At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead investigations and resolve complex customer issues in critical production environments.
- Company: Join Kong, a leader in API and AI connectivity technologies.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible work options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic team environment with opportunities to mentor and drive improvements.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by solving complex technical problems and enhancing customer experiences.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in a customer-facing technical role with strong problem-solving skills.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
Are you ready to unlock intelligence? If you don’t think you meet all of the criteria below but are still interested in the job, please apply. Nobody checks every box - we’re looking for candidates that are particularly strong in a few areas, and have some interest and capabilities in others.
About the role: Kong enables the connectivity layer for the agentic era, with a focus on securely connecting, governing, and monetizing APIs and AI tokens across any model or cloud. As a Staff Technical Support Engineer, you will lead the investigation and resolution of complex customer issues, often in production environments where Kong is part of critical infrastructure. You will help customers understand what is happening, identify practical solutions, and move forward with confidence.
You will work closely with customers, teammates, partners, Product, and Engineering on issues involving Kong products, including Kong Konnect, Kong Gateway, AI Gateway, and more. You will take ownership of cases, lead deep technical investigations, handle escalations, and provide feedback that helps improve our products and support experience. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys solving complex technical problems, working with customers in business-critical situations, and helping to raise the quality of the support we provide.
What you’ll be doing:
- Working with developers, platform teams, and technical leaders worldwide to troubleshoot complex issues and help them get the most out of Kong products and technologies.
- Leading technical investigations using logs, metrics, configuration, code, and customer context to understand the problem and drive it towards resolution.
- Collaborating with customers, teammates, Product, and Engineering to diagnose difficult issues, identify root causes, and recommend practical next steps.
- Taking ownership of high-impact and escalated support cases, ensuring communication is clear, timely, and appropriate for both technical and business stakeholders.
- Creating knowledge articles that complement our documentation and help customers better understand product behaviour, troubleshooting approaches, and real-world use cases.
- Sharing knowledge with other support engineers through mentoring, case reviews, technical enablement, and support-led documentation.
- Driving improvement within the support team by finding better ways to work, improving the tools we use, and raising the bar on the service we deliver to enterprise customers.
- Providing structured feedback to Product and Engineering based on customer issues, recurring support patterns, product gaps, and operational challenges seen in the field.
- Weekend on-call duties.
What you bring:
- You are curious, persistent, and comfortable digging into complex technical issues to understand what is happening and find a practical path forward.
- You can build strong relationships with teammates, customers, and global partners.
- You are comfortable leading technical conversations with customers, including during high-pressure or business-critical situations.
- You can explain complex technical issues clearly, both in writing and in live customer conversations.
- Strong understanding of REST and RESTful APIs.
- Coding skills, with the ability to at least read, understand, and troubleshoot code.
- Highly experienced with containers, cluster deployment, and management tools such as Docker and Kubernetes.
- Strong understanding of web architectures, including HTTP.
- Basic proficiency in AI concepts, including tokens, prompts, and LLMs.
- 5+ years of experience in a customer-facing technical role.
- Prior experience with Kong products is a plus, but not essential.
About Kong: Kong Inc., a leading developer of API and AI connectivity technologies, is building the infrastructure that powers the agentic era. Trusted by the Fortune 500 and startups alike, Kong's unified API and AI platform, Kong Konnect, enables organizations to secure, manage, accelerate, govern, and monetize the flow of intelligence across APIs and AI models. For more information, visit www.konghq.com.
Staff Technical Support Engineer in London employer: Kong
Kong Inc. is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and collaborative work culture, perfect for those looking to grow in leadership roles. With a strong focus on employee development, you will have the opportunity to mentor and coach a talented team while optimising performance metrics in a supportive environment. Located in London, our hybrid work model allows for flexibility and in-person collaboration, making it an ideal place for ambitious professionals eager to make a meaningful impact.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Staff Technical Support Engineer in London
✨Get to Know the Company Culture
Before jumping into applications, it’s super helpful to understand the vibe at Kong. Check out their social media, read reviews on sites like Glassdoor, and see how they engage with customers. It'll give you clues on their values and help tailor your conversation during interviews.
✨Join Customer Support Communities
Dive into online communities like those on Reddit or LinkedIn where customer support pros hang out. Participating in discussions or asking questions can make you more visible to potential recruiters and help you learn about job openings at companies like Kong before they even post them.
✨Attend Job Fairs or Networking Events
Look out for local job fairs or events specifically for customer support roles. This is your chance to meet hiring managers face-to-face, and you might even get the opportunity to interview on the spot!
✨Show Off Your Skills with Customer Interactions
In the customer support world, showcasing your communication skills is key. Consider creating a short video introducing yourself or even doing a mock call to showcase your abilities. It's a memorable way to stand out, especially if you can share this during your interview process!
We think you need these skills to ace Staff Technical Support Engineer in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Communication Skills:In customer support, clear communication is key. Make sure your CV highlights any experience you've had in customer-facing roles and your ability to resolve issues. Don't shy away from including specific examples of how you've gone above and beyond to help customers – this really shows your potential in the role.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to Kong:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Tell us why you want to work at Kong specifically. Mention any unique aspects of our company that resonate with you and how your skills can enhance our customer support. This personal touch will set your application apart from the rest!
Highlight Any Relevant Tools or Tech Skills:If you've used customer support software like Zendesk or Freshdesk or have experience with CRM systems, make sure to mention these in your application. Being familiar with industry-standard tools can be a big plus for us when we’re reviewing applications, as it shows you can hit the ground running!
Demonstrate Your Problem-Solving Skills:Customer support roles often require a knack for problem-solving. In your application, share examples of past experiences where you've tackled tough situations or resolved conflicts effectively. This will give us a good sense of how you handle challenges—an essential skill for success at Kong!
How to prepare for a job interview at Kong
✨Show Off Your People Skills
In customer support, it's all about communicating effectively. Prepare to share instances from your past experiences where you handled difficult customers or resolved conflicts. We want to hear how you empathised and found the best solutions, so think of specific examples to back up your stories!
✨Know the Tools of the Trade
Familiarise yourself with common customer support tools like Zendesk or Freshdesk, and make sure to review how you’ve used any similar systems in the past. During the interview, being able to discuss your hands-on experience with software or ticketing systems can really set you apart from the competition, so don’t skip this prep!
✨Show Genuine Enthusiasm
As this is a full-time role, employers want someone who isn’t just looking for any job, but wants to grow within customer support. Make sure to express your enthusiasm for helping customers and your desire to develop your skills. Show them why you're passionate about this field!
✨Practice Common Scenarios
Be prepared for role-playing scenarios where you might have to reassess a solution with a frustrated customer or explain a complex process in simple terms. Practising these common scenarios can help us feel more confident and demonstrate our practical skills effectively during the interview.
