Developer Support Engineer

As a Developer Support Engineer at Jama Software, your primary responsibilities will include providing functional support for Jama Connect® through various channels like support ticketing systems and screen shares. You'll engage with self-hosted customers for installations, upgrades, and migrations, troubleshoot complex technical issues, and collaborate with product and engineering teams to develop custom solutions. Furthermore, you will participate in an on-call rotation and contribute to the documentation that helps our customers and internal teams alike.

To become a Developer Support Engineer at Jama Software, you should have over 5 years of experience supporting Java-based web applications, navigating databases, and crafting SQL queries with MySQL and MSSQL. You must be proficient in using the Linux command line, troubleshooting firewalls and proxies, and working with REST APIs. Familiarity with containerization technologies like Docker and Kubernetes is a plus. While a bachelor's degree in computer science is preferred, relevant experience can also make you a strong candidate.

At Jama Software, we offer a remote-first working environment that embraces cultural diversity across multiple countries. You'll enjoy flexible time off and leave programs, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, and a 401(k) employer match. Our emphasis on professional development includes providing access to LinkedIn Learning, ensuring you have the resources to grow your skills and advance your career. We also value work-life balance, with wellness benefits included in our offerings.

As a Developer Support Engineer at Jama Software, familiarity with tools such as Zendesk, IntelliJ IDEA, VirtualBox, and Visual VM is crucial for troubleshooting and resolving issues efficiently. You'll also need to be comfortable using the command line for various operations and have experience with databases to aid in logging and debugging processes. Additionally, understanding of containerization technologies will be beneficial for addressing our product's needs and supporting our customer base.

As a Developer Support Engineer at Jama Software, you'll have the chance to collaborate closely with our Product and Engineering teams. This role often involves creating custom scripts for unique customer problems and taking part in knowledge-sharing sessions to continuously improve internal documentation. Interaction with clients also allows you to gather insights into their challenges, which can drive future feature enhancements and support improvements.

When answering this question, highlight specific projects where you supported Java-based web applications. Outline the challenges you faced, the solutions you implemented, and the outcomes achieved. This will demonstrate your practical experience and problem-solving skills, emphasizing your familiarity with the technologies and frameworks commonly used in this domain.

In responding to this question, detail your methodical approach to troubleshooting. Start by explaining how you gather information from the ticket, involve customer interaction for further context, analyze logs, and use tools effectively to isolate the issue. Conclude with examples of past situations where your troubleshooting led to successful resolutions.

When discussing your experience with SQL databases, mention specific database systems you've worked with, such as MySQL or MSSQL. Describe your ability to write queries and optimize them for performance, as well as any experience with data migrations you've participated in. Providing a sample of a complex query you've developed can also underscore your expertise.

It's important to convey your proactive approach to learning. Talk about following industry news, participating in webinars, taking online courses, or being involved in professional communities. Share examples of how you've applied new technologies or approaches in your work to show your commitment to continuous improvement.

In your response, emphasize the need for balancing multiple tasks, particularly when dealing with on-call duties and urgent customer requests. Discuss strategies you've employed to manage stress and prioritize tasks effectively while maintaining high-quality customer support. Highlighting previous experiences with similar challenges will strengthen your answer.

When answering this question, emphasize collaboration and communication skills. Describe previous instances where you successfully worked with product and engineering teams to address customer concerns, showcasing how you facilitated discussions to arrive at effective solutions. Highlight the importance of understanding different perspectives and your adaptability in such situations.

Discuss the scripting languages you're comfortable with, such as Python or Bash. Provide examples of specific scripts you've written to automate routine tasks or to aid in debugging processes. Emphasize your understanding of how scripting can improve efficiency and support custom solutions for clients.

Provide a detailed narrative of a situation where you effectively communicated a technical issue to a non-technical stakeholder. Break down the concept into simpler terms, use analogies where appropriate, and describe the positive outcome of the conversation. This will showcase your communication skills and ability to engage users at all levels.

Highlight your systematic approach to documentation, including capturing insights during troubleshooting, creating knowledge base articles, and maintaining consistency. You might share the tools you use for documentation and the importance of feedback from both colleagues and customers in improving the accuracy and usability of the documentation.

Discuss your approach to mentorship and support. Explain how you would seek to understand the nature of the escalation before guiding the junior engineer through troubleshooting steps, sharing knowledge about the issue and encouraging their problem-solving skills. This answer demonstrates leadership while showing your commitment to team development.