Solutions Architect - Telco

Databricks • United States, CA

4d • $180,000 - $247,500

About The Position

As a Solutions Architect, you will lead the technical strategy for telco customers, owning architecture discussions, driving platform adoption, and serving as a trusted advisor to customer technical leads and architects. You will combine technical expertise with strategic thinking to position Databricks as the foundation of customers’ data and AI strategies while developing a technical specialization and becoming a recognized resource within your team.

You will own technical strategy from discovery through production deployment and consumption growth; design production-grade solutions across data engineering, ML/AI, and real-time analytics; and lead complex architecture discussions with customer stakeholders. You will demonstrate Databricks’ differentiation in competitive scenarios through custom-built solutions, coordinate internal and partner resources to address complex needs, and provide structured customer and competitive feedback to influence product direction.

The role requires strong Python and SQL skills, deep knowledge of distributed data systems, and experience deploying production solutions on public cloud. Candidates should be able to explain complex architectures in terms of both technical design and business value. The interview process includes recruiter and hiring manager screens, a design and architecture interview, a live coding assessment, a build/demo/pitch presentation, and a reference check.

Requirements

• At least 6 years of experience in solutions architecture, data engineering, technical pre-sales, or a senior hands-on technical role.
• Strong coding proficiency in Python and SQL, including the ability to demonstrate live coding, debugging, and solution-building skills.
• Deep expertise in distributed data systems architecture, including scalable pipelines, streaming architectures, lakehouse patterns, and cloud-native data platforms.
• Proficiency with the Databricks Platform, or demonstrated ability to achieve proficiency rapidly, and a developing technical specialization in an area such as real-time/streaming, ML/AI, data governance, or migrations.
• Proven ability to lead architecture discussions with senior technical stakeholders, including whiteboarding, design reviews, and trade-off analysis.
• Experience with production deployments on a 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 and ability to translate complex architectures into business value for technical and executive audiences.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a quantitative discipline, or equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

• Databricks certifications in Data Engineer, ML, or Platform.
• Experience with competitive platforms such as Snowflake, AWS native services, or Azure Synapse.
• Background in a data/AI company or cloud provider.
• Industry domain expertise, for example in Financial Services, Healthcare, Retail, or Media.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end technical strategy for accounts, from initial discovery through production deployment and consumption growth.
• Lead complex architecture discussions and design 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 the team in that domain.
• Orchestrate cross-functional resources, including DSAs, SSAs, and partners, to deliver comprehensive solutions for complex customer needs.
• Provide structured feedback on customer requirements and competitive gaps to influence product direction.

Benefits

• The total compensation package may include eligibility for an annual performance bonus and equity.
• Databricks offers comprehensive benefits and perks; specific details depend on region.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior