Sr. Manager, AI Forward Deployed Engineering (AI FDE)
About this role
Leaders who thrive at the intersection of customer strategy and technical execution will find a natural home guiding the AI Forward Deployed Engineering team at Databricks. This specialized group partners directly with enterprise organizations to build and productionize advanced generative AI applications while collaborating closely with internal product and research units to shape broader strategic priorities. Day-to-day responsibilities involve scaling a high-performing technical team, cultivating executive relationships with key stakeholders like CIOs, and driving measurable outcomes across a diverse portfolio of strategic accounts. Individuals stepping into this position will steer complex AI transformations, manage utilization and revenue OKRs, and represent the organization publicly as technical thought leaders.
Databricks operates as a unified data and AI platform relied upon by tens of thousands of global organizations to build agents, analytics, and data applications. The person selected for this management track will directly influence product roadmaps by feeding customer insights back into engineering and Go-To-Market strategies. Candidates should expect to travel approximately once per month for customer engagements while operating primarily out of the United States.
What you will do
- Lead and scale a high-performing AI forward deployed engineering team by handling hiring, mentorship, and structural growth.
- Shape cross-functional collaboration by sharing customer insights and delivery learnings with Product, R&D, and Go-To-Market teams.
- Develop executive relationships with key customers and partners while acting as a trusted advisor during technical engagements.
- Partner with Field Engineering and Sales leadership to set strategy for strategic accounts and coordinate cross-functional delivery.
- Own OKRs for AI-services led accounts, revenue, utilization, and public references.
- Represent the company as an AI thought leader through conference talks and published content.
What you need
- Demonstrated experience building and managing teams of AI and machine learning scientists, engineers, and leaders.
- Ability to scope, sell, and deliver technical engagements in enterprise environments while managing escalations.
- Strong technical depth in AI and machine learning foundations to contribute meaningfully during architecture reviews.
- Experience leading teams that have shipped production AI solutions in cloud environments such as AWS, Azure, or GCP.
- Proven success developing strategy with senior executive stakeholders to define program-level goals and align technical vision.
- Graduate degree in a quantitative discipline like Computer Science or Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
Nice to have
- Experience in a customer-facing leadership role
- Experience working with Databricks
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What is the expected salary range for this role?
The expected salary range for this role is $232,900 to $320,200 USD. Actual compensation packages are based on factors such as job-related skills, depth of experience, relevant certifications, and specific work location.
What travel is required for this position?
Candidates should expect to travel at least once a month. While candidates in the listed location are encouraged, candidates in other locations will also be considered.
What teams will this person work with cross-functionally?
This role works cross-functionally with AI Product, Research, Engineering, Field Engineering, Sales leadership, and Go-To-Market teams. These collaborations ensure that voice-of-customer insights inform the product roadmap.