Job Description
Job DescriptionAbout The Role
The Help Desk Technician will join Seattle Art Museum's Technology team as the frontline champion of our digital workplace experience, ensuring that 365 employees across three museum sites can focus on connecting art to life without technology barriers. This role represents our commitment to elevating IT support from reactive problem-solving to proactive partnership in the museum's mission.
In this role, you will be the friendly face (and voice) of IT support, transforming technology challenges into opportunities for empowerment. The Help Desk Technician serves as the primary point of contact for staff technology needs, from troubleshooting everyday issues to helping colleagues discover new ways technology can enhance their work. You'll maintain and optimize workstations, manage our help desk queue with care and efficiency, and ensure that whether someone is installing a new exhibition or planning an educational program, their technology just works.
The ideal candidate combines technical proficiency with genuine enthusiasm for helping others succeed. They should bring strong troubleshooting skills across Windows and Mac environments, paired with the patience and communication skills to support users at all comfort levels with technology. A customer service mindset is essential—you'll be supporting everyone from curators working with digital collections to educators preparing virtual programs to facilities staff managing building systems.
If you're excited about being the hero who saves the day when technology goes sideways, building relationships across a diverse cultural institution, and contributing to the seamless operation of a world-class museum through exceptional technical support, we'd love to learn more about you.
FLSA STATUS: Full Time, Non-Exempt
REPORTS TO: Director of Technology
COMPENSATION: $31.44/hour
WORK SCHEDULE: This role is typically scheduled to work Monday – Friday at SAM's downtown location, with occasional visits to the Seattle Asian Art Museum and Olympic Sculpture Park locations as needed. This role works onsite 5 days/week. Participation in on-call rotation for weekend and holiday help desk coverage required (schedules determined at least two weeks in advance).
BENEFITS: Benefits include a fully employer paid HMP medical plan or an employee contribution PPO plan, dental, vision, and basic life insurance/LTD/AD&D, Flexible Spending Account, Short Term Disability, Supplemental Dental Insurance and participation in SAM's 403b retirement plan. Following 1 year of service and 1,000 hours worked SAM makes a guaranteed 3% employer contribution regardless of participation and provides an employer match program. Additional benefits include paid time off for vacation, PSST, bereavement leave, and jury duty, 11 scheduled holidays, 1 paid floating holiday, a subsidized unlimited Orca card, onsite fitness facility, and an EAP. FT Staff also receive a Patron level membership to SAM, a Tier III membership to the American Alliance of Museums and discounts to museum shop and programming.
About SAM
Seattle Art Museum's vision is to be the museum for all of Seattle—a bold, dynamic hub of creativity, belonging, and cultural leadership, shaping the future of art and community. To create a welcoming community where people find inspiration and discover our common humanity through exceptional art and dynamic, engaging programs. Art is always at the start and heart of what we do. Collecting, conserving, and displaying extraordinary works of art is the governing motivation of our museum. So too is fostering a vigorous exchange of ideas while cultivating connection with the broad array of communities we serve. As the leading visual arts institution in the Pacific Northwest, SAM shares its global connections, powerful exhibitions, and dynamic programs to engage, educate, and inspire. SAM is a vibrant, three-site organization that is supported by 365 employees, 10 executive leaders, and more than 200 volunteers.
