What are the responsibilities and job description for the Applications Support Specialist position at UCAR - The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research?
Job Description Summary:
UCAR’s Enterprise Software & Applications (ESA) team is a collaborative and vital team at the heart of UCAR’s operational success. ESA team members ensure our scientists, engineers, and administrative and executive staff have the functional tools they need to support groundbreaking earth system research.
This position is the first level of the applications support job family. The Applications Support Specialist interacts with a wide array of stakeholders via phone, email, service desk applications, and in-person interactions to support the effective use of Operations business applications and services. The Applications Support Specialist responds directly to provide technical assistance, fulfill routine support requests, and resolve routine (Tier 1) issues. The position also contributes to the development of application documentation, training resources, and knowledge bases.
Application support covers extensive procedures across multiple dimensions, including incident, request, and problem management, and recommending changes or new configurations to assist staff in achieving organizational goals. The Applications Support Specialist works closely with members of cross-functional teams to research, understand, and remediate reported stakeholder issues in a timely and professional manner by troubleshooting problems, interpreting policies, and providing technical assistance.
This position requires the ability to maintain effective working relationships to deliver a high level of customer service for all levels of staff.
Position Details:
Visa Sponsored Job:
No
Relocation Assistance Eligible:
No
Job Location:
Boulder, Colorado
Position Type & Term:
Full time, Regular
Compensation Range:
Salary Range $57,723 - $72,153
Application Deadline:
Work Location: Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.
What You Will Do
Here is a brief summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.
Application Support
Assists the IT Change Management Lead and IT Cloud Solutions Analysts in:
Assists the IT Cloud Solutions Analysts in:
Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:
Education and Experience (Required):
Technical Skills
UCAR affirms its commitment to employees through competitive benefits. In addition to medical, dental, vision, retirement, and life insurance, UCAR offers a variety of programs focused on work-life balance and professional, and personal development. These include:
Applicants are not required to provide age or age-related information and may redact information related to age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution from any submissions during the initial application process.
Some Final Considerations
At NSF NCAR| UCAR | UCP, you will work alongside a dedicated team of professionals conducting critical research and community outreach to solve complex Earth system science problems including climate change, air pollution, extreme weather, floods, drought, wildfires, and space weather, all with the goal of improving human life and reducing economic loss. Each of us, from scientists to the professionals who support their work, serves the public and a collaborative community of scientists in our mission to understand the complex processes that make up the Earth system, from the ocean floor to the Sun’s core.
Flexible Work
At UCAR, we are committed to supporting our mission by giving staff the flexibility to find the schedule and location that works best to maintain their own work-life circumstances and reach their full potential as professionals. Many positions within our organization are eligible for fully on-site, hybrid (three days per week) and/or flexible work hours.
Equal Opportunity Employer
UCAR is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy. Whatever your intersection of identities, you are welcome at UCAR.
Export Control
All positions are required to comply with U.S. export compliance regulations and work location requirements regarding access to facilities and research systems.
Work Location
UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.
AI Software
ChatGPT and similar AI software are powerful tools that are changing the way society receives, processes, and leverages information promptly. While we acknowledge its benefits and do not restrict leveraging it with job applications, we highly encourage a majority of the applicant material to be original work.
UCAR’s Enterprise Software & Applications (ESA) team is a collaborative and vital team at the heart of UCAR’s operational success. ESA team members ensure our scientists, engineers, and administrative and executive staff have the functional tools they need to support groundbreaking earth system research.
This position is the first level of the applications support job family. The Applications Support Specialist interacts with a wide array of stakeholders via phone, email, service desk applications, and in-person interactions to support the effective use of Operations business applications and services. The Applications Support Specialist responds directly to provide technical assistance, fulfill routine support requests, and resolve routine (Tier 1) issues. The position also contributes to the development of application documentation, training resources, and knowledge bases.
Application support covers extensive procedures across multiple dimensions, including incident, request, and problem management, and recommending changes or new configurations to assist staff in achieving organizational goals. The Applications Support Specialist works closely with members of cross-functional teams to research, understand, and remediate reported stakeholder issues in a timely and professional manner by troubleshooting problems, interpreting policies, and providing technical assistance.
This position requires the ability to maintain effective working relationships to deliver a high level of customer service for all levels of staff.
Position Details:
Visa Sponsored Job:
No
Relocation Assistance Eligible:
No
Job Location:
Boulder, Colorado
Position Type & Term:
Full time, Regular
Compensation Range:
Salary Range $57,723 - $72,153
- Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, skills relevant to the role.*
Application Deadline:
- This position will be posted until 11:59 pm MT on Sunday, December 7, 2025.
- Resume
- Questionnaire (embedded in the application)
Work Location: Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.
What You Will Do
Here is a brief summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.
Application Support
- Incident & Request Management
- Provides technical assistance, end-user support, and triages reported issues for a portfolio of business and administrative applications and services. Resolves routine problems and determines the appropriate resource for escalation and resolution of more complex (tier 2 and tier 3) issues.
- Performs technical troubleshooting and data analysis to triage workflow, user permissions, and other problem reports.
- Responds to inquiries and reported incidents from staff and external vendors utilizing phone, email, chat, service desk tools, and other communication methods. Refers staff to published training materials, policies and procedures, secondary sources, or more senior staff. Escalates questions specific to policies and procedures to the appropriate line office ensuring end-users know who will respond to their request.
