Service Desk Team Lead

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America's leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Be You.

The Pratt School of Engineering is seeking a Service Desk Team Lead to join our IT team supporting faculty, staff, and students. In this role, you'll serve as a key resource for end-user support while helping guide day-to-day help desk operations. You will play an essential role in ensuring the seamless delivery of technical support services across a dynamic academic environment.

You'll build strong familiarity with the supported user community and managed systems, allowing you to deliver proactive, timely, and customized support. As a Team Lead, you'll coordinate daily help desk activities, mentor team members, and act as an escalation point for complex technical issues. You'll also partner closely with leadership to improve processes, enhance documentation, and implement best practices that elevate both the user experience and operational efficiency.

This is a hands-on, highly collaborative position where you'll balance technical troubleshooting, customer service, and team leadership responsibilities-making a direct impact on teaching, learning, and research within the Pratt community.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree is required; related field preferred
• Generally requires one year of experience, preferably within an academic environment or an organization supporting information technologies in education
• OR any other equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in a service desk or end-user support role in a mixed Windows and macOS environment
• Some experience providing team leadership, mentoring, or acting as an escalation point for junior staff
• Strong hands-on experience with device setup and endpoint management, including imaging, deployment, and lifecycle support for desktops and laptops
• Demonstrated commitment to excellent customer service, with the ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical users
• Experience troubleshooting hardware, software, and peripheral issues in a fast-paced support environment
• Familiarity with ticketing systems, service level expectations, and incident/request management workflows
• Proven ability to prioritize workload, manage multiple requests, and meet response and resolution targets
• Ability to document procedures and contribute to knowledge base resources
• Working knowledge of Windows and Macintosh operating systems; familiarity with Linux is a plus
• Knowledge of end-user and productivity tools (e.g., SCCM, Office 365, Box, OneDrive, Zoom, Google Docs, Teams, VPN)
• General understanding of endpoint security concepts
• General understanding of networking (VLAN, DNS, DHCP, subnets)
• Experience with SCCM and Active Directory Group Policy
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills
• Ability to manage projects, meet deadlines, and adapt to emerging technologies
• Self-motivated and goal-oriented, with the ability to work independently or collaboratively
• Strong communication skills, including effective phone support and professional customer interactions
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment, manage fluctuating workloads, and maintain professionalism under pressure

Other Requirements:

• Provide physical coverage of the help desk on campus during hours of operation
• Ability to occasionally support audio-visual enabled classrooms and meeting spaces
• This position is onsite, with work performed on campus

Be Bold.

Position Description:

• Provide end-user support for faculty, staff, and students, including installation, configuration, and maintenance of hardware, software, and network connectivity for departmental and lab computing environments
• Install, support, and maintain printers, peripherals, and endpoint devices across supported areas
• Serve as Team Lead for help desk operations by coordinating daily activities, monitoring ticket queues, prioritizing workload, and ensuring adherence to service standards and response times
• Act as an escalation point for complex technical issues, providing advanced troubleshooting and resolution support
• Mentor and support team members, including assisting with onboarding, training, and skill development
• Provide first-level troubleshooting and resolution for hardware, software, and network-related issues
• Coordinate and manage access to file storage solutions (local, centrally managed, and cloud-based)
• Develop, maintain, and deliver training materials, documentation, and knowledge base resources for users and staff
• Provide technical support and guidance for audio-visual-enabled teaching and meeting spaces, including training users on conferencing and presentation technologies
• Collaborate with IT colleagues across campus to support cross-functional initiatives and ensure alignment with broader technology strategies
• Stay informed on emerging technologies, trends, and opportunities to improve systems and services
• Advise users on the selection, purchase, and configuration of IT hardware and software
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and partner with leadership to implement enhancements that improve service delivery and team efficiency
• Perform other related duties incidental to the work described

Choose Duke.

The Pratt School of Engineering is a collaborative and innovative environment where technology plays a critical role in advancing education and research. As part of Duke University, you'll contribute to a mission-driven organization known for excellence, discovery, and impact.

In this role, you'll have the opportunity to work closely with a diverse academic community while helping shape IT service delivery in a fast-paced and evolving environment. Your contributions will directly support teaching, learning, and research initiatives across the school.