Pre-sales Solutions Architect (Manufacturing, Defence & Automotive)

Location: London, UK

Industry: Manufacturing, Defence and Automotive

At Databricks, our core values are at the heart of everything we do. A culture of proactiveness and a customer‑centric mindset guides us in creating a unified platform that makes data science and analytics accessible to everyone. We aim to inspire our customers to make informed decisions that push their business forward, provide a user‑friendly platform that turns insights into action, and foster a culture of creativity, experimentation and continuous improvement.

You will be a vital part of this mission, utilising your technical expertise to demonstrate how our Lakehouse Platform can help customers address their complex data challenges. You'll work with a collaborative, customer‑focused team that values innovation and creativity, using your skills to create customised solutions and guide our customers forward. Reporting to the Manager, Field Engineering.

The impact you will have:

• Form successful relationships with clients throughout your assigned territory, providing technical and business value to Databricks customers in collaboration with Account Executives.
• Operate as an expert in big data analytics to excite customers about Databricks.
• Develop into a champion and trusted advisor on multiple issues of architecture, design, and implementation to lead to successful adoption of the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform.
• Author reference architectures, how‑tos, and demo applications to scale best practices in your field and support customers.
• Lead workshops, seminars, and meet‑ups to help build the Databricks community in your region.
• Grow your knowledge and expertise to the level of a technical and/or industry specialist.

What we look for:

We are seeking a highly motivated and technically skilled individual to join our UK&I Enterprise Manufacturing, Defence and Automotive team, focusing on supporting and growing customers in the UK&I. This role offers the opportunity to be based in the London Office, with regular collaboration across the UK&I region and close alignment with our London‑based team.

Core Technical Qualifications:

• Hands‑on experience in technical pre‑sales or consultancy, with a strong background in Data Science – traditional Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Artificial Intelligence or Generative AI.
• Demonstrated ability to architect end‑to‑end Data & AI solutions, with specific expertise in modern Generative AI concepts (fine‑tuning, RAG, MLOps for LLMs), using either open source and/or ISV tools such as Dataiku, Domino, DataRobot, etc.
• Strong proficiency in a core programming language (Python, SQL) and a willingness to learn (or existing knowledge of) Spark.
• Proficiency with big data analytics technologies and public cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Hands‑on expertise in designing and delivering complex proofs‑of‑concept (PoCs).

Pre‑Sales & Customer‑Facing Skills:

• Proven ability to engage with customers in a technical sales capacity: challenging assumptions, guiding discussions to clear outcomes, and communicating both technical and business value propositions.
• Experience in the full pre‑sales lifecycle, including use case discovery, solution scoping, and delivering complex solution architecture designs to diverse audiences (from engineers to executives).
• A customer‑centric mindset with a passion for building client relationships and internal partnerships with account teams.

Seniority & Leadership:

• Demonstrated experience in coaching and mentoring junior team members to develop their technical and customer‑facing skills.

Logistics:

• Ability to commute to the London office regularly.
• Willingness and ability to travel approximately 20‑30% of the time across UK&I and EMEA for customer visits.

Nice to Have:

• Databricks or other relevant Cloud/Data certifications.
• Experience working within the Manufacturing, Defence or Automotive sectors.

Benefits:

At Databricks, we strive to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all employees.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

At Databricks, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone can excel. We take great care to ensure that our hiring practices are inclusive and meet equal employment opportunity standards.

Compliance:

If access to export‑controlled technology or source code is required for the performance of job duties, it is within the Employer's discretion whether to apply for a U.S. government license for such positions, and the Employer may decline to proceed with an applicant on this basis alone.