Responsibilities
Delivering Exceptional Technology Support
- Serve as the first point of contact for technology support requests, providing timely, empathetic, and effective assistance to museum staff
- Monitor and manage the help desk queue, prioritizing requests based on urgency and impact to museum operations
- Troubleshoot hardware, software, and connectivity issues across Windows and Mac platforms with a solutions-oriented approach
- Document all support interactions thoroughly, maintaining knowledge base articles to empower self-service and ensure consistent support
- Assist in developing and maintaining help desk policies and procedures that balance efficiency with excellent customer service
- Prepare regular reports on help desk metrics, identifying trends and opportunities for improvement
Maintaining Our Digital Workplace
- Install, configure, and maintain computers, peripherals, and productivity software across all museum locations
- Ensure printers and office equipment remain operational, coordinating with vendors for maintenance and repairs
- Monitor system logs and alerts, escalating issues appropriately to prevent disruptions
- Manage the lifecycle of IT equipment from deployment to responsible disposal
- Support account management activities including user provisioning in Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and various SaaS applications
- Assist with employee onboarding and offboarding, ensuring smooth technology transitions
Supporting the Technology Team
- Participate in on-call rotation for weekend and holiday support coverage
- Collaborate with senior IT staff on special projects and technology initiatives
- Contribute to continuous improvement of IT processes and service delivery
- Support EDIAB initiatives through inclusive technology practices and accessible support
About You
Required Qualifications
- High School Diploma or equivalent
- Minimum 2-4 years' experience installing, configuring, and troubleshooting Microsoft Windows, PC hardware, Mac, and peripheral devices
- 2-4 years' experience with TCP/IP networking and 802.11 wireless protocols
- Demonstrated excellence in customer service with ability to communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical users
- Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Self-motivated with ability to work both independently and collaboratively
- Professional demeanor with discretion in handling confidential information
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, ticketing systems, and remote support tools
- Ability to lift and transport up to 25 pounds of equipment
- Ability to pass and maintain security background check clearance
Preferred Qualifications
- Progress toward or completion of degree/certification in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field
- Experience in museum, nonprofit, educational, or cultural institution settings
- Familiarity with Tessitura, TMS, or other museum-specific software
- Knowledge of Azure/Microsoft 365 administration
- Experience with help desk ticketing systems and ITIL practices
Accommodation
If you need assistance applying for a role due to a disability or additional need, please let us know at hr@seattleartmuseum.org
The Seattle Art Museum will consider reasonable accommodations for all employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions/duties of this position. If you need an accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact hr@seattleartmuseum.org
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Celebrating difference. At Seattle Art Museum, our members, visitors, and local community come from all walks of life, and so do our employees, volunteers, and interns. The plurality of our identities and experiences strengthens our mission: connecting art to life. Our mission and vision call us to be responsive to a multitude of cultural contexts and lived experiences, and as such, our Strategic Plan directly addresses the role art plays in empowering and elevating social justice movements, and promoting structural change to further equity in our society. SAM is particularly dedicated to racial equity in the workplace, because we know that people of color are the most impacted when it comes to both historical and present inequities. We know that equity is not a single fixed destination, it’s ongoing reckoning. As SAM continually strives to be a more inclusive and equitable workplace, we are particularly interested in engaging with those who have been historically underrepresented in the museum field. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace, and a sense of belonging for each and every employee, because we know our organization is at its best when we celebrate difference.
SAM is an equal opportunity employer. We are an equal opportunity employer, and consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), marital status, ancestry, sensory, physical, or mental disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, citizenship or immigration status, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. If you need assistance applying for a role due to a disability or additional need, please let us know at hr@seattleartmuseum.org. The Seattle Art Museum will consider reasonable accommodations for all employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions/duties of the role. If you need an accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact hr@seattleartmuseum.org. For candidates, we ask that, if possible, you wait until you're invited to a screen, online technical assessment or interview before requesting an accommodation.
We encourage you to apply. We are dedicated to building a diverse workplace, and a sense of belonging for each and every employee, because we know our organization is at its best when we include, celebrate and embrace difference. We encourage you to submit an application, even if your experience doesn’t feel like a 100% match with the position. We know applying for a job can be intimidating, and research tells us that womxn and folks of color are less likely to apply if they don't see themselves meeting or exceeding every single qualification listed. We encourage you to apply, even if you feel unsure about whether you meet every requirement in this job post. You could very well be a great fit for this role or others.
Requirements for employment. In order to be employed by the Seattle Art Museum, you must reside in the state of Washington. Employment at SAM is contingent upon successful clearing and maintenance of clearance in both a federal and state criminal background check.
Want to learn more? If you haven't already, check out our Careers page for more on working at SAM.
Though we'd love to be able to reply to every question that crosses our desk, due to the high volume of applications we receive, our HR team is unfortunately unable to offer a response to inquiries requesting search status updates, inquiries about hiring timeline, or requests to be put in touch with directly with the Hiring Team. If your experiences and capabilities are well suited to an open role, our Recruiter or the Hiring Manager will reach out directly to schedule an interview. Thanks for your understanding!
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