Entry Level It Help Desk Jobs in Silver Spring, MD

Are you looking for a Challenge? Looking for an innovative organization and the opportunity to learn and grow professionally? We can help! We are seeking an IT Help Desk Specialist for the IT Help Desk Support Services contract. This project will provide computer support specialists responsible for providing timely technical support and troubleshooting services to agency staff for the Congressional Budget Office. This is an on-site position working Monday-Friday from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm at the Congressional Budget Office located in the Ford House Office Building in Washington, DC.

I've never heard of Terrestris. What do you do?

At Terrestris, we leverage technology to create better mission outcomes through better human performance. We form strong client and team relationships through transparency and strive to create an environment where our team can let their excellence shine through. By finding, developing, and incorporating new ideas, we provide memorable services. Rooted in the USMC values of honor, courage, and commitment, Terrestris seeks to deliver extraordinary value to the American people by helping the Government become more efficient and effective.

So, what will the IT Help Desk Specialist at Terrestris do?

The IT Help Desk Specialist will be a key personnel position for the IT Help Desk Support Services contract, providing direct support by managing requests through the help desk ticketing system, troubleshooting the most sophisticated hardware and software issues, and providing guidance to less experienced specialists within the team. The position will also provide on-call daily office support and assist with conference room technology support, and may work on IT projects in addition to the help desk function under certain circumstances. In addition to daily responsibilities, this position supports specific projects/initiatives such as upgrades or improvement efforts, and strategic functions performed on an as-needed basis. This position is contingent upon contract award.

What does a typical day look like for an IT Help Desk Specialist?

You will:

• Inspect computer equipment and prepare systems for deployment based on onboarding documentation and division-specific requirements, ensuring proper imaging, configuration, and inventory registration prior to delivery.
• Deploy and configure Windows desktops, macOS systems, and mobile devices following the imaging process, ensuring each device is properly inventoried, validated against security baselines, and ready for end-user delivery in accordance with division-specific requirements and IRM standards.
• Install, configure, troubleshoot, and maintain employee hardware, software, and peripheral components across Windows and macOS environments, including upgrades, patches, firmware updates, and approved security configurations to maintain compliance with Zero Trust and Defense-in-Depth standards.
• Register and configure mobile devices (iOS, Android) within enterprise mobile device management (MDM) platforms; provide users with training and troubleshooting on authentication, MFA, and secure remote connectivity.
• Load and verify software packages and configuration baselines through automated imaging and patching tools such as Ivanti EPM, KACE, or equivalent, ensuring accuracy and adherence to approved division templates.
• Execute system verification tests by entering administrative commands and monitoring log output to validate image integrity, patch levels, and compliance with endpoint security policies; confirm logs are being received in accordance with guidance from Sentinel, VSOC, and other monitoring platforms.
• Diagnose and resolve complex system issues, including multi-factor authentication failures, identity anomalies, network connectivity problems, and endpoint irregularities, applying independent judgment to identify root causes and implement corrective actions while protecting sensitive data.
• Support Tier I personnel by enforcing best practices, creating and validating SOPs, reviewing escalations, and collaborating on issue resolution. Leverage JAMF and Microsoft Intune for endpoint automation and configuration management. Apply system administration expertise to analyze Windows Event Viewer and macOS Console logs, identify error patterns, and develop evidence-based solutions to prevent recurrence.
• Instruct users on the effective use of equipment, collaboration software, cloud services, and self-service resources; contribute to end-user documentation and knowledge base updates.
• Coordinate activities with the Service Desk, Network Operations, Cloud Services, and Cybersecurity teams to ensure timely issue resolution and alignment with IRM standards.
• Provide clear and timely communication on ticket status, updates, and resolutions through the official tracking system, voicemail, email, or direct user interaction in accordance with customer service performance metrics.
• Replace defective or obsolete hardware and software components, document all changes, and verify asset records in accordance with CBO asset management procedures.
• Identify and analyze recurring problem trends, develop mitigation strategies, and present findings and improvement recommendations to IRM management.
• Ensure rigorous application of information security and information assurance principles in all aspects of customer support, including encryption, data loss prevention, and secure credential handling.
• Administer Microsoft Entra ID / Active Directory environments, including user account provisioning, group policy adjustments, and identity lifecycle management, in coordination with IAM governance.
• Support macOS and iOS administration, including device enrollment, configuration profile deployment, FileVault management, and integration with enterprise authentication and compliance frameworks.
• Perform secure drive sanitization and destruction using BitRaser or other approved tools, maintaining required documentation and certificates of destruction.
• Use approved hard drive cloning devices and software to support workstation deployments, refreshes, data migrations, and recovery operations.
• Support the following tasks as assigned, consistent with instructions and guidance provided by the COR:
  • Recommend and implement advanced remedial measures such as driver updates, policy adjustments, or imaging corrections to restore full functionality and prevent recurrence. Coordinate reviews with the Chief Information Officer (CIO) / Deputy Chief Information Officer (DCIO) and automate solutions where feasible.
• Implement and document imaging strategies that leverage automation, scripting, and division-specific baselines to deliver secure, consistent workstation builds across all platforms.
• Participate in patch management and vulnerability remediation cycles, ensuring timely updates and adherence to established configuration management policies; coordinate with Nessus scan findings to prioritize remediation of critical and high-severity vulnerabilities.
• Collaborate with IRM technical leads (Cloud, Engineering, and Development teams) to assess environment readiness, validate permissions, and confirm that personnel maintain appropriate administrative access for Tier II and escalation functions.
• Assist in responding to outages, service disruptions, and other emergencies, including participation in incident response activities.

