Applications Engineer

Seeking an Application Engineer. This person will work closely with the Enterprise Applications Manager in IT, Accounting, Marketing, Records, and other firm personnel to ensure all applications run optimally and without interruption. Good communication, technical and analytical skills are required, with a heavy focus on Microsoft SQL (querying, reporting in SSIS and other tools, maintenance, documentation, and upgrades), Windows Servers, and Microsoft online services. Some programming knowledge would be a ‘nice to have,’ but expert knowledge is not required.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• As part of team, integrate, update, administer, and support the firm’s management applications, which include the following:
• Finance: Elite 3E, Intapp (Time, Risk, Intake), Concur, Iridium reporting and analytics
• Practice-specific tools: Aderant CompuLaw
• Marketing: Foundations
  

Requirements

• Responsibilities within the firm’s application stack include:
• Performing application implementations, reconfiguration, upgrades, and periodic maintenance.
• Administering the underlying platforms, especially Microsoft SQL, SSRS, SSIS, Active Directory and Azure AD authentication and integration, and Windows Servers.
• Coordinating with other departments and stakeholders during projects and system upgrades; assessing and communicating risk factors, primarily when integrated systems cause a “trickle-down” effect.
• Participating in month-end maintenance such as: Windows updates, SQL maintenance, query optimization, and security patching.
• Testing applications during system changes, enhancements, upgrades, and monthly system maintenance.
• Documenting system configurations, integrations, backup, and disaster recovery processes and other processes.
• Creating how-to guides and documenting resolutions to frequently asked questions.
• Communicating and informing the department and management of project statuses, issues, and proposed resolutions.
• Resolving support requests/tickets escalated from the helpdesk team, including ‘end user’ application troubleshooting.
• Managing vendor support tickets.
• Tracking and optimizing system performance and storage utilization, plan for necessary hardware or software upgrades to support system growth.
• Researching and evaluating new tools/technologies to improve the current application stack.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Proficiency in SQL administration, data queries, and reporting (“SSRS”) essential
• Demonstrated ability to learn functional and technical integration aspects of the firm’s applications, based on experience in a variety of environments.
• 3+ years’ experience operating accounting, time tracking, billing, and management software in a legal or other professional services company strongly preferred.
• Fluency in the Elite 3E SQL database schema preferred or a demonstrated ability to develop such fluency based on experience with other systems.
• Experience with any of Elite 3E Templates (“Design Gallery”), Workspace, BizTalk, Elite Application Framework and Tools and 3E Solutions Manager a plus and would be very attractive.
• Proficiency in XML/XSLT transformation.
• Proficiency with some combination of PowerShell, C# and Visual Basic .Net, HTML5 or other programming or scripting languages.
• Experience administering Windows Server.
• Solid technical foundation with the ability to troubleshoot, diagnose and resolve complex problems and implement solutions with minimal guidance.
• Self-motivated with excellent time management skills.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to communicate results.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to communicate with staff of varying technical expertise.

Non-essential Functions:

• Responsible for communication, coordination and “backup” of other members of the Information Technology Department as required to service the firm and its clients.
• Exempt position: expected to work additional hours, weekends, and holidays, as required in the performance of customary and typical IT duties.
• This position is considered essential to the function of the firm. Therefore, attendance during firm administrative leave and closings may be required.
• Support and monitor firm policies and procedures as pertains to the Information Technology Department.

Education and/or Experience:

• Minimum 3 years experience in management, design, and implementation of large enterprise applications in a heterogeneous operating system environment with hands-on experience in maintaining mission-critical enterprise applications at a high level of availability.
• Broad knowledge of the specialized and technical field of computer science and business/management acumen equivalent to a complete college or university education; includes thorough skills knowledge.
• 4-year college degree preferred; equivalent experience considered.