AI/ML Architect Career at Databricks - $247K+

Databricks; United States; Remote; USD 180,000 - 248,000; Full time

Job summary

Databricks Inc. is seeking an AI/ML Architect to own the end-to-end technical strategy for select accounts, driving production-grade deployments and platform adoption in a remote role within the United States.

You’ll lead complex architecture discussions, balance technical and executive communications, and shape data‑driven AI programs across Azure, AWS, and GCP. The role emphasizes deep expertise in LLMs, agentic systems, Python/SQL, and a strong track record in pre‑sales or senior technical

Qualifications

• 6+ years in solutions architecture or senior pre‑sales.
• Strong Python and SQL coding skills.
• Experience with LLMs and agentic systems.
• Cloud infrastructure experience (AWS/Azure/GCP).
• Proficient with Databricks platform.
• Willingness to travel up to 30%.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end AI/ML technical strategy from discovery through deployment.
• Lead architecture discussions for scalable, production-grade solutions.
• Advise customer architects, engineering leads and Directors as a trusted technical advisor.
• Drive technical wins by demonstrating differentiation with custom solutions.
• Develop a declared technical specialization (archetype) for the team.
• Coordinate cross‑functional resources to deliver complex customer solutions.

Skills

Solutions architecture

Python

SQL

LLMs

Agentic AI

Cloud platforms

Databricks platform

Education

Bachelor’s/Master’s in CS/Engineering

Tools

Databricks platform

LangChain

Hugging Face

OpenAI APIs

AWS/GCP/Azure

Job description

AI/ML Architect Career at Databricks - $247K+ — Remote

Compensation & Market Position: At $180K–$247.5K base (plus equity and performance bonus), this role is in the top quartile for Solutions Architect compensation in the US tech market. Senior SSA roles at hyperscalers and top-tier data companies benchmark around $180K–$220K base, making Databricks' range competitive — especially given the equity upside at a late-stage, high-valuation company.

Skills You’ll Build: This role is a career accelerant for anyone serious about the AI/ML infrastructure space. You'll deepen expertise in:

• Production LLM systems: RAG, agentic orchestration, AI guardrails, and evaluation frameworks
• Enterprise cloud architecture across AWS, Azure, and GCP
• Lakehouse and distributed data platform patterns (highly transferable)
• Executive-level communication and pre-sales technical leadership

These are among the most in-demand skills in the 2024–2025 AI/ML job market, and Databricks' platform breadth gives you exposure that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.

Company & Culture Signals: Databricks serves 70% of the Fortune 500 and is a well-funded pre‑IPO company — this is a growth‑stage company with enterprise scale, not an early startup. Expect structured processes and cross‑functional collaboration, but also meaningful individual impact on product direction through customer feedback loops.

Green Flags: Declared specialization paths (archetypes) suggest intentional career development. Influencing product roadmap is a real differentiator for long‑term career leverage.

Watch Out For: Up to 30% travel can create burnout if territory is demanding. Competitive pre‑sales environments can be high‑pressure. Ensure your account territory is clearly defined before accepting.

As an AI/ML Specialist Solutions Architect (SSA), you will lead the advanced AI/ML technical strategy for your customers — owning complex architecture discussions, driving platform adoption, and serving as a trusted advisor to customer technical leads and architects. You combine deep technical expertise with strategic thinking to position Databricks as the foundation of your customers' data and AI strategy. You are further developing a technical specialization and are recognized within the Field Engineering team for depth in the specific domain.

This position can be remote.

The Impact You Will Have

• Own the end‑to‑end AI/ML technical strategy for your accounts, from discovery through production deployment and consumption growth
• Lead complex architecture discussions — designing scalable, production‑grade solutions spanning AI/ML, including Retrieval‑Augmented Generation (RAG), tool calling, multi‑agent orchestration, guardrails, AI evaluation, and observability systems
• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to customer architects, engineering leads, and Directors
• Drive technical wins in competitive scenarios by demonstrating Databricks' differentiation through custom‑built solutions
• Develop and declare an emerging technical specialization (archetype) — becoming a go‑to resource for your team in that domain
• Orchestrate cross‑functional resources (DSAs, SAs, Partners) to deliver comprehensive solutions for complex customer needs
• Influence product direction by providing structured feedback on customer requirements and competitive gaps

