Puppet Labs is Hiring. Ask Questions Here.

2 points by eshamow 14 years ago | 7 comments

The job posting is here, but please read the post if you have questions:

http://puppetlabs.jobscore.com/jobs/puppetlabs/professional-services-engineer-usa/c2e4C-pyir4BQXeJe4bk1X

I'm posting this not as a hiring manager or an HR rep - I'm a member of the Pro Services team working for Puppet. Sometimes people get confused about what Pro Services is or isn't, so I figured I'd make myself available to answer as many of your questions about the job as I can, and also provide some basic information for everyone.

So, go read the job posting, then come back.

...

Really? You RTFA'd? OK, the basic outline:

* Pro Svcs is basically sysadmins helping sysadmins. When you need to get help with a Puppet install beyond typical "support," we're the people who come and help. We build custom modules, types and providers, in every kind of IT environment you can imagine, all around the world. And generally, if you want to go to any of those other parts of the world, you can. Or you can stay pretty much on your coast. Your call.

* We're also evangelists, but in the cool way. Your job isn't to just say positive things about Puppet. Your job is to go to user group meetings, present at conferences - and Puppet presents at the best IT conferences in the world - and generally try to make things better for the community. As my boss told me when I first joined up - "your job is to spread the love."

* We're the antennae for the company out in the community. Engineering and the product team look to us to tell them what's really happening in the community, how Puppet is really being used, and then feed that information back. You get to be a part of that decision making process. You WILL be part of a meeting where critical product decisions get made - and by "meeting" I mean, "we were hanging out on the couches after hours drinking beer when..."

* We're not sales engineers. That doesn't mean we don't get involved in advising people that aren't yet Puppet customers at times, but there are people specifically assigned to that role. For the most part, you're helping people learn and use technology.

* Oh and did I mention that Puppet is an amazing place to work? I've blogged about it:

http://opsrealist.com/working-at-puppet/

It's been months since that was posted and I wouldn't change a word. I can't emphasize how great this place is.

So...post questions. But also apply...help us change what being a sysadmin means forever.

narcisbcn 14 years ago |

I am a puppet lover, I'm a unix sysadmin and I've been administrating and implementing modules, providers types,etc. For the whole infrastructureof my work for 3 years. The point is I live in Europe, Barcelona. Is there any planed in Europe? I appreciate so much your initiative.

eshamow 14 years ago | |

There's definitely stuff planned for Europe, although I don't know the specifics about PSE hiring there - you should apply via the jobs page under "future opportunities" anyway.

One thing that's important to remember is that Puppet is still a small(ish) company. If you are the "right" person, and the fit is there, we can still often make good things happen. There's no harm in applying and seeing what can be done.

pdx503 14 years ago |

As a PSE, do you really travel 3 out of 4 weeks in a month? (Looking at job description it says 75% travel time).

eshamow 14 years ago | |

Sometimes. The description really means "up to 75%" - so they can send you on that many, although they may not.

The more PSEs we hire, though, the more we can keep people closer to a home region. So this situation improves itself as we grow.

pdx503 14 years ago |

How is the work/life balance at puppet labs?

eshamow 14 years ago | |

Pretty great. I've been through two major release crunches, and while I won't say that a few folks haven't pulled the occasional all-nighter, there isn't anything like the pressure I've seen at other software houses.

In PS it's a bit different, because you're on the road/at engagements often. But they do their best to schedule you so that you're home on the weekends, and you can schedule "no-travel" weeks. In general they've never been anything but accommodating and respectful.

The company is also very spouse/significant-other friendly...I've often seen spouses around the office at the end of the day, during stand-ups at the end of the week, etc.

nigelk 14 years ago | |

Work/Life balance is very important to us. Lots of us here at Puppet Labs have young families, and being flexible in that regard is really important.

Living in Portland helps a lot too. I moved up from the Bay Area and my previous job because Portland is a much better place to raise a young family. Much cheaper rent/housing, good public transport, better schools, it all added up to a much better life for my whole family.