Staff Technical Support Engineer
The role in a nutshell: We’re looking for a Staff Technical Support Engineer who blends deep Support expertise with strong software engineering or DevOps practices. You will help customers succeed with Chainguard technologies, lead complex technical investigations, and influence how our product and platform evolve. You’ll work on real, complex issues with modern tools (Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub, Helm charts, Terraform, etc.), make customers feel like superheroes themselves, and help shape how Chainguard delivers world-class support. Serious work, fun team, big impact. This is a senior role with significant influence on Support strategy and technical direction. What you’ll do: • Troubleshoot and resolve complex customer issues involving Chainguard Images, Libraries, container runtimes, registries, and build systems • Collaborate with Engineering on escalations and help shape long-term fixes and product improvements • Communicate clearly with both technical and non-technical stakeholders • Build and improve runbooks, tooling, and diagnostic workflows that eliminate toil • Drive root-cause analysis and identify trends that inform roadmap decisions • Mentor teammates and strengthen the technical depth of the Support organization • Partner cross-functionally to help customers adopt secure-by-default software supply chains • Participate in the on-call rotation for after-hours support Staff-Level Expectations • Own complex, ambiguous problem areas that span multiple teams or technologies • Influence engineering priorities through data-driven insights from customer issues • Lead internal workshops or deep dives on Kubernetes, CI/CD, debugging, or cloud platforms • Collaborate closely with the Support leader to help drive the vision, strategy, and evolution of the global Support organization • Serve as a trusted advisor for large-scale or mission-critical customer environments What You Bring • 10 or more years supporting enterprise customers in technical environments, with at least 2+ years in technical leadership or mentorship roles. • 8 or more years with Linux, Docker, and Kubernetes • Software engineering or Security experience such as: • Building or maintaining CI and CD pipelines • Working with infrastructure as code tools like Terraform • Writing automation or tooling in languages such as Go, Python, or Bash • Hands-on experience working with CVEs, security advisories, SBOMs, vulnerability management, and container hardening. • Strong communication skills and a passion for customer success • Bonus points for: • Vulnerability management or scanning workflows • Kubernetes certifications such as CKA, CKAD, CKS, or KCSA and Cloud experience • Comfortable operating in a fast-paced startup environment • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent real-world experience Base Salary Range $172,000—$195,000 USD About Us Chainguard is the secure foundation for software development and deployment. By providing guarded open source software, built from source and updated continuously, Chainguard helps organizations eliminate threats in their software supply chains. Founded by the industry's leading experts on open source software, security and cloud native development, Chainguard has built the largest library of open source software that is secure by default. Chainguard’s mission is to be the safe source for open source. We live and breathe our company values: We are customer obsessed - We focus on delivering solutions to our customers that create value and make their lives better. We have a bias for intentional action - We prioritize, plan, try things, and fail fast. We don’t take ourselves too seriously (but we do serious work) - We are solving an important problem which takes focus, but we also like to enjoy the journey. We trust each other and assume good intentions - We’re transparent with decisions to empower team members to make well informed decisions. A few of the benefits we offer: • Flexible & Remote-First Culture: Work remotely with team meetup opportunities, bi-annual destination summits, and a monthly stipend for coworking spaces, phone and internet costs. • Our Approach to Equity: Receive stock options upon hire and promotion. Plus, you can participate in secondary offerings and have 10 years to exercise your options (yes, you read that correctly: 10 years!). • 100% Covered Health Insurance: We cover 100% of your health, vision and dental insurance premiums for you and your dependents. Nothing comes out of your paycheck. • ∞ Flexible Time Off: Take the time you need – to do our best work, we need to recharge and reset. • 18 Weeks Paid Parental Leave: We offer 18 weeks for birthing parents and 12 weeks for non-birthing parents, with the option to use it all at once or throughout your child's first year. If your experience is close but doesn’t fulfill all requirements, please apply. We’re building the best team in technology and are focused on hiring “Chainguardians'' with unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Chainguard is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. By submitting your application, you acknowledge that Chainguard will process your personal data in accordance with Chainguard’s Privacy Policy. ©2025 Chainguard. All Rights Reserved. Apply tot his job