Presales Solution Architect (US)

Defined.ai; United States; Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working schedule

Hybrid model office/home

Career development opportunities

International and diverse team

Coursera access and development opps

On-site meals and wellness perks

Job summary

Defined.ai is seeking a Presales Solutions Consultant to design and price complex AI/ML solutions, translating business and technical requirements into scalable delivery architectures. This senior individual contributor will own opportunity discovery, solution design, pricing, and transition to delivery, partnering with Sales, Operations and Supplier Management.

The role focuses on enterprise opportunities, with responsibilities across discovery, solution design, cost modeling, and customer

Qualifications

• 3+ years in solutions architecture, presales, consulting, or AI/ML data services.
• Experience designing enterprise solutions and pricing models.
• Experience responding to RFPs/RFIs/RFQs and complex procurement.

Responsibilities

• Lead discovery sessions to understand objectives, data specs, quality expectations, timelines and constraints.
• Translate requirements into executable solution architectures.
• Design delivery models for AI and data services including data collection, annotation, transcription, translation, evaluation, and human-in-the-loop workflows.
• Define scope, workflows, staffing, technology needs, quality frameworks and dependencies.
• Identify risks and mitigation strategies; validate approaches with customers and stakeholders.
• Prepare proposals, pricing inputs, and delivery frameworks; support sales in commercial strategies.

Skills

Presales

Solutions architecture

Pricing & costing

RFP/RFI responses

AI/ML workflows

Communication

Multitask management

Independent work

Requirements gathering

Job description

Description

Defined.ai is a leading provider of high-quality, ethically sourced data for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) model training. We host the world's largest AI marketplace and offer end-to-end services to help companies accelerate their AI solutions. Backed by significant funding and recognized globally for our commitment to ethical AI, we operate in a fast-paced, innovative environment with offices in Seattle and Lisbon.

Who are we looking for?

We're looking for a Presales Solutions Consultant is responsible for designing and developing solutions for complex customer opportunities across AI, machine learning, data, and human-in-the-loop services. This role partners closely with Sales, Operations, Supplier Management, and customers to translate business and technical requirements into scalable delivery solutions, accurate cost and pricing models, and compelling proposals.

The Presales Solutions Consultant serves as a senior individual contributor within the Solutions Architecture organization, independently managing complex opportunities from discovery and requirements gathering through solution design, pricing, proposal development, and transition to delivery.

This position does not have direct people-management responsibility but is expected to provide subject-matter expertise, support junior team members, and serve as a trusted advisor on complex solutioning and commercial decisions.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience in solutions architecture, presales, consulting, technology services, data services, AI/ML, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience designing solutions for enterprise customers.
• Experience developing project pricing, costing, staffing, or commercial models.
• Experience responding to RFPs, RFIs, RFQs, or other enterprise procurement processes.
• Strong understanding of data and AI workflows.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple complex opportunities simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently and make sound technical and commercial recommendations.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to translate ambiguous requirements into structured solutions.

Nice-to-have

• Experience with AI/ML data services, data collection, data annotation, transcription, translation, model evaluation, LLMs, speech, computer vision, or related services.
• Experience with global delivery and supplier ecosystems.
• Experience developing geographic labor-rate models or complex pricing structures.
• Experience working directly with enterprise customers.
• Experience with large-scale data programs or human-in-the-loop AI workflows.
• Experience working in a fast-paced presales or consulting environment.

What You'll Do

Solution Design & Customer Discovery

• Lead discovery sessions to understand customer objectives, technical requirements, data specifications, quality expectations, timelines, and commercial constraints.
• Translate customer requirements into detailed and executable solution architectures.
• Design delivery models for AI and data services including data collection, annotation, transcription, translation, evaluation, LLM projects, and other human-in-the-loop workflows.
• Define project scope, workflows, staffing requirements, technology requirements, quality frameworks, assumptions, dependencies, and operational processes.
• Identify risks, gaps, and dependencies within proposed solutions and develop appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Work directly with customers and internal stakeholders to validate proposed approaches.

Pricing & Commercial Solutioning

• Develop project cost models, pricing structures, rate cards, staffing models, and margin analyses.
• Evaluate labor, geography, supplier, technology, quality, and operational requirements when developing project economics.
• Recommend commercially viable delivery approaches that balance customer requirements, quality, scalability, and profitability.
• Support Sales teams in developing commercial strategies for complex opportunities.
• Analyze alternative delivery models and make recommendations based on cost, quality, capacity, and timeline.

