Databricks L5 Solutions Architect - $247K+ & Equity in Columbus

Solutions Architect (L5) — Req: FEQ128R82

The Role

As a Solutions Architect, you will lead the technical strategy for your customers — owning architecture discussions, driving platform adoption, and serving as a trusted advisor to customer technical leads and architects. You combine deep technical expertise with strategic thinking to position Databricks as the foundation of your customers' data and AI strategy. You are developing a technical specialization (archetype) and are recognized within your team for depth in a specific domain.

The Impact You Will Have

• Own the end-to-end technical strategy for your accounts, from initial discovery through production deployment and consumption growth
• Lead complex architecture discussions — designing scalable, production-grade solutions spanning data engineering, ML/AI, and real-time analytics
• Serve as a trusted technical advisor to customer architects, engineering leads, and Directors
• Drive technical wins in competitive scenarios by demonstrating Databricks' differentiation through custom-built solutions
• Develop and declare an emerging technical specialization (archetype) — becoming a go-to resource for your team in that domain
• Orchestrate cross-functional resources (DSAs, SSAs, Partners) to deliver comprehensive solutions for complex customer needs
• Influence product direction by providing structured feedback on customer requirements and competitive gaps

What We Look For

• 6+ years in solutions architecture, data engineering, technical pre-sales, or a senior hands-on technical role
• Strong coding proficiency in Python and SQL — you must demonstrate live coding, debugging, and solution-building skills
• Deep expertise in distributed data systems architecture: designing scalable pipelines, streaming architectures, lakehouse patterns, and cloud-native data platforms
• Proficient on the Databricks Platform (or demonstrated ability to achieve proficiency rapidly) with a developing technical specialization in one area (e.g., real-time/streaming, ML/AI, data governance, migrations)
• Proven ability to lead architecture discussions with senior technical stakeholders — whiteboarding, design reviews, and trade-off analysis
• Experience with production deployments on public cloud (AWS, Azure, or GCP), including infrastructure, security, and governance considerations
• Track record of driving platform adoption and consumption growth within accounts
• Excellent communication skills — able to translate complex architectures into business value for both technical and executive audiences
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a quantitative discipline (or equivalent experience)

Nice to Have:

• Databricks certifications (Data Engineer, ML, Platform)
• Experience with competitive platforms (Snowflake, AWS native services, Azure Synapse) — understanding the landscape you'll position against
• Background in a data/AI company or cloud provider
• Industry domain expertise (Financial Services, Healthcare, Retail, Media, etc.)

Interview Process: Recruiter Screen → Hiring Manager Screen → Design and Architecture Interview → Live Coding Assessment → Build, Demo, Pitch! Presentation → Reference Check

Pay Range Transparency

Databricks is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The pay range for this role represents the expected salary range for non-commissionable roles or on-target earnings for commissionable roles. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to job-related skills, depth of experience, relevant certifications and training, and specific work location. Databricks anticipates utilizing the full width of the range. The total compensation package may also include eligibility for annual performance bonus, equity, and benefits. For more information regarding which range your location is in, visit our page here.

Local Pay Range: $180,000 — $247,500 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. Follow Databricks on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Instagram.

Benefits

Databricks strives to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all employees. For specific details on 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. Our hiring practices meet equal employment opportunity standards. Individuals 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.