Opportunity

Partner SE at Chainguard - Cloud Security Career Growth in Columbus

Location Columbus
Company Chainguard
Source jobicy
Posted 2026-10-22 15:48:33

Career & Market Insight

This Partner Solutions Engineer role sits at an exciting intersection of cloud security, open source, and enterprise partner ecosystems — a niche that commands strong compensation and is rapidly growing in importance as software supply chain security becomes a boardroom priority.

Compensation context: No salary is listed, but PSE/Partner SE roles with 5+ years of experience at VC-backed security startups (especially Series C+ with Sequoia, Kleiner, and IVP backing) typically range from €90,000–€140,000 base in France/Germany, often with meaningful OTE bonuses and equity upside. The 10-year option exercise window is a standout benefit rarely seen outside top-tier startups.

Skills you'll build:

  • Deep expertise in container security, Kubernetes, and software supply chain — all high-demand, high-value skills
  • Partner ecosystem management (cloud hyperscalers: AWS, Azure, GCP) — opens doors to cloud vendor roles or GSI partnerships later
  • Executive-level stakeholder communication and technical evangelism

Green flags: Chainguard has marquee customers (OpenAI, Snowflake, Fortinet) and top-tier investors, signaling strong product-market fit. The BEPIC framework suggests a structured, process-driven partner org — a sign of operational maturity. The 18-week parental leave and flexible PTO reflect a people-first culture.

Watch for: The 50% travel requirement is demanding and may impact work-life balance. Confirm whether the role has a defined territory and what partner coverage looks like before accepting.

Chainguard is the trusted source for open source. By delivering hardened, secure, and production-ready builds of all the open source software engineers and AI agents rely on, Chainguard helps organizations build faster, stay compliant, and eliminate risk.

Our customers include Fortune 500 enterprises and global industry leaders, including Anduril, Canva, Fortinet, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, OpenAI, Snap Inc., and Snowflake.

Chainguard is venture-backed by leading investors, including Amplify, IVP, Kleiner Perkins, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Mantis VC, Redpoint Ventures, Sequoia Capital, and Spark Capital.

Partner Sales Engineer (PSE)

Chainguard is building the future of secure software supply chains by delivering secure-by-default container images, helm charts, and language libraries alongside developer tools that eliminate vulnerabilities before software reaches production.

We partner with cloud providers, VARs/SIs, and technology platforms to help organizations adopt secure software development practices at scale.

We are looking for a Partner Solutions Engineer (PSE) to help enable and scale our partner ecosystem by building technical champions, developing integrations, and accelerating partner-led adoption of Chainguard solutions. This role combines technical depth, partner enablement, and go-to-market collaboration.

Our partner engagement model follows the BEPIC framework:

  • Belief – Build technical conviction in Chainguard
  • Executive Sponsorship – Align with partner leadership
  • Propensity to Embed – Integrate Chainguard into partner architectures
  • Integrated Value Proposition – Deliver compelling joint solutions
  • Cadence – Maintain consistent partner engagement

What You'll Do

Build Partner Technical Champions
Enable technical teams across cloud providers, VARs/SIs, and technology partners through workshops, training programs and paths, and hands-on labs. Develop reusable partner assets including reference architectures, demos, and solution playbooks.

Drive Integrations and Architecture
Work with partners and internal teams to design secure cloud-native architectures that incorporate Chainguard into DevOps, platform engineering, and security workflows. Collaborate with product and engineering teams to bring partner integrations to life.

Develop Joint Partner Solutions
Co-create partner-led services and offerings that help customers adopt Chainguard solutions. Partner closely with Sales and Partner Managers to identify deals, accelerate the sales cycle, help with adoption, and grow partner-influenced revenue across the company.

Support Strategic Partner Relationships
Engage with partner technical leaders and executives to align on technical roadmaps and solution strategies. Broadcast partners' progress to field teams internally and encourage close collaboration of Chainguard–Partner SEs for maximum joint value proposition, with strong influence over product direction.

