Service Desk Engineer

Formed in 1974, Harvard Management Company (“HMC”) manages Harvard University's endowment and related financial assets. Our singular mission is to help ensure Harvard University has the financial resources to maintain and expand its leadership in teaching, learning, and research for future generations. The endowment is managed by a highly experienced generalist investment team whose members each take ownership of the entire portfolio, regardless of asset class. HMC's operational structure brings a wide range of expertise to our portfolio management. These functions include legal, compliance, finance and accounting, human resources and administrative services as well as information technology to develop and implement the systems necessary to support our investment activities.

Summary:

We are seeking a Service Desk Engineer who delivers white‑glove, concierge‑style support to executives, investment teams, and staff. This mid‑level role blends hands‑on Tier 1/2 service with engineering‑minded problem solving, automation/scripting, and a relentless focus on user experience, security, and operational excellence. You will own incidents end‑to‑end, improve the environment through proactive fixes and documentation, and contribute to projects across end‑user computing. Success looks like fast, professional support; fewer repetitive tickets thanks to automation; and delighted users who can work securely from anywhere.

Summary of Responsibilities:

White‑Glove End‑User Support

• Provide Tier 1 & Tier 2 support for Windows 10/11 laptops/desktops, mobile devices (iOS/iPadOS/Android), peripherals, and core applications.
• Deliver in‑person, remote, and on‑site assistance; prioritize executive/VIP and trading‑adjacent users with discretion and urgency.
• Support collaboration tools (Microsoft 365/Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint/OneDrive; Zoom/Zoom Rooms) including meeting setup and room tech.

Identity, Device, and Application Management

• Troubleshoot and administer Active Directory/Entra ID (Azure AD), Group Policy, Conditional Access, MFA, and role‑based access controls.
• Handle endpoint lifecycle: imaging/provisioning (Autopilot), enrollment (Intune), compliance, software distribution, patching, and secure decommissioning.
• Maintain asset inventory accuracy and chain‑of‑custody for devices and loaners.

Automation & Continuous Improvement

• Create and maintain PowerShell (and optionally Python) scripts to reduce toil (e.g., user provisioning/deprovisioning, mailbox/Teams automation, Intune/Graph tasks).
• Build self‑service/runbooks, workflows, and knowledge base articles to improve first‑contact resolution.
• Identify recurring issues and implement problem management fixes; contribute to endpoint hardening and configuration baselines.

Security & Compliance

• Apply strong security hygiene in daily support: data protection, least‑privilege access, secure file sharing, and incident triage.
• Support Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, BitLocker, and compliance policy remediation.
• Assist in BCP/DR exercises and ensure support readiness for critical business periods.

Global Site Support & Vendor Coordination

• Coordinate with a Managed Service Provider to perform Tier 1 support
• Provide remote support across multiple time zones; coordinate with local providers for smart‑hands tasks (installs, break/fix, logistics)
• Assist with office moves, equipment deployment, and conferencing/AV maintenance.

ITSM Process Excellence

• Work within an ITSM platform (ServiceNow/Freshservice/Jira): incident, service request, change, problem, and CMDB/asset management.
• Maintain accurate, current documentation of procedures, configurations, and known errors.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or related field highly desired
• 3–5 years in a Service Desk/Desktop Support role within a professional IT environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint/OneDrive) and Windows 10/11 troubleshooting.
• Experience with Active Directory/Entra ID, Intune, Group Policy, and device provisioning (Autopilot).
• PowerShell scripting for support and administration; comfort reading API/Graph docs and JSON outputs.
• Solid understanding of ITIL/ITSM practices and use of a ticketing system (ServiceNow, Freshservice, or Zendesk/Jira).
• Excellent communication and customer empathy; able to translate technical issues into business‑friendly language.
• Strong organization and multitasking in a fast‑paced, high‑stakes environment.

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Financial‑services or executive‑support experience; familiarity with trading‑adjacent etiquette and urgency.
• Exposure to Azure.
• Experience with Cortex XDR, Conditional Access, AIP/Purview, and security incident handoff.
• Automation beyond PowerShell (e.g., Python, Power Automate, Freshservice workflows).
• Knowledge of networking fundamentals (DNS/DHCP, Wi‑Fi, VPN, split‑tunnel, SD‑WAN), printing, and AV/Zoom Rooms.
• Familiarity with SCCM/MECM or co‑management with Intune.
• Certifications: ITIL 4 Foundation, Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator (MD‑102), AZ‑900, Security+.

Base Pay Range: Hourly rate of $40.87 - $52.88 resulting in annualized salary of $85,000 - $110,000
The range provided is based on what we believe is a reasonable estimate for the hourly pay rate for this job at the time of posting. This role is also eligible for an annual bonus. Actual hourly pay will be based on several factors, including skills, competencies, experience, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

Other Details: 

• The FLSA classification for this position is non-exempt
• HMC is operating on a hybrid work model where employees are in the office from Tuesday to Thursday and remote on other days
• HMC will not sponsor applicants for work visas for this position.