State of Maryland

A Computer User Support Specialist II is the full performance level of work responding to and coordinating the resolution of Help Desk calls from users of computer systems.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision from higher-level data communications, data processing or information services staff.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using 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 class specification.

The Computer User Support Specialist I and Computer User Support Specialist II are differentiated on the basis of degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Computer User Support Specialist I performs duties under close supervision at times and under general supervision at other times depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed while the Computer User Support Specialist II performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Responds to Help Desk calls by asking users diagnostic questions to determine computer system problems;

Interprets users' responses to diagnostic questions and determines why users cannot access the computer system or utilize the application;

Assists users in accessing the computer by providing detailed instructions as contained in equipment manuals, systems manuals, applications manuals, user guides and other written guidelines;

Monitors status of on-line systems by reviewing status messages on a terminal;

Contacts the computer center and asks that communication lines be reset to enable users to access the system;

Contacts computer security to obtain clearances for users who cannot access the system because of password errors;

Notifies the telephone company, equipment vendors, programmers and technical support staff of programming and system failures;

Maintains records of Help Desk calls including user identification, nature of problems, resolutions and response times and system downtime;

May maintain records of inventory, network lines, users' accounts or security information including violations;

May provide on-site diagnosis, problem resolution and repairs for microcomputer hardware and software;

Performs other related duties.

Class Descriptions 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.

Class Descriptions provide information about the Nature of Work, Examples of Work, General Requirements and Acknowledgements.  The Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; Minimum Education and Experience Requirements; Special Requirements; and recruitment and testing procedures are set by the using agency.

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 not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime, as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

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 level 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 by 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.