About the Department:

Computing Services (CS) is responsible for the delivery and operational support of desktop imaging, application packaging and delivery, and management of endpoint devices. Services are delivered through tools such as Azure Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) services, JAMF for Mac systems, Microsoft Intune and System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) for Windows systems, and Patch My PC for third party application management. As part of its mission, the department focuses on the standardization of desktop imaging and device management to meet security and compliance requirements, as well as maintains these systems in support of endpoints across the enterprise.

About the Position:

The primary purpose of the Virtual Desktop Engineer is to support the use of Azure Virtual Desktop, modernizing and optimizing the virtual desktop infrastructure to support academic, administrative, and research functions efficiently. This role encompasses designing, deploying, and managing Azure Virtual Desktop solutions tailored to meet the diverse needs of the university community while ensuring robust security measures, compliance with regulatory requirements, and seamless integration of academic software. The Virtual Desktop Engineer will play a critical role in enhancing user experience, improving system performance, and driving innovation in virtual desktop technology to support the institution's mission and objectives effectively.

Responsibilities:

Service Ownership:

Actively maintain all VDI environments that are part of the VDI service. Ensure all changes follow the assigned Request for Change (RFC) process. Develop and progress on a service roadmap that should account for major system changes, new features, security enhancements, and improvements in performance and reliability.

• Create and maintain a Disaster Recovery (DR) plan and a Continuity of Operations plan (COOP) for the service;
• Submit RFCs for all changes to the service;
• Complete service projects in alignment with the Service Roadmap;
• Ensure Service Roadmap is updated quarterly to reflect changes in priority and completion;
• Annually review COOP and DR plans for the service, and update as necessary; and
• Ensure service metrics are tracked.

Incident/Service Management:

Act as tier-3 support escalation for incidents and service requests for the VDI service. Ensure operational team is completing incidents and service requests, helping when needed.

• Track SLA compliance for the service to determine if changes are needed to improve support times;
• Run semi-annual reports on SLA compliance and incident resolution time to assess the health of the service; and
• Ensure all escalated tickets are properly tracked and follow team ticketing procedures.

Mentorship:

Assist the Computing Services operational team with the knowledge necessary to complete tickets without escalation. Provide training to staff members as necessary on the usage of support tools and where to gather the necessary information to triage tickets.

• Ensure the assigned VDI operational staff is adequately trained as a service backup;
• Ticket escalation should be less than 20% of total service tickets; and
• Provide service updates during team meetings.

Documentation and Communication:

Develop service documentation to include technical architecture, service processes, and knowledge base. Ensure knowledge articles are created and published to reflect recurrent issues to aid customer self-service. Ensure published web information is updated routinely.

• Update and track service roadmap progress on the ECCS project work activities list;
• Update assigned project activities list entries weekly. Updates should be clear, concise, and informative notes on the status of the effort, including progress made, upcoming tasks, and current roadblocks;
• Review common tickets semi-annually to determine if knowledge articles need to be created; and
• Publish service documentation on the Computing Service teams site. Ensure documentation is reviewed annually for accuracy.

Organizational Collaboration and Support:

Support the initiatives and activities of ITS, ECCS, and Computing Services. This includes attending assigned meetings, supporting other organizations, and completing other tasks as assigned by the manager.

• Provide a report on the discussion of any assigned meetings to the manager within 48 hours of the meeting; and
• Complete other tasks and provide requested reports to the manager within the negotiated timeframe.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Demonstrated work in information technology;
• Experience working with Azure Virtual Desktop;
• Experience with scripting and automation such as PowerShell, Python, etc.;
• Experience working in a large enterprise environment;
• Experience troubleshooting complex network environments, including TCP/IP, DNS, firewalls, and load balancing;
• Knowledge of cloud hosting technologies, such as Microsoft Azure;
• Knowledge and ability to use scripting and automation tools and languages, such as PowerShell;
• Understanding of network concepts and principles such as TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPN, and firewall, and their role in a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure;
• Understanding of security best practices, specifically encryption protocols, access management, and compliance requirements (e.g., FERPA and HIPAA);
• Ability to install and configure Microsoft Operating Systems, both Desktop and Server; and
• Proficiency installing and configuring a wide range of software used in both academics and research.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with enterprise monitoring tools, such as Splunk;
• Knowledge of the use and deployment of Infrastructure as Code (IoC) platforms, such as Terraform;
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert; and
• Citrix Certified Professional - Virtualization (CCP-V).

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Azure Virtual Desktop Engineer at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a cover letter and resume for review.

Posting Open Date:  June 4, 2025

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  June 18, 2025

Open Until Filled:  Yes