Maintain Strong Partner Engagement
Run ongoing enablement sessions, workshops, and joint technical activities to ensure partners remain engaged and capable of delivering Chainguard solutions. Cultivate strong bonds with new and existing partners.

What We're Looking For

  • 5+ years in Solutions Engineering, Partner Solutions Architecture, or Sales Engineering
  • Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
  • Hands-on experience with containers, Kubernetes, or cloud-native infrastructure
  • Familiarity with DevSecOps, platform engineering, or cloud security
  • Experience enabling partners through technical training or solution development
  • Strong ability to communicate complex technical topics to both engineers and business stakeholders
  • Ability to travel up to 50%

Nice to Have

  • Technical evangelism and storytelling — able to inspire partner technical teams and clearly communicate complex concepts to both engineers and business stakeholders
  • High emotional intelligence and relationship building — able to build trust, read partner dynamics, and engage effectively with stakeholders from engineers to executives
  • Collaborative leadership — skilled at aligning cross-functional teams and partners to drive joint solutions and shared outcomes

If you're passionate about cloud-native technology, open source, security, and partner ecosystems, we'd love to hear from you.

About Us

We live and breathe our company values:

  • We are customer obsessed — We focus on delivering solutions to our customers that create value and make their lives better.
  • We have a bias for intentional action — We prioritize, plan, try things, and fail fast.
  • We don't take ourselves too seriously (but we do serious work) — We are solving an important problem which takes focus, but we also like to enjoy the journey.
  • We trust each other and assume good intentions — We're transparent with decisions to empower team members to make well informed decisions.

A few of the benefits we offer:

  • Flexible & Remote-First Culture: Work remotely with team meetup opportunities, bi-annual destination summits, and a monthly stipend for coworking spaces, phone and internet costs.
  • Our Approach to Equity: Receive stock options upon hire and promotion. Plus, you can participate in secondary offerings and have 10 years to exercise your options (yes, you read that correctly: 10 years!).
  • 100% Covered Health Insurance: We cover 100% of your health, vision and dental insurance premiums for you and your dependents. Nothing comes out of your paycheck.
  • ∞ Flexible Time Off: Take the time you need – to do our best work, we need to recharge and reset.
  • 18 Weeks Paid Parental Leave: We offer 18 weeks for birthing parents and 12 weeks for non-birthing parents, with the option to use it all at once or throughout your child's first year.

If your experience is close but doesn't fulfill all requirements, please apply. We're building the best team in technology and are focused on hiring "Chainguardians" with unique backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.

Chainguard is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, reproductive health decisions, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, genetic information, political views or activity, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law.

By submitting your application, you acknowledge that Chainguard will process your personal data in accordance with Chainguard's Global Candidate Privacy Notice.

©2026 Chainguard. All Rights Reserved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Partner Sales Engineer role at Chainguard fully remote?
Yes, Chainguard operates a remote-first culture with monthly stipends for coworking spaces, phone, and internet. However, this role requires up to 50% travel for partner engagements, workshops, and on-site meetings.
What is the travel requirement for this PSE role?
The role requires the ability to travel up to 50% of the time, primarily to engage with cloud providers, VARs/SIs, and technology partners for workshops, training, and relationship building.
What prior experience does Chainguard require for this role?
Chainguard is looking for 5+ years in Solutions Engineering, Partner Solutions Architecture, or Sales Engineering, with hands-on experience in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and containers or Kubernetes.
Does Chainguard offer equity compensation for this position?
Yes, Chainguard provides stock options upon hire and promotion, participation in secondary offerings, and a rare 10-year window to exercise your options.
Are there team meetups or company events for remote employees?
Yes, Chainguard hosts bi-annual destination summits for the whole company and provides ongoing opportunities for team meetups, in addition to the monthly coworking stipend.
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