IT Support Specialist

Align Layer Nine  IT Support Specialist — North Chicago, IL

On-site entry-level IT support specialist serving a K-12 school district in eastern Lake County — a people-first role focused on day-to-day technology support across multiple school buildings.

Align Layer Nine  (ALN) is a Chicago-area managed IT and cybersecurity services provider supporting K-12 schools, nonprofits, healthcare organizations, and mid-market businesses. We operate as a dedicated technology partner to our clients — not a break-fix vendor — with specialized teams handling everything from day-to-day IT support to advanced security operations and compliance. Our people work on-site at client locations, embedded in the environments they support, which means the work is hands-on, relationship-driven, and genuinely matters to the communities we serve.

We're a growing team with offices in the Chicago area, Naples, FL, London, and Santiago.

Align Layer Nine  is a managed IT and cybersecurity services provider supporting K-12 schools and mission-driven organizations. We're looking for an IT Support Specialist to join our K-12 team — someone starting their IT career who takes pride in responsive service, follows through, and wants to be the friendly, reliable face of technology support inside a school building.

This is a dedicated on-site position supporting a K-12 school district in eastern Lake County. You'll work across multiple school buildings — elementary through high school — providing front-line technology support to teachers, office staff, and administrators, with a Tier 2 technician and site lead available to escalade to when needed.

What you'll be doing

• Serving as the Tier 1 support resource for day-to-day technology issues across school buildings
• Troubleshooting Chromebooks, iPads, MacOS, and Windows PCs — primarily staff-facing, with some student services impact
• Imaging, deploying, and tracking devices during refresh cycles and new-hire onboarding
• Following established ticketing and documentation processes — every issue gets a ticket, every ticket gets notes
• Escalating issues you can't resolve quickly, with clear documentation so the next tech can pick up where you left off
• Assisting with AV setups for meetings, assemblies, and school events
• Communicating professionally with teachers, office staff, and school administrators

What we're looking for

• 1+ years of IT support experience, IT-related coursework, or a relevant certification (A+, Google IT Support, etc.)
• Basic comfort with Chromebooks, Windows, MacOS, and mobile devices — you don't need to be an expert, but you should know your way around an OS
• Strong communication skills — you can stay calm, friendly, and professional even when someone's frustrated
• Process-driven and reliable; you follow the system and document your work
• Willingness to learn and grow — this role has a clear path to Tier 2 for the right person
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation required
• A+ certification (or willingness to earn one within the first year) preferred

Please note:

Compensation is firm at $42,000–$46,000. This is an entry-level role and we are not flexing the range for more experienced candidates. This is the right role for someone in the first few years of their IT career or transitioning from a related field. We invest in training and certifications, with a clear path to Tier 2.