Sr. Technical Support Engineer, US Government, VM Specialist

Palo Alto Networks
Full_time•$108k-175k/year (USD)•Plano, United States

📍 Job Overview

  • Job Title: Sr. Technical Support Engineer, US Government, VM Specialist
  • Company: Palo Alto Networks
  • Location: Plano, Texas, United States
  • Job Type: Full-time
  • Category: Technical Support, IT Infrastructure
  • Date Posted: 2025-08-12
  • Experience Level: 5-10 years

🚀 Role Summary

  • Serve as a designated customer advocate for US Government clients, providing tailored support and driving security posture improvements
  • Offer advanced-level technical assistance, troubleshooting, and configuration guidance to optimize security infrastructure
  • Collaborate with multi-functional teams to create an environment of transparency and continuous improvement
  • Quickly resolve complex issues and provide technical assistance in high-pressure situations

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong customer focus, excellent communication skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. Experience working with government agencies and understanding their unique compliance requirements is a plus.

💻 Primary Responsibilities

  • Customer Advocacy: Act as a customer advocate, understanding their implementation and business priorities, and proactively driving best practices to improve their security posture
  • Technical Troubleshooting: Provide advanced-level technical assistance, troubleshooting, and configuration guidance to resolve complex issues and optimize security infrastructure
  • Communication: Effectively communicate technical solutions to both technical and executive stakeholders, fostering trust and credibility within government agencies and organizations
  • Case Management: Take ownership of support cases from initiation to resolution, ensuring meticulous documentation, timely updates, and comprehensive closure summaries in the ticketing system
  • Multi-Vendor Troubleshooting: Conduct multi-vendor troubleshooting on complex customer engagements, ensuring a seamless experience for public sector partners
  • Root Cause Analysis: Utilize fault isolation and root cause analysis skills to provide post-sales technical support, configuration, and industry best practices to customers
  • Product Defect Identification: Identify product defects via lab replication using network simulation, lab automation, performance testing, and validation tools
  • Technical Documentation: Author Technical Support Bulletins and technical documentation in the Knowledge Base for training materials, marketing collateral, manuals, and problem-solving guides
  • On-Call Support: Provide on-call support 24x7 on an as-needed basis
  • Travel: Travel to customer sites in the event of a critical situation to expedite resolution as required

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary focus of this role is to provide exceptional customer support and drive security posture improvements for US Government clients. Strong communication, problem-solving, and customer advocacy skills are essential for success in this role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience

Experience: 5-10 years of experience in technical support, IT infrastructure, or a related role, with a strong focus on virtualization and cloud services

Required Skills:

  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Knowledge of one or more virtualization hypervisors (VMWare ESX/ESXi, KVM/Qemu, Citrix, XenServer, Microsoft Hyper-V)
  • Basic knowledge of AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), and Oracle cloud infrastructure (OCI)
  • Experience interfacing with firewalls and firewall technology (Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) experience preferred)
  • Good understanding of networking protocols (TCP/IP, Ethernet, VLAN, OSPF, BGP) and security protocols (IPSEC / SSL-VPN / NAT)
  • Good understanding of Unix/Linux and Windows operating systems
  • Experience with Cisco, Checkpoint, Juniper (Netscreen), Fortinet is a plus
  • Knowledge of traffic generation tools and scripting languages is a plus

Preferred Skills:

  • Experience deploying third-party networking and security services into VMware NSX for vSphere
  • Familiarity with government compliance and security requirements
  • Experience working with US Government agencies

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should possess a strong technical background, with a focus on virtualization, cloud services, and firewall technology. Experience working with government agencies and understanding their unique compliance requirements is a plus.

📊 Web Portfolio & Project Requirements

  • Portfolio Essentials: Not applicable for this role
  • Technical Documentation: Author Technical Support Bulletins and technical documentation in the Knowledge Base, demonstrating strong technical writing skills and a deep understanding of Palo Alto Networks products

💵 Compensation & Benefits

  • Salary Range: $108,000 - $175,200/YR (based on experience and qualifications)
  • Benefits:
    • FLEXBenefits wellbeing spending account with over 1,000 eligible items selected by employees
    • Mental and financial health resources
    • Personalized learning opportunities
    • Restricted stock units and bonus

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

  • Industry: Cybersecurity
  • Company Size: Large (over 10,000 employees)
  • Founded: 2005
  • Team Structure:
    • The technical support team is essential to Palo Alto Networks' success and mission
    • The team provides behind-the-scenes support to meet customers' needs and fix technical problems
    • The team works the frontlines against cyberthreats and attacks, protecting everyday transactions in the digital environment
  • Development Methodology:
    • The team implements new products, transitions from old products to new, and fixes integrations and critical issues as they are raised
    • The team scales quickly to new threats, gets fulfillment from resolving new problems, and thinks about things differently

📝 Enhancement Note: Palo Alto Networks fosters a fast-growing, immensely successful organization with a strong focus on scaling quickly to new threats and providing the best customer support in the industry.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

  • Web Technology Career Level: Senior Technical Support Engineer
  • Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Technical Support Manager
  • Technical Impact: Provides advanced-level technical assistance to US Government customers, ensuring prompt resolution of complex issues and tailored solutions to optimize their security infrastructure
  • Growth Opportunities:
    • Gain experience working with US Government agencies and understanding their unique compliance requirements
    • Develop expertise in Palo Alto Networks products and cloud services
    • Advance to a Technical Support Manager or other leadership role within the technical support team

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers the opportunity to gain experience working with US Government agencies and develop expertise in Palo Alto Networks products and cloud services, with potential growth into a leadership role within the technical support team.

