Software Support Engineer

PVA TePla OKOS; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

PVA TePla OKOS is seeking a Software Support Engineer to join the 2nd Level Support team in the Portland, Oregon area. The role focuses on analyzing complex software issues, supporting field engineers, and returning systems to operation quickly.

The candidate will read C# code, document root causes, and escalate structured findings to the development team. Travel within the United States is required as needed.

Qualifications

• At least five years in technical service, software support, or related tech field.
• Strong ability to read and understand source code and diagnose issues.
• Experience with system logs, error messages, and diagnostic data.

Responsibilities

• Analyze complex software errors using logs and configurations.
• Support Field Service Engineers on-site or remotely.
• Read C# source code to locate root causes and assist fixes.
• Document findings and reproduce steps in Jira.
• Coordinate with development to escalate patches and improvements.

Skills

C# knowledge

Troubleshooting

English communication

Ticketing

Education

Bachelor's or Associate degree in CS/Engineering

Tools

Git/Bitbucket

Jira

Job description

Software Support Engineer – 2nd Level Support

Company Description

PVA TePla OKOS, a subsidiary of PVA TePla AG in Germany, is a leading provider of nondestructive testing solutions specializing in ultrasound immersion testing and scanning acoustic microscopy. Its products support failure analysis and in-process quality control across the semiconductor, aerospace, steel, and automotive industries.

As part of a global technology group, PVA TePla OKOS offers exposure to advanced testing systems, international engineering practices, and innovative industrial technologies. The company emphasizes precision, reliability, and continuous improvement in a dynamic environment for technical professionals. PVA TePla OKOS has continued to grow since its acquisition by PVA TePla AG in November 2020.

Role Description

PVA TePla OKOS is seeking a Software Support Engineer to join its 2nd Level Support team. This full-time role is based on-site in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area.

The Software Support Engineer serves as the technical escalation point between the 1st Level Service Desk, Field Service Engineers, customers, and the software development team. The role is responsible for analyzing complex software and system issues, supporting Field Service Engineers during customer assignments, and helping return customer systems to operational status as quickly as possible.

The position combines technical troubleshooting, software analysis, customer support, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration. The successful candidate will be comfortable reviewing system logs, interpreting error messages, reading C# source code, documenting root causes, and escalating well-structured findings to the development team.

Key Responsibilities

• Analyze and diagnose complex software errors using system logs, error messages, diagnostic data, and system configurations.
• Provide technical support to Field Service Engineers during on-site customer assignments, remotely and, when required, in person.
• Support internal teams and external customers with software troubleshooting, configuration, installation, and issue resolution.
• Read and understand C# source code to narrow down the causes of software errors, identify relevant code locations, and support bug resolution.
• Document code references, technical findings, root-cause analysis, and recommended actions in Jira.
• Enhance support tickets with complete technical information before escalation to the software development team.
• Escalate patch and software-repair requirements to the development team with a clear, structured diagnosis.
• Collaborate with software development and engineering teams to reproduce issues, test fixes, and improve system performance and reliability.
• Participate in daily Scrum meetings to support the handover, review, and prioritization of open tickets.
• Maintain and update technical documentation, including software versions, system configurations, known errors, troubleshooting procedures, and solutions.
• Manage and track support tickets while communicating technical solutions clearly and professionally.
• Coordinate with Service Area Managers regarding customer assignments, ongoing issues, and escalations.
• Assist with user training and provide guidance to customers and internal personnel as needed.
• Travel within the United States for customer assignments, including occasional multi-day assignments of up to two weeks.

Required Qualifications

• At least five years of professional experience in technical service, software support, software development, or a related technical field.
• Solid knowledge of C# and the ability to confidently read and understand source code, even without active development responsibilities.
• Experience analyzing software errors, system logs, error messages, and diagnostic information.
• Experience with Git-based version control systems, particularly Bitbucket.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience handling user-reported technical issues and managing support tickets.
• Excellent written and spoken English skills, as English is the primary working language.
• Ability to work independently in a structured, organized, and customer-focused manner.
• Strong technical documentation and communication skills.
• Willingness to travel within the United States, including longer assignments of up to two weeks.
• An associate or bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field—or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with PLC programming, such as Siemens TIA Portal or Beckhoff TwinCAT.
• Experience in mechanical engineering, automation technology, industrial equipment, semiconductor manufacturing, or the vacuum industry.
• Experience with testing, measurement, or nondestructive testing systems.
• Familiarity with CRM and ticketing systems, particularly Salesforce and/or Jira.
• Knowledge of Windows-based environments, networking fundamentals, and common debugging tools.
• Experience collaborating with software development, engineering, field service, and cross-functional technical teams.
• German language skills, as training may take place at the company’s headquarters in Germany.
• Experience providing customer training or technical support in an industrial environment.

This is an on-site position in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area with regular collaboration across software development, engineering, field service, and customer-support teams. The role requires domestic travel within the United States and may involve extended customer assignments of up to two weeks.