What qualifications do you look for?

You might be the professional we're looking for if you have:

• Must be U.S. citizen, or lawful permanent residents or H1B visa holder; must demonstrate work eligibility.
• Ability to obtain favorable FBI criminal checks and be fingerprinted at the U.S. Capitol Police headquarters in Washington, DC prior to starting work under the contract.
• Must be able to provide enterprise-level administration and support for macOS and Windows operating systems, including imaging, deployment, configuration management, and adherence to organizational security baselines.
• Experience utilizing and supporting endpoint management and automation platforms such as Ivanti, KACE, Microsoft Intune, and JAMF to deploy software, manage devices, enforce policies, and streamline routine tasks.
• The ability to manage and troubleshoot identity and access management services, including Microsoft Entra ID/Active Directory, multi-factor authentication (MFA), role-based access controls, and AWS-integrated identity solutions.
• The ability to diagnose and resolve authentication, connectivity, and endpoint performance issues by analyzing system logs, Event Viewer data, macOS Console diagnostics, and other relevant monitoring tools.
• The ability to coordinate cross-team incident response activities by working closely with the Service Desk, Network Operations, and Cybersecurity teams to ensure timely investigation, escalation, and remediation of technical issues.
• A strong understanding of advanced system administration including patch management, baseline configuration, automated imaging processes, and the ability to troubleshoot and improve endpoint deployment workflows.
• A strong understanding of cloud and hybrid environment management, with specific experience supporting AWS-hosted resources, identity services, and integrations between on-premises and cloud-based infrastructures.
• A strong understanding of Zero Trust security principles, ensuring all endpoint, user, and network interactions follow the organization's security, compliance, and configuration standards.
• Clear and effective communication, including the ability to document technical procedures, create user-friendly guides, and mentor Level I technicians to enhance overall Service Desk capability.
• Must have excellent customer service and problem-solving skills and the ability to prioritize tasks to meet tight deadlines while maintaining professionalism and responsiveness.

We will be extra impressed if you have:

• Bachelor's degree in information technology, Computer Science, or a closely related field.
• CompTIA Security+
• Microsoft Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate (or equivalent)
• Apple Certified IT Professional
• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (or higher-level AWS certification)
• ITIL Foundation or equivalent certification in service management
• Certified SysOps Administrator Associate

What kind of benefits does Terrestris Offer?

We offer outstanding benefits including health, financial, and retirement benefits, as well as paid leave, professional development, tuition assistance, and work-life programs. Our award programs acknowledge employees for exceptional performance and superior demonstration of our service standards. Full-time and part-time employees working at least 20 hours a week on a regular basis are eligible to participate in our benefit programs. Other offerings may be provided for employees not within this category.

Terrestris is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.

DILBERT 2018 Scott Adams. Used By permission of ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION. All rights reserved.