🌐 Work Environment

  • Office Type: On-site, with opportunities for remote work on an as-needed basis
  • Office Location(s): Plano, Texas, United States
  • Workspace Context:
    • The technical support team works in a collaborative environment, with a focus on fixing technical problems and providing the best customer support in the industry
    • The team uses various tools and technologies to troubleshoot and resolve complex customer issues
    • The team works closely with other departments, such as engineering and quality assurance, to improve overall software and hardware quality per release cycle
  • Work Schedule: Full-time, with on-call support 24x7 on an as-needed basis

📝 Enhancement Note: The technical support team at Palo Alto Networks works in a collaborative environment, with a focus on fixing technical problems and providing the best customer support in the industry. The team uses various tools and technologies to troubleshoot and resolve complex customer issues and works closely with other departments to improve overall software and hardware quality per release cycle.

📄 Application & Technical Interview Process

  • Interview Process:
    • Phone or video screen with a member of the technical support team
    • Technical assessment, focusing on problem-solving skills, virtualization, and cloud services knowledge
    • On-site or video interview with the hiring manager and other team members, focusing on communication skills, customer advocacy, and cultural fit
    • Final interview with the technical support director, focusing on career goals, leadership potential, and overall fit for the role
  • Portfolio Review Tips: Not applicable for this role
  • Technical Challenge Preparation:
    • Brush up on virtualization hypervisors, cloud services, and firewall technology
    • Practice problem-solving skills and be prepared to discuss complex technical issues and solutions
    • Familiarize yourself with Palo Alto Networks products and their features

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for this role focuses on assessing the candidate's technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and customer advocacy skills. The final interview with the technical support director focuses on career goals, leadership potential, and overall fit for the role.

🛠 Technology Stack & Web Infrastructure

  • Virtualization Hypervisors: VMWare ESX/ESXi, KVM/Qemu, Citrix, XenServer, Microsoft Hyper-V
  • Cloud Services: AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Oracle cloud infrastructure (OCI)
  • Firewall Technology: Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW), Cisco, Checkpoint, Juniper (Netscreen), Fortinet
  • Networking Protocols: TCP/IP, Ethernet, VLAN, OSPF, BGP, IPSEC, SSL-VPN, NAT
  • Operating Systems: Unix/Linux, Windows
  • Tools & Technologies: Various tools and technologies used for troubleshooting and resolving complex customer issues, including traffic generation tools and scripting languages

📝 Enhancement Note: This role requires a strong background in virtualization, cloud services, and firewall technology. Familiarity with Palo Alto Networks products and their features is a plus.

👥 Team Culture & Values

  • Web Development Values:
    • Customer focus and advocacy
    • Continuous learning and improvement
    • Collaboration and teamwork
    • Problem-solving and innovation
    • Accountability and ownership
  • Collaboration Style:
    • The technical support team works collaboratively to fix technical problems and provide the best customer support in the industry
    • The team uses various tools and technologies to troubleshoot and resolve complex customer issues
    • The team works closely with other departments, such as engineering and quality assurance, to improve overall software and hardware quality per release cycle

📝 Enhancement Note: The technical support team at Palo Alto Networks fosters a collaborative environment, with a focus on fixing technical problems and providing the best customer support in the industry. The team works closely with other departments to improve overall software and hardware quality per release cycle.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

  • Technical Challenges:
    • Troubleshooting complex customer issues and providing tailored solutions to optimize their security infrastructure
    • Identifying and replicating product defects using network simulation, lab automation, performance testing, and validation tools
    • Conducting multi-vendor troubleshooting on complex customer engagements, ensuring a seamless experience for public sector partners
  • Learning & Development Opportunities:
    • Gain experience working with US Government agencies and understanding their unique compliance requirements
    • Develop expertise in Palo Alto Networks products and cloud services
    • Advance to a Technical Support Manager or other leadership role within the technical support team

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers the opportunity to gain experience working with US Government agencies and develop expertise in Palo Alto Networks products and cloud services, with potential growth into a leadership role within the technical support team.

💡 Interview Preparation

  • Technical Questions:
    • Virtualization and cloud services knowledge
    • Firewall technology and networking protocols
    • Problem-solving skills and root cause analysis
    • Palo Alto Networks products and features
  • Company & Culture Questions:
    • Customer focus and advocacy
    • Collaboration and teamwork
    • Continuous learning and improvement
    • Problem-solving and innovation
    • Accountability and ownership

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for this role focuses on assessing the candidate's technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and customer advocacy skills. The final interview with the technical support director focuses on career goals, leadership potential, and overall fit for the role.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Sr. Technical Support Engineer, US Government, VM Specialist position:

  1. Submit your application through the application link provided
  2. Tailor your resume to highlight your technical support experience, problem-solving skills, and virtualization and cloud services knowledge
  3. Prepare for the technical assessment by brushing up on your virtualization, cloud services, and firewall technology knowledge
  4. Familiarize yourself with Palo Alto Networks products and their features
  5. Research the company and the technical support team to demonstrate your understanding of their culture and values during the interview process

Application Requirements

Candidates should possess strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with knowledge of virtualization hypervisors and cloud services. Experience with firewall technology and a good understanding of networking protocols is also required.