Technical support Engineer

• What Does a Technical Support Engineer Do?

What Does a Technical Support Engineer Do?Written by Coursera Staff Updated on Nov 4, 2025Share

If you’re interested in providing IT support for a company’s customers and employees, being a technical support engineer may be a fitting role. Learn more about what a technical support engineer does, how to become one, the different types, and more.

The job of technical support engineers is to provide information technology (IT) support to an organization’s customers and employees. Some tech support engineers work internally, assisting employees with computer-system-related issues, while others are outward-focused and interact solely with customers. Many technical support engineers are part of an in-house IT department, but others may work for third-party companies that provide IT support for organizations. Learn more about how to become a technical support engineer and how to qualify for the role, and discover details about the earning potential and job responsibilities of a technical support engineer.

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professional certificate

Beginner level

· 3 month(s)

Skills you'll build:

Application Security, Desktop Support, System Support, Technical Support, Cybersecurity, Cloud Computing, Network Security, Hardware Troubleshooting, Microsoft 365, Computer Hardware, Network Protocols, Network Troubleshooting, Microsoft Office, Technical Support and Services, Collaborative Software, Operating Systems, Business Software, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), TCP/IP, Generative AI, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Word, Data Loss Prevention, Data Security, Endpoint Security, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Windows, Automation, Productivity Software, Network Monitoring, Mac OS, Technical Communication, Problem Management, System Configuration, Software Installation, Debugging, Unix, Help Desk Support, Performance Tuning, Firewall, Data Storage, Disaster Recovery, Encryption, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Information Systems Security, Identity and Access Management, Data Management, Hardware Architecture, Information Technology Operations, Multi-Factor Authentication, Information Privacy, Authentications, Computing Platforms, Servers, Network Administration, Computer Systems, System Software, Information Technology, Data Storage Technologies, Technology Solutions, Computer Architecture, Enterprise Security, Cloud Services, OSI Models, Microsoft Azure, Virtualization, General Networking, Network Infrastructure, Networking Hardware, Computer Networking, Network Architecture

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What is a technical support engineer?

A technical support engineer provides technical support for users of an organization’s network systems and may work to maintain them through regular testing and monitoring. Your goal in this role is to address technical issues reported by users and to resolve them. The process can involve a series of steps, from walking users through troubleshooting options over the phone, in person, or via chat to generating support tickets to document the interaction. Depending on the company, technical support engineers may work with customers or employees.

Technical support engineer salary and job outlook

According to Glassdoor, the estimated total pay for a technical support engineer in the US is $105,000 per year [1]. This figure includes base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation. Remember that your education level, experience, location, industry, and employer will likely affect your earnings. In this profession, earning certifications can positively affect your salary and ability to move into higher-paying positions.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates roughly 50,500 computer support specialist jobs will be available yearly on average between 2024 and 2034 [2]. Computer support specialists are in-demand positions as organizations seek IT professionals to provide support to employees and customers.

Read more: What Is a Good Salary?

Types of technical support engineers

As a technical support engineer, you can work under various titles and specialize in certain areas of computer tech support. Depending on the type of engineer you are, it may impact your overall earnings, duties, and responsibilities. You might need a different skill set and additional qualifications to work in certain areas of technical support. Some common types of technical support engineers include the following:

• Applications support engineer (ASE): Typically focuses on customer-facing software applications
• Field support engineer: A customer-facing position that addresses and resolves technical questions about a product and related issues
• Customer support engineer: A customer-facing position that involves troubleshooting, onboarding, and answering technical questions about a product or service

What is the job of technical support engineer? Technical support engineer duties

If you’re wondering about tech support engineer duties, they include providing IT solutions while maintaining an organization’s computer systems; this may require installing software, hardware, and network systems. These professionals must ensure the integrity of their network systems by monitoring performance and security while reporting any issues. Some common responsibilities of a technical support engineer include:

• Providing technical support: Troubleshoot, diagnose, and resolve technical issues. If the technical support engineer can’t resolve the issue, the next step is to report it and pass it along to the appropriate individual or department.
• Monitoring and maintaining computer networks: Perform regular and routine maintenance of an organization’s computer networks to ensure networks are operating properly. Technical support engineers use various monitoring tools to detect, identify, and report issues before they cause problems.
• Installing computer programs and performing system updates: Assist users in installing programs. Perform system updates and test systems to evaluate performance. Tech support engineers suggest and identify steps to improve system performance.
• Repairing and resolving technical issues: Document the issue and interaction when a hardware or software problem is identified. As a technical support engineer, you work to resolve reported problems as the final step in the troubleshooting process.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent

Pay: ₹194,376.23 - ₹753,364.24 per year

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid sick time
• Provident Fund
• Work from home

Work Location: In person