Operations Specialist

Department: Information Technology

Classification: Computer Ops Tech 1

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Telework Friendly: No

Pay Band: 03

Salary:  Salary commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

Enterprise Infrastructure Services (EIS) is a department of the Information Technology Services (ITS) Enterprise Infrastructure Division (EID). EIS provides technical information and assistance to support the users of technology at George Mason University. The EIS groups (Support Center, Desktop, and the Data Center) provide first and second tier technical support; microcomputer support; enterprise system monitoring; hardware and software maintenance; disaster recovery; and system backups.

About the Position:

The purpose of the Operations Specialist is to monitor and control access to the facility that houses critical IT infrastructure at the university. The position also coordinates support for outages that are detected by our software or reported by the user community. The position was established so that monitoring of the facility occurs around the clock 24/7 365 days/year, with this specific position supporting that effort between the hours.

Responsibilities:

Access Control, Environmental, Systems, and Network Monitoring:

• Maintains strict access control to the facility by challenging, and correctly logging all visitors that access the site, according to data center procedure;
• Demonstrates working knowledge of the university’s enterprise computer systems and network infrastructure, sufficient enough to assist other functional groups;
• Must apply predetermined solutions to reoccurring outages and issues affecting IT services, and respond to assist other support personnel with resolution of all IT outages; and
• Escalates all issues of unknown precedence to the manager for consultation prior to taking corrective action.

Tracking and Logging, Vendor Maintenance Coordination and Outage Coordination:

• Demonstrates the ability to correctly track and log all activity encountered during the shift along with any problem resolution information or instructions;
• Forwards all unresolved issues to the oncoming shift along with its current status, ensuring that the issue was logged as briefed at shift turnover;
• Monitors the ITS Alerts folder for any alert request for outages affecting IT;
• CMDB database for all change and updates to IT services and systems; and
• Provides direction and training to new hires/coworkers, and demonstrates a positive work ethic at all times.

Communications, System Backup Processing:

• Demonstrates the competence to interpret and communicate information, ideas, and instructions at the technically appropriate level to customers, vendors, and other support personnel;
• Ensures that log entries are well written, totally precise and accurately detail all call and information received;
• Assists with the formulation of the Daily Status Report, taking corrective action and questioning documented events prior to accepting shift turnover; and
• Communicates all relevant information concerning outages or instructions to the on-coming shift.

Required Qualifications:

• Associate’s degree in related field;
• Must have a good working knowledge and applied skills of current data center technology including:
  • Basic understanding of fundamental network operations;
  • Possess good working knowledge of contemporary computer hardware and data processing operations;
  • Good oral and written English communication skills;
  • Must be eligible to work in secure computing environments including International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Vocational or technical training in related field;
• Demonstrated good working knowledge of contemporary computer hardware and data processing operations; and
• Demonstrated experience working in a medium to large data-center environment.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for the Operations Specialist at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and provide a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information. This position has the following working hours: 7am-3:30pm Sunday through Thursday.

Posting Open Date:  January 10, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  February 8, 2024

Open Until Filled?:  Yes