State of Maryland

A HCD End User Computing Specialist I is the entry level of work performing client-side assistance for personal computers and software for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).  Employees in this classification provide timely, and creative solutions to end-user computer and networking problems of a complex nature to ensure end-user productivity.  HCD, as a housing finance agency, offers a broad range of financial services that include bond finance, mortgage lending, municipal and small business lending, cashflow loans, tax credit programs and loan servicing, as well as housing voucher and grant administration for community revitalization.  HCD’s commercial partnerships and stakeholders include community and investment banks, sub-services, trustees and bond holders.  HCD's lending and financing programs are inherently time critical, and there are extensive dependencies on personally identifiable information (PII), as well as other sensitive and non-public information. Employees in this classification have extensive interaction with software and database developers, network professionals, and all levels of program (line-of-business) staff. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using by the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the classification specification.

The HCD End User Computing Specialist I and the HCD End User Computing Specialist II are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervision exercised by the supervisor over these employees and autonomy and complexity of assignments.  The HCD End User Computing Specialist I performs the duties under close supervision while the HCD End User Computing Specialist II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Enables the Department to expediently respond to opportunities and challenges via Information Technology;

Provides client-side computer and software resources and assistance for Departmental users and divisions;

Acts as proxy for end-users during problem diagnosis;

Provides technical guidance and assistance for teleworkers, to enable security and access;

Provides instruction (including material) and guidance for the use of niche software products;

Coordinates configurations, installations, and general troubleshooting of PC hardware and software;

Responds to situations where standard procedures have failed in isolating or fixing problem equipment or software installations, relocations and configuration changes;

Diagnoses and repairs PCs and printers;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of line-of-business programs, their respective missions, and the role of information technology;

Knowledge of the functions and capabilities of PCs;

Knowledge of the functions of local and wide-area networking, as well as network account metadata and infrastructure, such as via Active Directory;

Knowledge of client-server architecture;

Knowledge of general change management practices;

Skill in synthesizing multiple products and technologies into a blended, hybrid solution;

Skill in diagnosing product inter-operability issues, typically between different vendor’s products;

Skill in reviewing and interpreting event logs;

Skill in deployment of standardized images on PCs;

Skill in detecting and remediating malware and adware;

Ability to properly configure niche software for Departmental needs;

Ability to recognize and resolve conflicting product requirements on users PCs;

Ability to understand programs needs of computers and software and technology;

Ability to recognize data-connectivity requirements;

Ability to recognize presence and/or likelihood of Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

Education:   Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: One year of experience tracking, responding, and resolving Help Desk calls from users in an organization with extensive level of program integration and reliance on technology.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute additional experience responding to and resolving help desk calls from users of computers, or operating computer equipment for the purpose of data entry, word processing, spreadsheet, graphics, data base or other applications on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

2. Candidates may substitute nine credit hours in personal computer applications at an accredited institution for the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute the completion of a certification program in computer repair, such as CompTIA A+ or an equivalent program, for the required experience.

4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Cyber and Information Systems classifications or Cyber and Information Systems specialty codes in the Information Technology field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G, Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.   NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance levels in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class as defined in the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification, and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.  

Director, Division of Classification and Salary