Sr. Specialist Solutions Architect - Cloud Platform & Infrastructure (Azure)

Socket.dev; United States; On-site; USD 219,000 - 301,000; Full time

Job summary

Databricks is seeking an Infrastructure & Platform Specialist Solutions Architect (SSA) – Azure who will guide enterprise customers through architecture, administration, and security of their Databricks deployments on Microsoft Azure. This role can be remote.

You will partner with Solutions Architects to design production deployments, ensure secure networking and identity management, and contribute to PoC architectures and open‑source community initiatives. Travel up to 30% may be required.

Qualifications

• 8+ years hands-on experience with Microsoft Azure and enterprise data platform design.
• 5+ years in distributed architectures and big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop, Kafka).
• 5+ years in a customer-facing technical role.
• Specialized expertise in one domain: Security & Identity, Networking & Deployments, Platform Administration, or InfraOps.
• Hands-on experience with Python, Java, or Scala and strong SQL.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or equivalent.
• Databricks and/or Microsoft Azure certifications are a plus.
• Willingness to travel up to 30%.

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership: Guide strategic customers through the full lifecycle of Databricks on Azure platform administration from initial architectural design to production deployment.
• Production-Grade Architecture: Architect secure, scalable enterprise deployments that satisfy complex Azure networking (VNets, Private Endpoints), identity (Microsoft Entra ID), and security compliance standards.
• Domain Expertise: Serve as a subject matter expert in core areas such as Microsoft Azure infrastructure, infrastructure-as-code (IaC), cloud networking, and identity management.
• Pre-Sales Collaboration: Support Solutions Architects during complex technical sales cycles by building custom proof‑of‑concept (PoC) architectures and technical content on Azure.
• Community & Knowledge Sharing: Expand platform adoption by delivering tutorials, conducting hackathons, speaking at conferences, and contributing to the Databricks open‑source community.

Skills

Azure expertise

Distributed architectures

Customer-facing experience

Python/Java/Scala

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IS/Engineering

Tools

Terraform

Bicep

ARM

Job description

FEQ327R420

As anInfrastructure & Platform Specialist Solutions Architect (SSA) – Azure, you will serve as a trusted technical advisor, guiding enterprise customers through the architecture, administration, and security of their Databricks deployments on Microsoft Azure.

In this customer-facing position, you will partner closely with Solutions Architects to design and deploy mission‑critical workloads, aligning customers' technical roadmaps with the full capabilities of the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform. As a subject matter expert reporting to the Specialist Field Engineering Manager, you will continuously sharpen your skills through hands‑on mentorship, internal training, and continuous learning in Azure cloud infrastructure, network security, and automated deployments. This role can be remote.

The impact you will have:

• Technical Leadership: Guide strategic customers through the full lifecycle of Databricks on Azure platform administration from initial architectural design to production deployment.
• Production-Grade Architecture: Architect secure, scalable enterprise deployments that satisfy complex Azure networking (VNets, Private Endpoints), identity (Microsoft Entra ID), and security compliance standards.
• Domain Expertise: Serve as a subject matter expert in core areas such as Microsoft Azure infrastructure, infrastructure-as-code (IaC), cloud networking, and identity management.
• Pre-Sales Collaboration: Support Solutions Architects during complex technical sales cycles by building custom proof‑of‑concept (PoC) architectures and technical content on Azure.
• Community & Knowledge Sharing: Expand platform adoption by delivering tutorials, conducting hackathons, speaking at conferences, and contributing to the Databricks open‑source community.

What we look for:

• 8+ years of hands‑on experience in a technical role with deep expertise in Microsoft Azure, including cloud security, networking best practices, and enterprise data platform design.
• 5+ years of professional experience with distributed architectures and big data technologies (e.g., Apache Spark™, Hadoop, Kafka).
• 5+ years of experience in a customer‑facing technical role (Pre‑Sales, Post‑Sales, or Consulting).
• Deep specialized expertise in at least one of the following core domains:
  • Security & Identity: Azure security controls, platform/network/data security, encryption, vulnerability management, compliance, and identity protocols (Microsoft Entra ID / SCIM, OAuth, SAML, Federation).
  • Networking & Deployments: Azure enterprise networking (VNet peering, ExpressRoute, Private Link), network routing, performance optimization, and large‑scale deployment management.
  • Platform Administration: High availability, disaster recovery, cluster orchestration, observability (Azure Monitor, Log Analytics), and Azure cost management.
  • Infrastructure Automation (InfraOps): Hands‑on automation using IaC tools (e.g., Terraform, Bicep, ARM) to build, maintain, and scale complex Azure environments.
• Hands‑on experience with Python, Java, or Scala, alongside strong proficiency in SQL.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or equivalent practical work experience.
• [Nice to have] Databricks certifications and/or Microsoft Azure certifications (e.g., Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Azure Data Engineer).
• Ability to hit role‑specific training and technical delivery milestones within the first 6 months.
• Willingness to travel up to 30% as needed.

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.

$219,100 — $301,300 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.

Benefits

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.

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.