Technical Architect (German Language)

Zendesk International Ltd (Ireland); Ireland; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Zendesk is seeking a Technical Architect, AI-Powered Customer Experience, to design scalable AI-first architectures that enable automation and enhanced customer journeys. You will lead discovery sessions, communicate with executive stakeholders, and guide customers through implementation and adoption of Zendesk AI capabilities.

You will collaborate with Sales, CS, Support, Product, and Professional Services to ensure technical success, governance, and operational readiness across time zones in a

Qualifications

• 5+ years in architecture, machine learning engineering, solutions architecture, or technical consulting.
• Experience designing and delivering AI/ML solutions in production.
• Experience with AI-powered service tools, automation platforms, or conversational AI solutions such as Decagon, Forethought, Ada, or similar.
• Experience evaluating data readiness, governance, and operational readiness for AI solutions.
• Experience in SaaS, enterprise software, or customer experience technology environments.
• Hands-on experience with RESTful APIs, integrations, and solution design across web, backend, and/or mobile environments.
• Experience leading customer discovery sessions and translating business requirements into technical architecture.
• Ability to present technical solutions to both technical teams and executive stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder management, consulting, and collaboration skills.
• Fluency in English and German (where applicable) and willingness to work in a hybrid environment.

Responsibilities

• AI Solution Architecture: Design scalable, supportable, and secure AI-first architectures that enable automation and intelligent routing.
• AI Adoption Enablement: Guide customers through rollout planning and operational readiness for long-term AI adoption.
• Outcome Orientation: Tie solution decisions to measurable improvements in containment, deflection, productivity, and customer satisfaction.
• Technical Discovery & Use Case Definition: Lead discovery sessions to understand business challenges and high-value AI opportunities.
• Customer Advisory: Act as a trusted technical advisor on architecture, integrations, data readiness, and tradeoffs.
• Implementation Leadership: Partner with delivery teams to translate designs into implementations with quality and scope alignment.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Align with Sales, CS, Support, Product, and Professional Services on strategy and roadmaps.
• Integration & Extensibility: Identify opportunities to extend Zendesk via APIs and custom integrations.
• Problem Solving & Innovation: Diagnose constraints and propose validated workarounds or design alternatives.

Skills

Communication Skills

AI-First Thinking

Consultative Technical Leadership

Solution Architecture

Delivery Mindset

Problem Solving

Adaptability

Continuous Learning

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or equivalent professional experience

Job description

Technical Architect, AI-Powered Customer Experience

Why This Role?

Why Now? Customer experience is being transformed by AI-driven innovation. At Zendesk, we’re not just responding to that shift - we’re leading it. As we expand our AI-powered Resolution Platform and deepen our Professional Services capabilities, the Technical Architect, AI-Powered Customer Experience role is critical to helping customers design, implement, and scale intelligent customer service solutions that deliver measurable business value. As a technical expert, solution designer, and trusted advisor, you will help customers translate business goals into scalable AI-first architectures. You’ll lead discovery, shape solution strategy, remove technical roadblocks, and guide customers toward successful adoption of Zendesk AI capabilities.

Overarching Objective for the Role

Accelerate customers’ time-to-value by designing and enabling AI-first Zendesk solutions that drive adoption, automation, and measurable business impact from discovery through scale. Be the customer’s AI technical architect. Turn business goals into the right architecture, integrations, workflows, and AI design choices. Lead high-quality solution discovery and delivery. Run technical discovery sessions, define solution scope, and guide customers through implementation with clarity and confidence. Remove blockers fast. Anticipate risks, resolve constraints, and keep customer solutions moving toward successful outcomes.

Strategic Accountabilities

• AI Solution Architecture: Design scalable, supportable, and secure AI-first architectures that enable automation, self-service, agent assist, intelligent routing, and other Zendesk AI use cases.
• AI Adoption Enablement: Guide customers through rollout planning, change considerations, and operational readiness to support long-term AI adoption while leveraging AI tools to enhance individual and team workflows for greater efficiency.
• Outcome Orientation: Ensure solution decisions are tied to measurable improvements in containment, deflection, productivity, resolution speed, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.
• Technical Discovery & Use Case Definition: Lead customer-facing discovery sessions to understand business challenges, technical constraints, and high-value AI opportunities.
• Customer Advisory: Act as a trusted technical advisor, helping customers make informed decisions about architecture, integrations, data readiness, and implementation tradeoffs.
• Implementation Leadership: Partner with delivery teams to translate solution designs into successful implementations, ensuring technical quality, alignment to scope, and strong execution.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Sales, Customer Success, Support, Product, and Professional Services to align on customer strategy, risks, dependencies, and roadmap considerations.
• Integration & Extensibility: Identify opportunities to extend Zendesk through APIs, app framework solutions, automation, and custom integrations where needed.
• Problem Solving & Innovation: Diagnose product gaps, technical constraints, or workflow limitations and recommend validated workarounds or design alternatives that preserve business outcomes.

