Sr. Manager, AI Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE)

Databricks Inc.; United States; Remote; USD 233,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Equity

Region-specific benefits

Job summary

Databricks Inc. is seeking a senior leader to manage an AI Forward Deployed Engineering team delivering customer-facing professional services helping enterprises build and productionize first-of-its-kind generative AI applications.

The leader guides AI transformation efforts, shapes cross-functional collaboration with Product, R&D, and GTM, and develops executive relationships at strategic accounts, with travel expected at least once per month.

Qualifications

• Experience leading AI/ML teams to deliver production AI solutions.
• Proven track record scoping, selling, and delivering enterprise engagements.
• Experience shipping on AWS, Azure, or GCP.

Responsibilities

• Lead and scale a high-performing team of AI/ML scientists, engineers, and people leaders, including hiring, mentoring, and building team structure for long-term growth.
• Influence Product, R&D, and GTM by ensuring voice-of-customer insights inform the product roadmap and go-to-market strategy.
• Build and expand executive relationships with key customers and partners, including VP+ and CIO/CDO-level stakeholders.
• Partner with Field Engineering and Sales leadership to set strategy for strategic accounts and coordinate cross-functional delivery.
• Lead strategic AI initiatives, practice development, and scalable delivery processes.
• Own OKRs for AI-services led accounts, revenue, utilization, and public references.
• Represent the organization as a thought leader in AI through conference talks and published content.

Skills

AI/ML leadership

Executive stakeholder management

Enterprise engagement

Team hiring/mentoring

Delivery of AI solutions

Education

Graduate degree in quantitative field (CS/Engineering/Statistics/OR)

Tools

AWS

Azure

GCP

Job description

Role overview

This is a senior leadership role managing an AI Forward Deployed Engineering team that delivers customer-facing professional services engagements helping enterprise customers build and productionize first-of-its-kind generative AI applications. The leader guides AI transformation efforts, shapes cross-functional collaboration with Product, R&D, and GTM, and develops executive relationships at strategic accounts, with travel expected at least once per month.

Responsibilities

• Lead and scale a high-performing team of AI/ML scientists, engineers, and people leaders, including hiring, mentoring, and building team structure for long-term growth
• Influence Product, R&D, and GTM by ensuring voice-of-customer insights and delivery learnings inform the product roadmap and go-to-market strategy
• Build and expand executive relationships with key customers and partners, including VP+ and CIO/CDO-level stakeholders
• Partner with Field Engineering and Sales leadership to set strategy for strategic accounts and coordinate cross-functional delivery
• Lead strategic AI initiatives, practice development, and scalable delivery processes
• Own OKRs for AI-services led accounts, revenue, utilization, and public references
• Represent the organization as a thought leader in AI through conference talks and published content

Requirements

• Experience building and managing high-performing teams of AI/ML scientists, engineers, and leaders
• Track record of scoping, selling, and delivering technical engagements in enterprise environments, including managing escalations
• Strong, current technical depth in AI/ML foundations with ability to participate in architecture reviews
• Experience leading teams that have shipped production AI solutions on AWS, Azure, or GCP
• Success developing strategy with senior executive stakeholders on complex enterprise engagements
• Experience driving AI transformation across enterprise customers, including organizational change management
• Experience working across Sales, Product, and GTM to connect AI delivery to business outcomes
• Graduate degree in a quantitative discipline such as Computer Science, Engineering, Statistics, or Operations Research, or equivalent practical experience

Nice to have

• Customer-facing leadership experience
• Familiarity with a specific data and AI platform

Benefits and work setup

• Listed local pay range of $232,900-$320,200 USD
• Total compensation may include eligibility for annual performance bonus and equity, plus region-specific benefits
• Candidates in listed locations are encouraged, but other locations will be considered
• Travel expectation of at least once per month