What We Look For

• 6+ years in solutions architecture, technical pre‑sales, or a senior hands‑on technical role in the following areas:
  • ML Engineering: Building and maintaining cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or GCP) supporting production ML applications and drift monitoring
  • AI Engineering: Working with LLMs and agentic systems, including vector databases, fine‑tuning, AI guardrails, and frameworks like LangChain, Hugging Face, or OpenAI APIs
• Strong coding proficiency in Python and SQL — you must demonstrate live coding, debugging, and solution‑building skills
• Deep expertise in distributed data systems architecture: designing scalable pipelines, streaming architectures, lakehouse patterns, and cloud‑native data platforms
• Proficient on the Databricks Platform (or demonstrated ability to achieve proficiency rapidly) with a developing technical specialization in one area (e.g., real‑time/streaming, ML/AI, data governance, migrations)
• Proven ability to lead architecture discussions with senior technical stakeholders — whiteboarding, design reviews, and trade‑off analysis
• Experience with production deployments on public cloud (AWS, Azure, or GCP), including infrastructure, security, and governance considerations
• Track record of driving platform adoption and consumption growth within accounts
• Excellent communication skills — able to translate complex architectures into business value for both technical and executive audiences
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a quantitative discipline (or equivalent experience)
• Willingness to travel up to 30% as needed

Nice to Have

• Databricks certifications (Data Engineer, ML, Platform)
• Experience with competitive platforms (Snowflake, AWS native services, Azure Synapse) — understanding the landscape you’ll position against
• Background in a data/AI company or cloud provider
• Industry domain expertise (Financial Services, Healthcare, Retail, Media, etc.)

Pay Range Transparency

Databricks is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The pay range(s) for this role is listed below and represents the expected salary range for non‑commissionable roles or on‑target earnings for commissionable roles. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to job‑related skills, depth of experience, relevant certifications and training, and specific work location. Based on the factors above, Databricks anticipates utilizing the full width of the range. The total compensation package for this position may also include eligibility for annual performance bonus, equity, and the benefits listed above. For more information regarding which range your location is in visit our page here .

Local Pay Range

$180,000 — $247,500 USD

About Databricks

Databricks is the Data and AI company. More than 20,000 organizations worldwide — including adidas, AT&T, Bayer, Block, Mastercard, Rivian, Unilever, and 70% of the Fortune 500 — rely on the Databricks Data + AI Platform to build and scale data and AI apps, analytics and agents. Headquartered in San Francisco with 30+ offices around the globe, Databricks offers a unified platform that includes Genie, Lakebase, Agent Bricks, Lakeflow, Lakehouse, and Unity Catalog. To learn more, follow Databricks on LinkedIn , X , YouTube , and Instagram .

At Databricks, we strive to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all of our employees. For specific details on the benefits offered in your region click here .

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

At Databricks, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone can excel. We take great care to ensure that our hiring practices are inclusive and meet equal employment opportunity standards. Individuals looking for employment at Databricks are considered without regard to age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio‑economic status, veteran status, and other protected characteristics.

Compliance

If access to export‑controlled technology or source code is required for performance of job duties, it is within Employer's discretion whether to apply for a U.S. government license for such positions, and Employer may decline to proceed with an applicant on this basis alone.

Is this Databricks AI/ML Solutions Architect role fully remote? Yes, the position is officially remote within the United States. However, candidates must be willing to travel up to 30% of the time for customer engagements, architecture sessions, and field activities. What is the salary range for this role at Databricks? The listed pay range is $180,000 to $247,500 USD annually. Total compensation may also include eligibility for annual performance bonuses and equity, with exact amounts depending on location zone, experience, and skills. What technical skills are required for the AI/ML SSA role at Databricks? You need 6+ years in solutions architecture or a senior technical role, strong Python and SQL coding skills, experience with LLMs and agentic systems (LangChain, Hugging Face, OpenAI APIs), and expertise in cloud infrastructure on AWS, Azure, or GCP. Proficiency with the Databricks platform is expected or must be developed quickly. Do I need Databricks certifications to apply? Certifications (Data Engineer, ML, Platform) are listed as "Nice to Have" rather than required. Demonstrated hands‑on proficiency with the Databricks platform or the ability to achieve it rapidly is what is expected. What career growth opportunities does this role offer at Databricks? The role encourages developing a declared technical specialization (archetype) in areas like streaming, ML/AI, or data governance, making you a recognized domain expert within the Field Engineering team. You'll also influence product roadmap through structured customer feedback, which offers high career leverage.

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