Head of AI Forward Deployed Engineering; FDE), Public Sector

Head of AI Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE), Public Sector

Maryland;
Virginia;
Washington, D.C.

CSQ
227R77

Due to federal contract requirements and client site access obligations, an active U.S. government security clearance is required. 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 secret or higher clearance are strongly encouraged to apply.

The Public Sector AI Forward Deployed Engineering (AI FDE) team is a highly specialized customer‑facing AI team  deliver professional services engagements to help our customers build and product ionize first‑of‑its‑kind AI applications with a focus on GenAI. We work cross‑functionally to shape long‑term strategic priorities and initiatives alongside AI Product, Research, and Engineering.

• Lead and scale a world‑class AI FDE team, including hiring, mentoring, and building a team structure to support long‑term growth and execution at scale
• Develop and expand executive relationships with key customers and partners (including VP+, CIO/CDO‑level stakeholders), acting as a trusted advisor during complex technical engagements and AI transformations
• Align with Field Engineering and Sales Leaders to define joint strategies for strategic accounts and ensure strong delivery coordination across functions
• Lead strategic AI initiatives, practice development, and standardized delivery processes; design scalable engagement models and reusable solutions for repeatability across the global team
• Shape cross‑functional collaboration by influencing Product, R&D, and GTM, ensuring voice‑of‑customer insights and delivery learnings help inform the product roadmap and GTM strategy
• Own OKRs for AI‑services led accounts, revenue, utilization, and public references
• Represent Databricks as a thought leader in AI

• Passion for transforming the public sector with data and AI
• Extensive experience managing, hiring, and building a team of high‑performing data scientists/ML engineers and leaders, with a track record of scaling organizations through developing scalable processes and cultivating leaders
• Ability to scope, guide, and sell technical engagements, manage escalations, and ensure successful delivery in enterprise environments
• Deep technical expertise in ML, GenAI, and data science, and curiosity to continue to stay up‑to‑date in this ever‑changing field
• Experience leading teams building cutting‑edge production AI solutions in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Proven success developing strategy with senior executive stakeholders to define program‑level goals, align technical vision, and build trust throughout complex enterprise engagements
• Demonstrated experience in cross‑functional leadership roles, collaborating with Sales, Product, and GTM teams to drive business impact through AI

• Experience in a customer‑facing consulting or professional services leadership role
• Experience working with Databricks

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. For more information regarding which range your location is in visit our page here.

Local Pay Range

$232,900 — $320,200 USD

Databricks is the data and AI company. More than 10,000 organizations worldwide — including Comcast, Condé Nast, Grammarly, and over 50% of the Fortune 500 — rely on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform to unify and democratize data, analytics and AI. Databricks is…