Everything you need to know about IT support specialist roles

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Are you looking to launch a career as an IT support specialist? Our recruitment experts share details on the different IT support positions (first line, second line, and infrastructure engineers/systems administrators), key responsibilities, required skills, and salaries for these roles, which are some of the most in-demand for the tech and IT sector this year.

What is an IT support specialist?

IT support positions are the lifeblood of daily business operations. They are directly involved with planning, implementing, and maintaining business technology solutions.

IT support is divided into three main lines: first, second, and third line support, the latter more commonly known as infrastructure engineers or systems administrators

First line support engineer

A first line IT support job role involves being the primary point of contact for anyone experiencing technical issues at work and offering fast help desk troubleshooting for basic issues. They need excellent customer service skills, top-notch problem-solving skills, and broad, generalist technical knowledge.

Andre Gardener (Talent Solutions Manager, Technology at Robert Half) says: “Starting your career in IT Support is a great way to break into tech, and it’s often just the beginning. Many professionals use IT support as a stepping stone to specialist roles, like infrastructure engineer, cloud administrator, DevOps engineer, or cybersecurity specialist.”

Key responsibilities

Taking incoming support requests

Managing support request tickets

Assessing and categorising problems

Providing basic troubleshooting advice

Creating and maintaining a log of issues and fixes

Escalating complex issues

Skills and qualifications needed for first line support

BTEC Level 3 in IT or equivalent qualification

Computer Science or related degree

CompTIA

Basic code and script-writing knowledge

Operating systems management for Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms

Problem-solving skills

Communication skills

First line support engineer salaries

First line support roles have an estimated annual salary of £27,500 and an average pay bracket of £25,000 - £30,000. To secure a salary at the higher end of the pay scale, consider honing your cloud experience, critical thinking skills, and problem-solving abilities.

“IT support roles often provide hands-on experience with cloud technologies. As more organisations move to the cloud, support teams gain valuable skills working directly with cloud platforms — skills that open doors to advanced infrastructure, cloud, and other tech-related careers,” Andre says.

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Second line support engineer

Second line support engineers are the intermediaries between the front lines and the technical specialists higher up the chain. Because of this, they need a deeper level of knowledge to go in-depth on the issues that couldn't be resolved by first line support.

Key responsibilities

Resolving support tickets escalated by first line support

Issue investigation and root-cause analysis

Training first line support specialists

Deploying new hardware and software

Maintaining detailed documentation and contributing to process improvements

Skills and qualifications needed for second line support

CompTIA A+, Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or similar

Advanced troubleshooting experience across software, hardware, and networks

Communication and problem-solving skills

Experience with Azure active directory or similar

Networking knowledge (switches, firewalls, TCP/IP/DNS)

Second line support engineer salaries

The average salary for second line support engineer is £35,000 per year. Newcomers can start on anything from £30,000, and highly experienced professionals can earn an average of £45,000. Second line IT support is in demand for 2025, and professionals with the right skills and qualifications are well-positioned to negotiate better perks or a higher starting salary.

Infrastructure engineer/system administrator (3rd-line IT support)

An infrastructure engineer or system administrator is the most advanced level of technical support in the IT function. They solve technical issues that couldn't be fixed at the first and second level of support and have advanced IT knowledge, plus excellent communication and problem-solving skills.

Key responsibilities

Resolving escalated issues from first and second line support teams

Creating and maintaining technical documentation

Training staff

Liaising with vendors and external support

Managing technical projects (deployments, instals, and changes)

Skills and qualifications needed for infrastructure engineer/system administrator roles

Advanced and up-to-date cybersecurity knowledge

Experience with public cloud hosting (Microsoft Azure, AWS, etc.)

Experience with Intune, Autopilot and Azure workplace environments

Advanced experience with ADSL, VOIP, VLAN, VPN, and switch management

Proficiency in multiple programming languages and operating systems

Excellent problem-solving skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Kaz Hassan (Talent Director, Technology at Robert Half) says: “Roles in IT support and infrastructure have become increasingly hybridised, blending traditional support functions with responsibilities across cloud platforms, cybersecurity, automation, and user experience. Professionals are now expected to manage both on-premises and cloud-based systems, support remote workforces, and contribute to strategic IT planning—making the role more dynamic and integrated within broader tech operations.”

Infrastructure engineer salaries

As an infrastructure engineer, you could earn an average of £70,000 per year. Entry-level roles can start at £60,000, with experienced workers earning up to £80,000 per year. Professionals with cloud and cybersecurity experience can leverage these in-demand skills to secure a higher salary or better perks.

Is the role of IT support specialist on your career radar? Browse open roles or upload your CV to the Robert Half site. To learn more about the tech hiring landscape and which skills are in demand, download your free copy of the 2025 Salary Guide today.

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