Helpdesk Technician – Tier 1 Development Program

Helpdesk Technician – Tier 1 Development Program

In‑Person Hands‑On

• Livonia, Michigan
• Tampa, Florida Area (Fall 2026/Winter 2027)

About Smart Ass Nerds

Smart Ass Nerds is a diverse technology services provider supporting micro‑businesses, large enterprises, and government agencies. While we’re rooted in Metro Detroit, we support clients across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, U.K., Australia, and the Philippines

Our Hands‑On Training & Certification Program

Our helpdesk development plan isn’t just a job — it’s a structured, multi‑phase IT training journey designed to build real‑world skills quickly. All work and training take place in person at our Livonia, Michigan office (Tampa Area Florida Coming soon) which allows you to learn directly from experienced engineers and use our full computer and network lab. This is a development plan for our tier 1 help desk support staff. This program will help develop staff so they can grow into tier 2 or 3 help desk or other technical roles as needed. Below is a tentative plan for development.

This role is designed for individuals who are new to IT with 6 months to one year of tech support experience who want a long term development program with career advancement opportunities

Phase 1: Foundations (Weeks 1–4)

· Understanding ticketing & documentation

· PC imaging, setup, configuration, repair

· Networking fundamentals using real gear

· Intro to Microsoft 365, Active Directory & user management

· Lab simulations to prep for live support

Phase 2: Real‑World Service Desk (Months 1–6)

· Take live tickets via phone, chat, and remote tools

· Troubleshoot PCs, servers, printers, VoIP, cameras

· Shadow senior engineers; weekly learning labs

· Certification cost reimbursed after you pass

Phase 3: Engineering & Field Work (Months 1–3)

· On‑site deployments; configure switches, APs, VoIP

· Virtualization: Hyper‑V

· Build full environments in our lab

· Learn cabling, fiber, racking basics

Phase 4: Specialization & Career Pathing (Months 1 – 6)

· Help Desk / Support Engineering

· Systems Engineering

· Project & Field Work

· Special Projects (VoIP, security, access control)

What You’ll Do Day‑to‑Day

· Provide remote & in‑person tech support using phone, chat, and remote tools

· Work on PCs, servers, networks, VoIP, cameras, printers, access control & more

· Deploy hardware/software at client sites

· Communicate professionally and follow up with end users

· Lift up to 50 lbs. for installation and equipment moves

· Research issues, document solutions, and work independently

· Build and test systems in our lab before client deployments

· Create and update documentation for users and internal teams

Hours & Schedule

· Part‑time: 20–35 hours/week

· First‑shift hours with weekend coverage as needed

· Some after business hours or weekend work may be required based on needs and development plans

Requirements

· Eager to learn and take on challenges

· Great communication and customer service skills

· Able to follow directions and work independently

· Reliable transportation with regular on‑time attendance

· Willingness to work weekends/holidays when needed

· Ability to pass technical certifications as needed

· Desire for long‑term career growth

· High school diploma/GED OR High School Senior with 3.2+ GPA (Juniors considered with online/co‑op coursework)

· Must have held a job, volunteer role, or enrolled in education within the past 6 months

· Background and credit check required

· U.S. Citizenship required (government client work)

A Strong Candidate Will Have

· Be working towards an IT certification or related degree (not computer science)

· .5 to 1 years of tech support and other related IT Experience

· Basic PC hardware/software skills (including Microsoft Office)

· Microsoft 365 Experience

· Ability to troubleshoot printer issues

· Understanding of networking basics (CAT6/7, TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, 802.11 standards, fiber, switches, etc.)

Bonus Skills (Not Required)

· Active Directory or Azure AD; Microsoft/Office 365

· Virtualization (Hyper‑V, VMware, etc.)

· macOS, Linux, Adobe, POS systems, VoIP, CCTV, access control

· Cisco, Juniper, or Arista experience

· Smartphone/tablet configuration; MDM / Intune

· HIPAA or medical tech familiarity; Hosting/server management (VPS, web)

· MSP, VoIP, fiber or structured cabling experience

Other Important Info

· No visa sponsorship provided

· No relocation assistance; however, when staffing or Florida office, a relocation plan may be offered when advancing to full time level one or two helpdesk or engineering roles

· Must be able to commute to our Livonia, Michigan office. Tampa, Florida area will be another staffing location later this year.

Disqualifications

· Higher than a bachelor's degree (overqualified for this role)

· Non US Citizen (Required for our government contracts)

· Only looking for remote work

· Unable to regularly come into the office.

· Criminal convictions and/or poor financial management

· Not having a valid driver's license

· More than 2 points on driver’s license, DUI/OWI, and other serious driving violations

· Having a degree or pursuing a degree in the following fields:

· Computer Science

· Computer Engineering

· Computer Programming

· Cyber Security (If you have no IT experience or certifications)

· You will not be considered for this role of you have the above degrees

Pay: $15.00 - $17.50 per hour

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off

Application Question(s):

• Are you a United States Citizen (Government Contractor Requirement)?

Education:

• High school or equivalent (Required)

Language:

• English (Required)

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Livonia, MI 48152 (Required)

Willingness to travel:

• 25% (Required)

Work Location: In person