IT Support Specialist; CMMC

Overview

IT Support Specialist (Manufacturing) – Defense Programs | CMMC Level 1/2

• Department:
  Information Technology (IT)
• Reports to:
  
  General Manager
• Work Location:
  
  Hybrid - On-site (Essex CT) / Remote
• Travel:
  Occasional (Canada/UK – facility)

We are seeking a hands-on IT Support Specialist to provide site IT support in a manufacturing environment supporting military/defense customers. This role is responsible for day-to-day IT operations (workstations, accounts, printers, connectivity, basic networking, collaboration tools) while also helping implement and sustain CMMC Level 1 or Level 2 cybersecurity practices. You will partner with Engineering, Quality, Operations, and Corporate IT to maintain secure, reliable systems that support production and protect Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) where applicable.

• Site Support (Primary):
  Provide support for office and shop-floor users (Windows endpoints, peripherals, scanners, label printers, VoIP phones, conference room systems).
• Troubleshoot hardware/software issues: imaging, break/fix, drivers, application issues, performance, and connectivity (LAN/Wi-Fi/VPN).
• Provision and support user accounts, email, and collaboration tools (e.g., Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint) including onboarding/offboarding.
• Support manufacturing-adjacent systems (as applicable): ERP, shared workstations, and production PCs.
• Maintain IT inventory and lifecycle management: asset tagging, deployment, refresh planning, secure disposal, and license tracking.
• Manage and maintain printers and print services (including production label printers) and coordinate with vendors for repairs and supplies.
• Assist with network support: patching, cable management, switch/AP troubleshooting, and basic firewall/VLAN coordination
• Document issues, solutions, and standard procedures in a ticketing/knowledge base system; meet service-level expectations.

• Support implementation and ongoing operation of CMMC Level 1 or Level 2 practices, including collecting evidence and maintaining audit-ready documentation.
• Assist with NIST SP 800-171 aligned controls (where applicable), including: access control/least privilege, MFA support, secure configuration baselines, patch and vulnerability management, endpoint protection, and secure backup/restore testing and retention practices.
• Help maintain compliance artifacts such as policies/procedures, system inventories, training records, and other required evidence.
• Support secure handling of CUI/FCI where applicable (labeling, storage, transmission, and user guidance).
• Assist with vendor management and security reviews for IT tools/services to ensure alignment with defense program requirements.

• Work closely with Operations and Engineering to minimize downtime on the manufacturing floor while maintaining security requirements.
• Provide basic cybersecurity awareness coaching to end users (phishing, safe data handling, removable media rules, clean desk, etc.).
• Identify recurring issues and recommend improvements (automation, standardization, hardware refresh, segmentation, policy updates).

• 3+ years of hands-on IT support experience (help desk, desktop support, or site IT), ideally in manufacturing or industrial environments.
• Demonstrated experience supporting Windows endpoints in an Active Directory environment (Windows 10/11; basic Group Policy concepts; user provisioning and permissions).
• Practical troubleshooting experience with networking fundamentals, printers/peripherals, and common business applications/collaboration tools.
• CMMC implementation experience (Level 1 or Level
  2), such as implementing practices/controls, preparing evidence, supporting internal audits, developing/executing security policies and procedures, and/or supporting assessment readiness (gap support, POA&M tracking, remediation).
• Experience working in or supporting military/defense environments (DoD contractor, defense manufacturing, defense supply chain), with awareness of controlled data expectations and…