timely renewal, acquisition, and phase-out of software licenses. This includes providing continual reporting to VUIT Business Operations for customer billing.

• Ensure compliance through continuous review and conducting ongoing audits of existing software contracts. Identify and address any discrepancies or risks related to overuse or underutilization.

• Support vendor-initiated software audit requests.
  
   

Support the Software Storefront:

• Support integration and management of applications distributed through the university’s software storefront, ensuring proper entitlement, licensing, and automated deployment.
  
   

Service Development & Continuous Improvement:

• Lead enhancements to existing desktop engineering services by identifying improvement opportunities and implementing scalable, secure, efficient solutions. 

• Develop documentation, engineering runbooks, and