Despite the pros, the main downside, and the main reason I ultimately left, is that there isn't really a good technical career path in support beyond PSE. You've basically got the following structure:
Senior PSE (you're Senior when initially promoted to PSE)
Staff PSE (obtainable within 2 years if you work for it)
Principal PSE (nearly impossible to get, unless you're the Architect or you stick around so long they have to promote you to keep providing raises)
Architect (there's only one position for this)
The problem with that structure is that there isn't an appreciable difference in job responsibility or scope between and Senior and Staff PSE. You get a marginal pay bump and then you can basically coast in your job until you feel like doing something else. This is great for those who want to coast, but is a letdown for those that want to keep pushing themselves.
Aside from that, you've got the following other things to consider:
- TSE teams run lean, which causes a lot of stress for the entire support floor when one or more people leave, are sick, etc
- The PSE team is asked to do a lot of random things because they're "the experts" and other people don't want to do them
- The layoffs last year left some products with little to no remaining people that can support them, while Sales is busy selling bigger and bigger sales, resulting in very unhappy customers and unhappy support
- Reduction in engineering resources for the company's flagship product has caused a lot of headaches
- No parental leave. It's a bit nitpciky, I know, but in this current day and age, and with so many local competitors offering unlimited PTO or parental leave, it seems a bit... old, to not offer this officially, and it's a letdown for younger workers who would like to start a family. Some managers will work with you, but YMMV.