What You’ll Need to Succeed

Strategic Skills & Expertise

• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain complex AI concepts clearly to both technical and executive audiences in English and German.
• AI-First Thinking: Strong understanding of how AI capabilities can be applied across the customer service journey to improve efficiency, quality, and experience.
• Consultative Technical Leadership: Ability to lead complex customer conversations, build trust quickly, and shape technical direction in ambiguous environments.
• Solution Architecture: Proven ability to design end-to-end scalable, maintainable AI architectures.
• Delivery Mindset: Comfortable balancing technical scope, customer expectations, dependencies, and timelines in a consulting environment.
• Problem Solving: Strong analytical thinking and practical judgment to evaluate tradeoffs and recommend solutions that work in the real world.
• Adaptability: Ability to thrive in dynamic, fast-moving environments where priorities, requirements, and constraints may evolve.
• Continuous Learning: Commitment to staying current on Zendesk capabilities, AI trends, customer service transformation, and modern integration patterns.

Qualifications Required

• 5+ years in architecture, machine learning engineering, solutions architecture, or technical consulting.
• Experience designing and delivering AI/ML solutions in production.
• Experience with AI-powered service tools, automation platforms, or conversational AI solutions such as Decagon, Forethought, Ada, or similar.
• Experience evaluating data readiness, governance, and operational readiness for AI solutions.
• Experience in SaaS, enterprise software, or customer experience technology environments.
• Hands-on experience with RESTful APIs, integrations, and solution design across web, backend, and/or mobile environments.
• Experience leading customer discovery sessions and translating business requirements into technical architecture.
• Ability to present technical solutions to both technical teams and executive stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder management, consulting, and collaboration skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or equivalent professional experience.
• Ability to work in a hybrid environment and support customer needs across time zones as required.
• Fluency in English and German, with the ability to communicate clearly with technical and executive audiences.
• Preferred Experience in a SaaS Professional Services environment.
• Experience with Zendesk products at an Admin or Developer level, or similar CRM/CX platforms such as Salesforce, ServiceNow, Freshdesk, or Genesys.
• Familiarity with AI concepts relevant to CX, such as intent classification, routing, summarization, agent assist, knowledge grounding, and workflow orchestration.
• Experience designing proofs of concept and validating technical approaches before implementation.
• Strong project management and negotiation skills.
• Programming experience in languages such as JavaScript, Python, Ruby, Java, or C#.
• Zendesk Support Administrator Expert Certification.
• Experience identifying product gaps and proposing workarounds or extensions using app frameworks or custom development.

This role follows Zendesk’s hybrid work model, designed to balance onsite collaboration with remote flexibility. The specific in-office schedule will be determined by the hiring manager.

The intelligent heart of customer experience Zendesk software was built to bring a sense of calm to the chaotic world of customer service. Today we power billions of conversations with brands you know and love.

Zendesk believes in offering our people a fulfilling and inclusive experience. Our hybrid way of working, enables us to purposefully come together in person, at one of our many Zendesk offices around the world, to connect, collaborate and learn whilst also giving our people the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week.

As part of our commitment to fairness and transparency, we inform all applicants that artificial intelligence (AI) or automated decision systems may be used to screen or evaluate applications for this position, in accordance with Company guidelines and applicable law.

What’s it like to work here?

Our offices reflect the global cities we call home, and have spaces for collaboration, quiet, and events. With our hybrid approach, you’ll experience flexibility and connection, collaboration, and learning with your team.

If you are based in the United States and would like more information about your EEO rights under the law,

Zendesk endeavors to make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities and disabled veterans pursuant to applicable federal and state law.

Zendesk is an equal‑opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster global diversity, equity, & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment and employees at Zendesk are considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

We are an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disabled employer.

Zendesk is on a mission to simplify the complexity of business and make it easy for companies and customers to create connections. Our customer experience software unlocks the power of billions of interactions, enabling businesses to build rich, meaningful relationships with their customers.