[linuxjobs] Linux Support Engineer - Coventry

[Steven Tee]

We are currently looking for a full time support engineer to join our 
Coventry based technical team - starting immediately. Our company 
designs, manufactures and sells an ever growing portfolio of network 
appliances with applications including DNS/DHCP management, Web Caching 
and Vulnerability Assessment. Our products are mainly built on our own 
Linux distribution, but integrate with servers and clients from all 
popular operating systems including MS Windows.

Broadly speaking we're looking for candidates who already have good 
Linux/IP/PC hardware knowledge, with the desire to learn more on the job 
(both through structured training and own initiative). Candidates must 
be confident dealing with customers and hardware (building servers, 
fault finding etc) as well as software.

Existing knowledge needn't have been gained through qualification 
(degrees etc); we're happy to hear from anyone who can demonstrate their 
ability and suitability for the job.

Full details of the job and our company follow this email. Please pass 
this mail to anyone you think may be interested. Applications should be 
made via email (steven dot tee at appliansys dot com) including a cover 
letter, CV and salary expectations.

Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.

Regards

Steven Tee

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Job Details follow:

A.	BACKGROUND
ApplianSys is a fast-growing UK-based entrepreneurial company which 
designs and markets server appliances and aims to be the leader in 
Europe.  With over 50 blue chip customers in UK, USA and Europe, the 
business concept is proven.  A new venture capital funding round has 
been secured to fund the next phase of the Business Plan.  ApplianSys is 
now beefing up its product development, marketing and sales 
capabilities, with headcount planned to double in the next 12 months. 
The plan is for turnover to triple in each of the next 3 years.

High quality pre- and post-sales technical support is vital to winning 
sales and maintaining customer satisfaction.  More support engineers are 
now needed because the workload is increasing and existing support 
engineers are moving to other roles.

The support workload is focused on the specific network applications 
that ApplianSys has developed products for.  Currently that means 
DNS/DHCP, web cache/filtering and security vulnerability assessment. 
The plan is to roll out a whole series of further product families over 
the next few years covering a wide range of network applications.

ApplianSys has its headquarters in London, with its main technical 
facility at the University of Warwick Science Park’s Business Innovation 
Centre in Coventry.  This recruit will be based there.

ApplianSys is Investors In People accredited and aims to be a best 
practice company.

For more information about the company and its products visit: 
http://www.appliansys.com/

B.	ROLE
The Sales Support Engineer will report to the Senior Technical Officer 
and assist in all the tasks of the in-house technical department. 
Broadly, the primary responsibilities of the role include:
•	Providing post-sales technical support – resolving customer issues 
(either product failures or assistance with implementation).  The 
initial scope of responsibility – in terms of products covered and level 
of responsibility - will depend on the workload and the engineer’s 
skills and experience.  In principle, it includes all levels of support:
o	“1st-line” support – answering support calls on the phone and ensuring 
the customer goes through a high quality support experience, that the 
support request is handled rapidly and to a high standard through to a 
conclusion
o	“2nd-line” support – resolving most customer problems, calling on 
3rd-line support for resolution of the most difficult problems
o	“3rd-line” support – being the technical expert resolving all customer 
problems
•	Production - assembly and final testing of some products
•	Testing of development products

In addition, the roleholder can expect to carry out some pre-sales 
support tasks from time to time, depending on their level of fluency and 
the workload facing the support team.  In time, he/she may develop 
further in this direction, with pre-sales support becoming one of their 
primary responsibilities.

C.	KEY TASKS

Specific tasks will include:
•	Supporting applications including DNS/DHCP, Web Cache, Instant 
Messaging and Vulnerability Assessment along with many other standard 
networking applications in our NETbox multifunction appliance
•	Providing first-line (taking calls) and second-line/third-line (giving 
technical answers) post-sales support – by email, by phone
•	Carrying out remedial work on faulty products
•	Working from our Coventry office during office hours, and potentially 
providing limited ‘on-call’ support at other times to key customers
•	Operation and continued development of appropriate in-house systems 
for administering support operations and carrying out the administration
•	Managing demonstration equipment and running benchmarks.
•	Testing products pre-launch
•	Assembly and final testing of some products
•	Supporting sales executives on sales visits
•	Providing ongoing technical support and advice to sales prospects, 
customers and colleagues
•	Stock management

D.	EXPECTED PROFILE

The ideal candidate will have/be:
•	Training and experience in computer science or similar, including 
specific study of network and internet technologies and evidence of 
competence in these
•	Fluency with Linux (preferred) or other Unix.  Ability to use 
command-line tools for day-to-day tasks, managing files and machines, 
carrying out diagnostic work, etc.
•	Hardware – experienced in working with x86 architecture hardware. 
Familiar with usual range of components, assembling, disassembling and 
diagnostic work.  Some understanding of what constitutes a “neat and 
tidy” assembly (wiring, layout, etc)
•	Familiar and comfortable with networking and internet infrastructure 
technologies (eg open source applications - Apache, BIND, Samba, Jabber, 
MTAs, etc)
•	Experience with rack mount servers and especially server appliances 
useful.
•	Test suite management experience.
•	Programming experience – Python, Perl, Java, PHP all useful
•	Keen interest in IT, evidenced by experience beyond simply study. 
Considerable practical experience working with PC hardware and operating 
systems, programming experience in internet technologies.  Used to 
learning new technologies rapidly under own guidance.
•	Thorough, organised, comfortable in a multi-tasking environment.  Cope 
under stress and work to tight deadlines. Must have good customer focus 
or have the appropriate personality to develop it rapidly with suitable 
guidance.
•	Self-starter: able to interpret outlined tasks and develop detailed 
approach to implementation on own initiative.  With good judgement to 
seek advice or approval at the appropriate times prior to implementation.
•	Good communicator, with demonstrable ability to work in a 
customer-facing environment.
•	Languages and international experience an advantage