Proposal & RFP/RFI Development

• Lead the solutioning components of RFPs, RFIs, RFQs, and customer questionnaires.
• Develop technical approaches, methodologies, assumptions, execution plans, staffing models, pricing inputs, and delivery frameworks.
• Create Statements of Work, proposals, solution briefs, and other customer-facing documentation.
• Coordinate with Sales, Operations, Supplier Management, Finance, Product, and other stakeholders to ensure proposals are complete and executable.
• Ensure proposed solutions accurately reflect customer requirements and organizational capabilities.

Supplier & Delivery Coordination

• Work with Supplier Management to identify appropriate supplier and contributor requirements for proposed projects.
• Define required languages, geographies, skill profiles, capacity, rates, and quality expectations.
• Evaluate supplier options as part of solution development and costing.
• Collaborate with Operations and Project Management during transition from presales into delivery.
• Ensure solution assumptions and requirements are clearly communicated to delivery teams.

AI & Data Solution Development

• Apply knowledge of AI, machine learning, data, and human-in-the-loop workflows to develop innovative customer solutions.
• Identify opportunities to incorporate AI-assisted processes such as automated pre-labeling, transcription, metadata extraction, intelligent sampling, quality validation, and workflow prioritization.
• Evaluate where automation, human review, or hybrid workflows are most appropriate.
• Stay current on emerging AI and data-service technologies and their potential applications in customer solutions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with Account Executives, Sales, Operations, Project Management, Supplier Management, Finance, Product, and other internal teams.
• Serve as the primary solutioning point of contact for assigned opportunities.
• Communicate complex technical and operational concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Participate in customer presentations, solution reviews, pricing discussions, and technical meetings.
• Support successful transition of won opportunities into delivery.

Subject-Matter Expertise

• Serve as a subject-matter expert for complex solution architecture, costing, pricing, and delivery methodology.
• Develop reusable solution frameworks, templates, assumptions, and best practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and consistency of the solutioning process.
• Mentor and provide informal guidance to Solutions Architects and other team members.
• Contribute to the development of internal solutioning methodologies and enablement materials.

Typical Deliverables

• Solution architectures
• Project scopes and execution plans
• Cost and pricing models
• Rate cards
• Statements of Work
• RFP/RFI/RFQ responses
• Technical and commercial proposals
• Staffing and capacity models
• Supplier requirements
• Quality assurance frameworks
• Project assumptions and dependenciesCustomer presentations
• Solution transition documentation

Success Measures

• High-quality, technically sound solution designs.
• Accurate and commercially viable project costing and pricing.
• Strong support of Sales and successful conversion of opportunities.
• Efficient development of proposals, SOWs, and RFP/RFI responses.
• Effective collaboration with Operations and Supplier Management.
• Clear and accurate transition of won projects into delivery.
• Ability to independently manage complex opportunities.
• Continuous improvement of solutioning methodologies and reusable frameworks.
• Strong customer and internal stakeholder relationships.

Success In This Role Is Demonstrated Through

• High-quality, technically sound solution designs.
• Accurate and commercially viable project costing and pricing.
• Strong support of Sales and successful conversion of opportunities.Efficient development of proposals, SOWs, and RFP/RFI responses.
• Effective collaboration with Operations and Supplier Management.
• Clear and accurate transition of won projects into delivery.
• Ability to independently manage complex opportunities.
• Continuous improvement of solutioning methodologies and reusable frameworks.
• Strong customer and internal stakeholder relationships.

Benefits

You spend a lot of your time at work, so it should be challenging, fun and interesting. At Defined.ai it will be all of those things and more. Here’s what we offer:

• Flexible working schedule and hybrid model. We know comfort can boost creativity and performance, so you can manage your schedule and work both from one of our modern office spaces or home.
• Excellent career development opportunities in a high growth company. With us, you can accomplish your career goals and follow a well-described career path with the support of your supervisor.
• Culture of feedback and continuous improvement. AI is a fast-paced area, so we keep track of tech trends, and we always ask for feedback.
• An international and diverse team. We have more than 23 nationalities at our 3 locations, and we provide language classes.
• Continuous training opportunities. You can choose from many options: leveraging hand-on workshops, unlimited access to Coursera and formal development opportunities.
• We love to foster a great office vibe. We believe that a comfortable environment makes a difference, so we provide daily breakfast and lunch, weekly happy hours to unwind, extra time-off, and even in-office massages to keep you relaxed and energized.