Role at a glance
- Salary
- Not Disclosed
- Location
- Berkeley, California, United States California, United States
- Work arrangement
- Hybrid
- Employment
- Full-time
- Experience
- 6+ years experience in data engineering, data platforms & analytics, or software engineering
- Visa support
- U.S. citizenship and eligibility for a U.S. government Public Trust, Secret and/or Top Secret clearance are required to access...
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Role Summary
The Sr. Forward Deployed Engineer works with government customers to build and productionize data and AI solutions using the Databricks platform. The role is hybrid, customer-facing, and includes travel to customer locations 20–25% of the time.
What You'll Do
- Deliver production-grade customer solutions, including reference architectures, custom applications, data ingestion, and ML/AI model...
- Lead end-to-end architecture and design decisions for secure, scalable solutions aligned with customer needs.
- Guide customers through architecture and design and support their evaluation and adoption of the platform.
- Coordinate with customer and internal project and technical teams to deliver engagement components and resolve implementation issues.
- Embed with customer teams to understand their challenges, and contribute reusable accelerators, frameworks, and product feedback.
Generated from the employer's posting. Verify important details before applying.
View full postingQualifications
Minimum qualifications include fluency in Python, Scala, JavaScript/TypeScript, and modern frameworks; working knowledge of at least two cloud ecosystems (AWS, Azure, or GCP), with expertise in at least one; deep Apache Spark distributed-computing experience and knowledge of Spark runtime internals; familiarity with CI/CD; working knowledge of MLOps, ML/AI models, and AI APIs; experience designing and deploying performant production data architectures and applications; technical project delivery, documentation, and whiteboarding skills; and experience with enterprise clients and stakeholder conflicts.
Preferred
- 10+ years experience in data engineering, data platforms & analytics, or software engineering
- Databricks Certification
- Expertise in MLOps, ML/AI models, and AI APIs
Original job description
Content provided by the employer
Original job description
Content provided by the employer
CSQ327R221
PLEASE NOTE:
Due to federal contract requirements and client site access obligations, U.S. citizenship and eligibility for a U.S. government Public Trust, Secret and/or Top Secret clearance are required to access classified information. The position is based in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia metropolitan area and includes periodic on‑site work and client collaboration. Candidates with an active Public Trust or higher clearance are strongly encouraged to apply.
About Databricks
At Databricks, we are passionate about enabling data teams to solve the world's toughest problems, from making the next mode of transportation a reality to accelerating the development of medical breakthroughs. We do this by building and running the world's best data and AI infrastructure platform so our customers can use deep data insights to improve their business. Founded by engineers, and customer obsessed, we leap at every opportunity to solve technical challenges, from designing next-gen UI/UX for interfacing with data to scaling our services and infrastructure across millions of virtual machines. And we're only getting started.
The Role
As a Sr. Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE), you will work with federal, state, and local government customers to build and productionize solutions to their data & AI challenges using the Databricks platform. You will own the architecture, lead design decisions, and implement end-to-end systems spanning data engineering, AI, and application development. We work cross-functionally to shape long-term strategic priorities and initiatives alongside engineering, product, and developer relations. FDEs deliver with customer empathy, integrating with client systems, training, and other technical needs to help customers get most value out of their data.
This is a hands-on, customer-facing role for builders who thrive at the intersection of technology and business impact. The ideal candidate combines engineering expertise with adaptability, curiosity, and a passion for working with customers and teammates to solve complex problems that drive measurable outcomes. FDEs are billable and know how to complete projects according to specification with exceptional customer empathy.
Please note: this role is hybrid and has a requirement to travel to customer locations 20-25% of the time
The impact you will have:
- Production Solution Delivery: Lead impactful customer technical projects by delivering production-grade systems, designing and building reference architectures, custom applications and data ingestion and ML/AI model integration
- Transformational Impact: Guide strategic customers as they implement transformational big data projects including end-to-end design, build and deployment of industry-leading big data and AI applications. Work with engagement managers to scope technical delivery work with input from the customer
- Empower Customers: Guide customers on architecture and design; bootstrap or implement customer projects which leads to a customers' successful understanding, evaluation and adoption of Databricks.
- Own the Architecture: Lead architecture and design decisions, ensuring solutions are secure, scalable, and aligned with both customer needs and Databricks best practices.
- Deliver Technical Components: Work with the Databricks technical team, Project Manager, Architect and Customer team to ensure the technical components of the engagement are delivered to meet customer's needs
- Cross-Collaborate: Work with Engineers and Customer Support to provide product and implementation feedback and to guide rapid resolution for engagement specific product and support issues
- Customer Immersion: Embed with customer teams, engaging with stakeholders from technical ICs to executives to deeply understand challenges and deliver impact.
- Reusable Assets & Scale: Contribute accelerators, frameworks, and best practices that scale impact across accounts and influence the Databricks product roadmap.
What We're Looking For
Minimum Qualifications
- 6+ years experience in data engineering, data platforms & analytics, or software engineering
- Fluency in writing code in Python, Scala, JavaScript/TypeScript, and modern frameworks
- Working knowledge of two or more common Cloud ecosystems (AWS, Azure, GCP) with expertise in at least one
- Deep experience with distributed computing with Apache Spark™ and knowledge of Spark runtime internals
- Familiarity with CI/CD for production deployments
- Working knowledge of MLOps, ML/AI models and AI APIs
- Design and deployment of performant production end-to-end data architectures and applications that combine data pipelines, ML/AI models, and user-facing interfaces
- Experience with technical project delivery, documentation and white-boarding skills
- Experience working with enterprise clients and managing conflicts across a broad stakeholder range
Preferred Qualifications
- 10+ years experience in data engineering, data platforms & analytics, or software engineering
- Databricks Certification
- Expertise in MLOps, ML/AI models, and AI APIs
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 base 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 anticipated 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.
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 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.
About the company
Databricks
Large Enterprise
Databricks is a cloud-based data platform that specializes in providing solutions for data engineering, machine learning, and analytics. Founded in 2013 by the original creators of Apache Spark, the company enables organizations to unify data processing and analysis workflows, facilitating collaboration for data professionals. Databricks offers an integrated environment for data scientists, engineers, and business analysts, streamlining the process of building and deploying AI and data-driven applications. With a strong emphasis on simplifying big data management, Databricks helps businesses harness the power of their data to drive innovation and insights.