- Meets or exceeds defined ESA response time metrics.
- Communication, Documentation, & Knowledge Management
- Develops and maintains basic proficiency in core business and administrative applications, including, but not limited to Human Capital Management and Finance (Workday), Source-to-Pay (JAGGAER), and Travel and Expense (SAP Concur), as well as the related policies and procedures.
- Utilizes the service desk ticketing system (Jira) to document internal and external correspondence for incident resolution including troubleshooting steps, solutions, action plans, and best practices identified by resolving staff issues. Creates and/or updates knowledge base articles to reflect current configurations and common issues as needed.
- Works with stakeholders, senior analysts, and functional managers to recommend and develop improvements to system configurations. May participate in analyzing or testing technical configuration and workflow changes for client systems to perform in-depth technical troubleshooting and alternative approaches.
- Maintains and delivers routine performance management metrics, documentation, and instructions / training materials on service-related processes and issue resolution activities.
Assists the IT Change Management Lead and IT Cloud Solutions Analysts in:
- Ensuring learning resources are accurate and easy to understand;
- Identifying additional topics of learning and areas/individuals in need of training opportunities; and,
- Developing and maintaining basic learning resources for supported applications, including application guides and flowcharts and/or instructional materials in print, digital, and video formats.
Assists the IT Cloud Solutions Analysts in:
- Analyzing service desk trends to identify recurring issues and requests. Partners with IT Cloud Solutions Analysts to recommend and implement solutions.
- Participates in user acceptance testing (UAT) for application enhancements and updates.
- As the first level intake resource, works independently to assess the end-user’s issue or request and resolve routine issues and support requests with proven solutions for a broad array of applications.
- Interprets data to identify problems, determine the root cause of the problem or issue, and determine the best resolution or appropriate escalation path.
- Independently gauges response effort to outcomes and identifies ways to improve response time, effectiveness, and use of resources.
- Independently applies judgment to determine the appropriate application of policies and procedures to ensure effective, equitable, consistent policy compliance and to identify and escalate policy violations to appropriate policy owners.
Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:
Education and Experience (Required):
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, business, or a related field.
- 3 years experience in providing support and documentation for complex business and financial applications
- Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Technical Skills
- Strong technical aptitude, including a solid understanding of basic information technology concepts, including transaction processing, business process and workflow management, system interfaces, data management, and user access permissions.
- Demonstrated ability to learn complex business applications.
- Experience with incident troubleshooting and escalation.
- Experience working with Jira or other service desk applications.
- Proficient in Excel, Word, Google Apps, and strong computer navigation skills and PC knowledge.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to prioritize, organize, and coordinate simultaneous tasks/projects. Excellent organizational skills demonstrated by managing multiple priorities.
- Ability to quickly learn information, perform well under pressure, and quickly resolve issues, including multiple concurrent tasks.
- Ability to work as a team member, as well as independently.
- Basic knowledge of training techniques and instructional methods specific to the implementation and adoption of new, modern technical business solutions.
- Exceptional customer service orientation and commitment.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including technical writing. Good presentational skills preferred.
- Excellent interpersonal/relationship management skills; proven ability to work with a variety of colleagues at all levels of the organization, as well as vendors and sponsor organizations.
- Experience providing support for Workday Human Capital Management, SAP Concur Expense, and/or JAGGAER Source to Pay applications
- Experience training adult learners
- Experience working for a government or government-funded organization
UCAR affirms its commitment to employees through competitive benefits. In addition to medical, dental, vision, retirement, and life insurance, UCAR offers a variety of programs focused on work-life balance and professional, and personal development. These include:
- Tuition Assistance, time off allowance to attend classes, and other professional development opportunities.
- UCAR contributes 10% of your eligible pay into your retirement account; 100% fully vested on day one.
- Starting minimum accrual of 20 days of personal time off each year (prorated for less than full-time positions).
- 10 paid holidays.
- 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
- Short-term medical leave paid at 100% of your regular salary.
- EcoPass for local Colorado residents to use the Denver and Boulder-area transit system at no cost.
Applicants are not required to provide age or age-related information and may redact information related to age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution from any submissions during the initial application process.
Some Final Considerations
At NSF NCAR| UCAR | UCP, you will work alongside a dedicated team of professionals conducting critical research and community outreach to solve complex Earth system science problems including climate change, air pollution, extreme weather, floods, drought, wildfires, and space weather, all with the goal of improving human life and reducing economic loss. Each of us, from scientists to the professionals who support their work, serves the public and a collaborative community of scientists in our mission to understand the complex processes that make up the Earth system, from the ocean floor to the Sun’s core.
Flexible Work
At UCAR, we are committed to supporting our mission by giving staff the flexibility to find the schedule and location that works best to maintain their own work-life circumstances and reach their full potential as professionals. Many positions within our organization are eligible for fully on-site, hybrid (three days per week) and/or flexible work hours.
Equal Opportunity Employer
UCAR is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy. Whatever your intersection of identities, you are welcome at UCAR.
Export Control
All positions are required to comply with U.S. export compliance regulations and work location requirements regarding access to facilities and research systems.
Work Location
UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.
AI Software
ChatGPT and similar AI software are powerful tools that are changing the way society receives, processes, and leverages information promptly. While we acknowledge its benefits and do not restrict leveraging it with job applications, we highly encourage a majority of the applicant material to be original work.
Salary : $57,723 - $72,153