The role is based at Jodrell Bank, Cheshire, UK. At the SKAO we are coordinating a global effort to deliver one of the largest science facilities on the planet. The SKAO telescopes will be next-generation instruments that will help to answer key questions in astrophysics, drive technological innovation and support human capital development. More than a dozen partner countries and over a thousand scientists and engineers around the world are already on board, making the SKA project an international collaboration like no other, and one of the most ambitious science and engineering endeavours of the 21st century. Headquartered in the UK, with telescope sites in Australia and South Africa, the SKAO will be one observatory operating two telescopes, an endeavour spanning three continents. Multinational by design, in early 2021 the SKAO became an intergovernmental organisation, one of only a select handful of science infrastructures to do so worldwide. Our Global HQ is located near the buzzing city of Manchester at the historic Jodrell Bank Observatory, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in the Cheshire countryside. It is home to a rapidly expanding international team of more than a hundred, working in a highly collaborative and inclusive way, in coordination with SKAO teams in Australia and South Africa as part of a global astronomy and engineering community. Being part of Team SKA means contributing to something extraordinary: a uniquely exciting project to advance human knowledge that will last for decades. In return, we offer a diverse multicultural working environment, 30 days annual leave plus public holidays, a generous pension scheme, visa and support with relocation (if applicable), regular social events, a family-friendly environment and much more. Come and join us The IT Support Analyst will work as part of the international IT Team, utilizing the Service Desk and other tools to deliver support to the wider Observatory. This role will be based at the SKAO Global Headquarters at the iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire, UK, and will report to IT Service Manager. The Role The IT Support Analyst role is centred around resolving hardware, software, and user-related issues, troubleshooting and patching systems, and promptly responding to support requests and incidents, all while consistently meeting and exceeding SLAs for critical activities. The IT team's primary objectives include maintaining an excellent IT service with positive feedback from both internal and external users, driving Continual Service Improvement (CSI) of the support service, and achieving key performance indicators that reflect a reduction in avoidable incidents and support requests, along with an increase in support documentation. Effective and efficient allocation of support resources is crucial to delivering a timely support service across all locations. Additionally, the team is focused on automating tasks to minimize manual effort in routine activities, ensuring value for money in procurement, on-time project delivery, and realizing identified efficiencies and savings. The role also involves creating documentation, knowledge-sharing articles, and maintaining accurate asset records to support the broader observatory. The post holder is required to spend the majority of their working hours at the office in Jodrell Bank, Cheshire, Uk. Key Responsibilities, Accountabilities and Duties Under the direction of the SKAO IT Service Manager the post holder will spend: 70% of your time on BAU IT issues, monitoring the helpdesk and carrying out standard changes including: Installing, configuring, and troubleshooting computer hardware and software. Conducting root cause analysis and resolution management of technical issues. Administration for systems including patch and user management. Identifying knowledge sharing, training, and documentation requirements to contribute to the build-up of the IT knowledge base. Developing technical solutions to help mitigate security vulnerabilities and automate repeatable tasks. Supporting and maintaining meeting room systems and assisting users for physical, hybrid, and virtual events. Procuring IT hardware and software, working with approved suppliers. Supporting software and hardware asset management, ensuring accurate records and adherence to data residency policies Maintaining a central repository for software details to aid in troubleshooting and license assignment 30% of Employed hours on project work, recently included but not limited to: Building and maintaining new Jira service desks for other areas of the observatory, replacing repeatable work and processes with automation. Writing scripts to pull data from APIs of numerous systems and aggregating them to allow analysis and monitoring of user, software, and hardware data. Developing a process, documenting it, scripting, and then carrying out user conversions to be mail-enabled, supporting the wider community more efficiently. Replacing hardware and migrating meeting rooms to Zoom native rooms for easier control, better in-house support, and increased reliability, reducing IT support time and troubleshooting. Setting up a digital guest check-in system to accurately account for visitors, and aiding in the implementation of a card swipe system to track staff presence in the HQ, thereby enhancing the overall safety of the building and its contents. Mandatory Knowledge, Skills and Experience Relevant degree related to IT or demonstrable experience working in IT, ideally starting out in a help desk environment. Capacity to assess, learn, and adopt new IT technologies. Maintaining and improving the IT Team’s customer and colleague relationships, with strong verbal and written communication skills. Proactive, self-motivated, and able to prioritise workload and make decisions using existing documentation and personal knowledge. Flexible team player with high level of adaptability. Experience with cloud products such as Dropbox and Atlassian products or similar. Experience with Microsoft and Apple computing devices, mobile device technologies, and device management systems. Personal integrity in handling sensitive and personal data. Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience Supporting the identification and maintenance of equipment standards. Experience in asset lifecycle management and software asset management. Experience in the administration of local area wired and wireless networks. Knowledge and background with IT Service Management disciplines and frameworks such as ITIL, as well as working in an Agile project environment. Experience with Linux and able to provide support to end users. Azure, AWS, or GCP knowledge. Equality Diversity and Inclusion Statement SKA Observatory recognises that our diversity is a strength. We aim to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong, and diverse perspectives and ideas thrive. As such, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion are at the core of SKA Observatory’s agenda. Our aim is to recruit and retain the most talented individuals, regardless of gender, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, nationality or background. Women have traditionally been under-represented in the fields of science and engineering; SKA Observatory welcomes and encourages female applicants. Where applicants with a disability need facilities or adjustments to enable them to participate in the recruitment process, these will be provided. SKA Observatory welcome all candidates, especially those from member countries. The “How to Apply” information contained within the SKA Observatory recruitment portal provides more detail regarding our application and selection approach.