Customer Service Engineer (VA ESOM)

About the role

Kentro is hiring an experienced Customer Service Engineer to support the VA-ESOM End Point Support and Operations Monitoring contract across the United States. The VA provides comprehensive onsite and remote IT support to over 340,000 VA employees and thousands of contractors across 100+ CONUS and OCONUS locations, including high cost-of-living and under-supported economic areas. A Customer Service Engineer responds to end-user requests when existing manuals and scripted responses are insufficient, interacting with customers to diagnose problems and lead them through corrective steps. The role requires experience conducting routine system administration tasks and logging data in system admin logs.

Location: Onsite – VACO (Landover, MD)

Schedule

Monday – Friday, 7:30 am – 4:00 pm EST

Pay

Anticipated base compensation range: $28.00 – $32.00 hourly. Final compensation is determined based on the role’s requirements, relevant skills, experience, education, certifications, work location, applicable security clearance requirements, market conditions, internal equity, and contract requirements.

Responsibilities

• Support the Government with installation, maintenance, testing, and troubleshooting of computer systems and equipment to ensure optimal operation and user satisfaction.
• Deliver remote and desk-side technical support, respond to IT support tickets, and perform diagnostic and repair activities on hardware and software components.
• Set up and maintain user accounts, interface with other software applications, compile reports, and respond to customer requests.
• Maintain Active Directory and other system accounts; support connectivity and client applications; configure and support local and wide area network services.
• Monitor open tickets in VA’s ServiceNow customer incident ticketing system to ensure adherence to business processes; report discrepancies with proposed corrective actions for approval before implementation.
• Utilize debugging protocols and processes; troubleshoot customer-identified problems and implement corrective actions quickly.
• Facilitate equipment returns, deployments, unboxing, inventorying, and verification.
• Handle physically demanding tasks: lift equipment up to 50 pounds; bend, twist, squat, reach, climb, and crawl to navigate facility spaces; stand and move throughout the work area for prolonged periods.

Skills

Communication & Interpersonal Skills

• Active listening: understand customer needs and concerns fully before responding.
• Clear verbal and written communication: explain technical issues in simple, customer-friendly language.
• Empathy: show understanding and patience with frustrated or non-technical customers.
• Relationship building: develop trust and rapport with customers and colleagues.
• Professional demeanor: represent the company with courtesy and confidence in all interactions.

Customer-Centric Mindset

• Proactive attitude: anticipate customer needs before they escalate into issues.
• Continuous improvement: seek feedback to improve personal performance and customer experience.
• Ownership: take responsibility for resolving issues from start to finish.

Travel

May be asked to provide surge-capacity support requiring travel for up to 2 weeks at a time (12 consecutive days, departing Monday and returning the Friday of the following week). Overtime is not authorized for surge work. Kentro pre-pays airfare and hotel; out-of-pocket expenses require an expense report per Kentro policy (reimbursed weekly). Per diem for meals and lodging is provided for overnight stays based on GSA Per Diem Rates for the location.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, electronics engineering, or other engineering/technical discipline, or 8 years of additional relevant experience substituted for education.
• 2+ years of experience in IT Technical Support, Help Desk, or System Administration.
• Ability to meet the physical requirements listed in the job description (lifting up to 50 lbs, bending, twisting, squatting, reaching, climbing, crawling, prolonged standing/moving).

Preferred

• Experience conducting routine system administration tasks and logging data in system admin logs.
• Knowledge of debugging protocols and processes.
• Adept knowledge of IT principles and practices, proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, and basic understanding of system administration in a Windows environment.

Clearance Requirement

• US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (Green Card).
• Willing and able to obtain a Public Trust Suitability clearance.
• Must meet updated ID requirements per GSA Federal Credentialing Services (https://www.gsa.gov/.../bring-required-documents). If not currently met, must be willing and able to update ID documents in a timely manner to complete the suitability process.

Health Requirements

This position provides on-site support for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which has facility-specific vaccination and testing requirements. If selected, candidates may be required to show proof of current vaccinations and testing. The Kentro Suitability team will provide guidance on facility-specific requirements, needed documents, and reasonable accommodation requests. Examples include:

• Yearly Flu Vaccination
• Tuberculosis testing with a negative result
• Vaccination records or titer testing for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR), Hepatitis B, and/or Varicella

Benefits

Kentro offers a competitive benefits package including:

• Paid time off
• Healthcare benefits
• Supplemental benefits
• 401(k) with employer match
• Discount perks and rewards
• Education reimbursement for certifications, degrees, or professional development (amounts may fluctuate due to IRS limitations)
• Flexibility for courses, certifications, and professional growth/networking
• Company-sponsored activities: happy hours, holiday events, fitness & wellness events, annual celebrations, charity galas/events

Kentro holds three ISO certifications (27001:2013, 20000-1:2011, 9001:2015), two CMMI ML 3 ratings (DEV and SVC), and CMMC Level 2 Certification. Industry recognition includes Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies, Washington Business Journal Fastest Growing Companies and Best Places to Work, Northern Virginia Technology Council Tech 100 Honoree, Virginia Best Place to Work, Department of Labor HireVets, SECAF Award of Excellence finalist, Victory Military Friendly Brand, Virginia Values Veterans (V3), and Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Corporate Breath Award.