Databricks Solution Architect

Databricks Solutions Architect

Location: Remote

Contract: Initial 16 weeks, with strong potential to extend

Start: ASAP / November 2026

Day Rate: £700-£800 per day, depending on experience

The Opportunity

We are looking for an exceptional Senior Databricks Solutions Architect to join a high-profile data and AI transformation programme for a major global organisation.

This is a senior, client-facing role working as part of a multi-disciplinary delivery team to design and deliver a new Databricks-based data and analytics platform.

The initial 16-week MVP will focus on two major international markets, with the architecture designed to subsequently scale across 20+ markets globally.

The solution will be used at executive level, combining executive scorecards, semantic data models and conversational BI, allowing senior business users to interact with and query enterprise data through the latest Databricks capabilities.

We are therefore looking for someone with genuinely deep Databricks expertise who can combine solution architecture, hands‑on technical capability and excellent stakeholder communication.

The Role

Working as part of a wider delivery team, you will help define the technical architecture and provide Databricks expertise throughout the programme.

You will work closely with Data Engineers, AI Engineers, senior client stakeholders, Databricks and other consulting partners to ensure the solution is technically robust, scalable and aligned with Databricks best practice.

The role will include:

• Architecting a scalable enterprise solution using Databricks and Lakehouse architecture.
• Helping define the overall technical direction and architecture for the MVP.
• Designing the solution to initially support two markets before scaling across 20+ markets.
• Providing deep expertise across the Databricks platform and advising on technical design decisions.
• Working with Databricks Genie / AI/BI and conversational analytics capabilities.
• Helping design the semantic and ontology layer underpinning the solution.
• Evaluating emerging Databricks capabilities alongside more established semantic modelling and data engineering approaches.
• Designing and implementing Medallion / Lakehouse architectures.
• Remaining technically hands‑on and contributing directly to delivery where required.
• Supporting the development of executive scorecards and conversational BI solutions.
• Running and contributing to technical and business workshops.
• Translating complex Databricks and data architecture concepts into language that senior business stakeholders can understand.
• Translating business requirements into scalable technical solutions.
• Working across a complex, multi-partner consulting environment.
• Collaborating directly with Databricks specialists throughout the programme.
• Ensuring solutions follow Databricks architecture, engineering and governance best practices.
• Staying close to new Databricks product releases and identifying where emerging functionality can add value.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for someone with significant hands‑on Databricks experience who can operate at both architectural and engineering level.

You should have strong experience across areas such as:

• Databricks
• Databricks Lakehouse
• Delta Lake
• Medallion Architecture
• Data Architecture
• Data Engineering
• Semantic Modelling / Semantic Layers
• Databricks Genie / AI/BI
• Conversational BI
• Unity Catalog
• Enterprise data modelling
• Data governance
• Scalable data platform design

Experience or strong knowledge of the latest Databricks ontology and semantic capabilities would be particularly valuable.

Given how quickly some of these capabilities are evolving, we don't necessarily expect candidates to have multiple production implementations. However, you should be someone who actively follows the Databricks ecosystem, understands new product releases and can intelligently assess how emerging capabilities should be applied within an enterprise architecture.

The Person

Technical capability alone isn't enough for this assignment.

You will be working in a highly visible programme involving senior client stakeholders, Databricks and multiple consulting organisations.

We therefore need someone who can comfortably move between a deeply technical architecture discussion and an executive-level conversation about business outcomes.

You should be:

• Highly credible and confident in client‑facing environments.
• Comfortable engaging with C‑suite and senior technical stakeholders.
• Able to explain complex technical concepts clearly to non‑technical audiences.
• Comfortable challenging and influencing architecture decisions.
• Able to operate effectively across multiple consulting and technology partners.
• Pragmatic when assessing emerging versus established technologies.
• Comfortable setting technical direction while remaining hands‑on.
• Passionate about Databricks and knowledgeable about where the platform is heading.

Previous experience as a Databricks Champion, Databricks Solutions Architect, Resident Solutions Architect or senior architect within a leading Databricks consultancy would be particularly interesting.

Desirable Experience

The following would be advantageous but are not essential:

• Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) / FMCG experience.
• Retail, consumer goods, food or beverage industry experience.
• Databricks Champion status or similar community recognition.
• Previous experience working directly with Databricks Professional Services or Solutions Architecture teams.
• Experience within major consulting / systems integration environments.
• Experience working across complex multi‑vendor programmes.
• Knowledge or experience of Palantir Foundry.
• Experience designing executive analytics or conversational BI solutions.
• Experience building semantic or ontology-driven enterprise data solutions.

If you are a senior Databricks specialist looking for a technically challenging, highly visible assignment working with some of the newest capabilities within the Databricks ecosystem, we'd be keen to hear from you.