Director, AI Forward Deployed Engineering (fde)

Databricks Databricks · Data AI · CA · Remote · Professional Services Operations

Lead and scale a customer-facing AI Forward Deployed Engineering (AI FDE) team at Databricks, focusing on building and productionizing GenAI applications. This role involves leading customer AI/ML transformations, managing key accounts, hiring and mentoring data scientists/ML engineers, and collaborating with Product, Research, and Engineering teams to influence the product roadmap.

What you'd actually do

  1. Lead and scale a world-class AI/ML professional services team, including hiring, mentoring, and building a team structure to support long-term growth and execution at scale.
  2. 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.
  3. Align with Field Engineering and Sales Leaders to define joint strategies for strategic accounts and ensure strong delivery coordination across functions.
  4. Lead strategic AI PS initiatives, practice development, and standardized delivery processes; design scalable engagement models and reusable solutions for repeatability across the global team.
  5. 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.

Skills

Required

  • Team leadership and management
  • Hiring and mentoring
  • Customer relationship management
  • Technical expertise in ML and GenAI
  • Production ML deployment
  • Cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP)
  • Strategic planning
  • Cross-functional collaboration
  • Sales and engagement scoping

Nice to have

  • Consulting or professional services leadership
  • Experience with Databricks

What the JD emphasized

  • lead and grow our AI FDE team
  • lead customers on their AI/ML transformation
  • recruit and develop top data scientists/machine learning engineers
  • manage a portfolio of key accounts
  • Extensive experience managing, hiring, and building a team of high-performing data scientists/ML engineers and leaders
  • track record of scaling organizations through developing scalable processes and cultivating leaders
  • Ability to scope, guide, and sell technical engagements
  • ensure successful delivery in enterprise environments
  • Deep technical expertise in ML, GenAI
  • Experience leading teams building cutting-edge production ML solutions in cloud environments
  • Proven success in developing strategy with senior executive stakeholders
  • Demonstrated experience in cross-functional leadership roles

Other signals

  • customer-facing AI team
  • build and productionize GenAI applications
  • lead and grow AI FDE team
  • lead customers on AI/ML transformation
  • manage a portfolio of key accounts