Purpose of the role

An Advance Support Engineer in the IT (Information Technology) industry is a senior-level professional responsible for delivering high-level technical support, advanced troubleshooting, and complex problem resolution to customers or clients. Their primary role is to handle escalated issues, ensure optimal performance of computer systems, networks, hardware, software, and IT infrastructure, while mentoring junior team members and contributing to process improvements. The role demands deep technical expertise, strong analytical skills, and excellent customer engagement to provide exceptional advanced IT support.

Key Responsibilities

Advanced Troubleshooting and Issue Resolution

• Diagnose and resolve complex hardware, software, network, and system issues that have been escalated from lower-level support.
• Perform root cause analysis on recurring or critical problems and implement permanent solutions.
• Provide expert-level technical support to customers, both remotely and on-site when required.

Hardware and Software Support

• Install, configure, upgrade, and troubleshoot advanced computer hardware components, servers, workstations, storage systems, and peripherals.
• Manage software deployments, operating system updates (Windows, Linux), patches, and application configurations

Network and Infrastructure Support

• Design, optimize, and troubleshoot complex LAN/WAN networks, connectivity issues, firewalls, and performance bottlenecks.
• Support advanced networking protocols, virtualization technologies, and infrastructure components.

Documentation and Knowledge Management

• Create, update, and maintain detailed technical documentation, including network diagrams, configuration guides, root cause reports, and SOPs.
• Contribute to knowledge base articles and share best practices with the team.

Collaboration and Escalation Management

• Work closely with network architects, system administrators, security teams, and third-party vendors to resolve highly complex issues.
• Escalate issues to engineering or development teams when necessary, while managing customer expectations.

Emergency Response and On-Call

• Participate in on-call rotation and respond rapidly to critical system failures, outages, or high-impact incidents.

Testing, Quality Assurance, and Optimization

• Conduct advanced testing, performance tuning, and quality checks on IT systems to ensure high availability and security compliance.
• Identify opportunities for system improvements and implement proactive maintenance strategies.

Mentoring and Team Development

• Mentor and provide guidance, training, and upskilling to junior engineers and support team members.
• Act as a subject matter expert (SME) in one or more technical domains (e.g., networking, servers, virtualization, or specific technologies relevant to MIT Space).

Qualifications

• Minimum Grade 12 Qualification
• Diploma or Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Electrical/Electronic Engineering, or a related field (highly recommended)
• Driver’s License – preferred
• Relevant industry certifications (e.g., CompTIA Network+, CCNA, Microsoft Certified, Linux certifications) will be advantageous

Experience

• 4–7+ years’ experience in IT support, preferably in the office automation, field service, or enterprise technical support industry
• Proven hands-on experience in advanced on-site and remote hardware/software support, complex network troubleshooting, and customer-facing technical roles
• Demonstrated success in handling escalated support cases and mentoring junior staff

Technical Skills

• Expert knowledge of computer hardware (servers, workstations, storage, routers/switches, peripherals)
• Advanced proficiency in installing, configuring, and troubleshooting operating systems (Windows Server, Linux) and enterprise software applications
• Strong experience with network design, setup, maintenance, and troubleshooting (LAN/WAN, protocols, performance optimization, basic security)
• Familiarity with virtualization technologies, diagnostic tools, scripting/automation, testing procedures, and IT security best practices

Soft Skills and Other Requirements

• Excellent problem-solving, critical-thinking, and analytical abilities
• Strong customer service focus with exceptional verbal and written communication skills (English & Afrikaans)
• Ability to work independently under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and adapt quickly to dynamic environments
• Physical ability to lift equipment (up to 20–50 kg) and perform hands-on hardware work
• Willingness to participate in on-call/emergency response and occasional travel if required