Tier 1 IT Support Technician

Applicants must reside in or be within commuting distance of Santa Rosa, CA, and be authorized to work in the US to be considered for this position.

We are seeking a motivated and customer-focused Tier 1 Systems Support Technician with 1–3 years of experience in technical support. This role is ideal for someone with strong communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills who thrives in a fast-paced, service-oriented environment.

As a Tier 1 Support Engineer, you will be the first point of contact for IT support requests, handling issues via tickets, phone, email, and in-person interactions. Your responsibilities include initial triage, basic desktop/workstation troubleshooting, answering user questions, and escalating more complex issues when necessary. You will use industry-standard tools, knowledge bases, and remote desktop access to resolve common technical problems and ensure a high level of customer satisfaction.

This position requires onsite work at client locations as needed, so reliability, professionalism, and strong interpersonal skills are essential.

This role is not responsible for consulting, systems design, or implementation services, but plays a critical role in delivering timely and effective first-line support.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the first point of contact for clients by providing Tier 1 support through the Portola Systems IT Service Desk.
• Assess and triage customer needs by asking qualifying questions via phone, email, and remote support tools.
• Perform basic troubleshooting and resolution of workstation, desktop, and network issues using industry-standard tools and internal knowledge bases.
• Maintain and update internal client documentation to ensure accurate and consistent support practices.
• Collaborate effectively with Tier II and Tier III engineers to resolve complex or escalated issues.
• Apply logical thinking and technical knowledge to identify solutions that support client workflows and business needs.
• Prioritize and manage support tickets to meet response and resolution time frames.
• Thoroughly document all support interactions, resolutions, and updates in the ticketing system to promote team continuity.
• Foster positive relationships and communicate clearly with clients, colleagues, and vendors.
• Perform onsite visits at client locations as needed to provide hands-on support and ensure issues are resolved promptly and professionally.

• 1-3 years relevant IT experience
• Associates degree or equivalent work experience
• Strong documentation skills including technical report writing.
• Strong experience with desktop and mobile support including Windows 10/11 & MacOS
• Experience with at least some of the following:

Windows Server

Microsoft Exchange

Share Point

Microsoft Office 365, including MS Office, MS Exchange Online, SharePoint Online

Azure Active Directory and other core online IT and business collaboration tools.

VMware (vSphere, vCenter, vCloud Air), AWS

Storage Technologies (HP, Dell, EMC, Nimble)

PC and server virtualization software, virus protection and backup systems

• Certifications such as CompTIA A+, Net+ and/or Microsoft Certifications are a plus, but not required
• Must reside in or be within commuting distance of Santa Rosa, CA
• Must be authorized to work in the US

$66,500 - $72,800 yearly

About Portola Systems Inc.

Portola Systems is a Sonoma County-based managed IT services provider supporting SMBs and public-sector clients throughout the Bay Area. Since 1994, we’ve delivered secure, scalable technology solutions with a focus on long-term partnerships. Our mission is to help clients work smarter with reliable, personalized support. Clients describe us as “brilliant engineers with outstanding support” and praise our “can-do, here-to-help approach.” We value integrity, responsiveness, and teamwork.

With under 30 team members, we blend the deep expertise of a larger firm with the agility and care of a boutique provider. We foster a collaborative, growth-minded culture where people feel trusted and empowered. Joining Portola means being part of a tight-knit team that thrives on solving complex challenges and delivering excellence to the communities and businesses we serve.