Service Desk L1 Engineer
Work location: 100% onsite at Cognizant Tokyo office
1 min walk from Hanzomon station
4 min walk from Kojimachi station
Language requirement: Native level Japanese (N1 level), communication level English
We are seeking a skilled and proactive Service Desk Engineer to support IT operations for a major pharmaceutical company with over 8,000 employees in Japan.
As a front-line contact for IT support, you will deliver prompt and reliable assistance for hardware, software, and authentication-related issues. Clear, empathetic communication and strong customer service skills are essential, especially when guiding users or addressing challenges arising from outdated documentation. Beyond troubleshooting, you will contribute to incident management, process adherence, documentation enhancement, and continuous service improvements.
We are looking for someone flexible, eager to learn, and capable of leading by example—eventually training team members and helping elevate the overall performance of the Service Desk.
Roles & Responsibilities:
•Deliver first-level IT support for hardware and software issues, including PC setup, software installation, authentication troubleshooting.
•Provide end to end ticket management based on the SOPs/Knowledge bases and escalate tickets not resolvable at service desk layer to appropriate L2/L3 teams.
•Follow-up and update customer status and information.
•Handle incoming inquiries via phone, chat, and ticketing systems; accurately document incidents and escalate complex cases as required.
•Communicate effectively with users, providing step‑by‑step guidance and assisting in areas where documentation may be unclear or outdated.
•Adhere to SLA/KPI targets and ensure all support activities comply with corporate security and operational standards.
•Maintain high-quality customer service by following established procedures and ensuring consistent, professional communication.
•Contribute to updating knowledge base articles and supporting ongoing service improvement initiatives across the team.
Must‑Have:
•Strong customer service background with a professional and user‑centric approach.
•Advanced understanding of Windows OS, Microsoft 365, and common enterprise applications.
•Hands-on experience troubleshooting PC hardware, peripherals, and software-related issues.
•Experience coordinating and supporting Major Incident calls.
•Solid understanding of authentication technologies including VPN, MFA, and Microsoft Authenticator.
•Native-level Japanese communication skills with a strong customer-first mindset; bilingual Japanese/English ability.
•Ability to follow procedures, escalate issues appropriately, and maintain compliance with IT governance and security policies.
•Awareness of ITIL practices and standard Service Desk workflows.
•Willingness to support knowledge base updates and participate in continuous service improvement initiatives.
Nice to Have:
•Experience in Knowledge Base Management, including maintaining and improving KBA content.
•Understanding of the Knowledge Base Article (KBA) lifecycle, from drafting to approval and retirement.
•Deep understanding of ITSM frameworks and experience with ticketing systems such as ServiceNow.
•Practical experience with Incident, Service Request, Change, and Problem Management processes.
•Ability to communicate effectively with cross-functional teams (L2/L3, application owners, SMEs, etc.).
•Experience conducting quality audits/assessments for voice, chat, and ticket transactions.
Acerca de Cognizant
Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH) es un creador de soluciones de IA y proveedor de servicios tecnológicos que conecta la inversión en IA con el valor empresarial mediante el desarrollo de soluciones de IA full‑stack para sus clientes. Su profundo conocimiento de la industria, junto con su experiencia en procesos e ingeniería, permite incorporar el contexto único de cada organización en sistemas tecnológicos que amplifican el potencial humano, generan resultados tangibles y mantienen a las empresas a la vanguardia en un entorno en constante cambio. Más información en cognizant.ai o @cognizant.
Información adicional sobre el empleo
La información sobre la compensación es exacta en la fecha de publicación de este anuncio. Cognizant se reserva el derecho de modificar esta información en cualquier momento, de conformidad con la legislación aplicable.
Es posible que se solicite a los solicitantes que asistan a entrevistas de forma presencial o mediante videoconferencia. Asimismo, durante cada entrevista, los candidatos podrán estar obligados a presentar un documento de identidad válido emitido por el estado o por el gobierno.
Cognizant es un empleador que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades. Su solicitud y candidatura no se evaluarán en función de la raza, el color, el sexo, la religión, el credo, la orientación sexual, la identidad de género, el origen nacional, la discapacidad, la información genética, el embarazo, la condición de veterano ni cualquier otra característica protegida por las leyes federales, estatales o locales.
