Head of AI Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE), Public Sector

Maryland; Virginia; Washington, D.C.Posted 14 days ago

Role Overview

Databricks is hiring a director-level Head of AI Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE), Public Sector. This is a contract role in Maryland; Virginia; Washington, D.C.. posted 2 weeks ago. Full responsibilities, required qualifications, and the apply link are listed in the description below.

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Job description

CSQ227R77

PLEASE NOTE: Due to federal contract requirements and client site access obligations, an active U.S. government security clearance is required. The position is based in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, or Virginia metropolitan area and includes periodic on‑site work and client collaboration. Candidates with an active secret or higher clearance are strongly encouraged to apply.

Mission

The Public Sector AI Forward Deployed Engineering (AI FDE) team is a highly specialized customer-facing AI team at Databricks. We deliver professional services (PS) engagements to help our customers build and productionize first-of-its-kind AI applications with a focus on GenAI. We work cross-functionally to shape long-term strategic priorities and initiatives alongside AI Product, Research, and Engineering.

We are looking for a world-class leader to lead and grow our AI FDE Public Sector team. In this role, you will lead public sector customers on their AI transformation with Databricks, push the boundaries of our product, recruit and develop top AI engineers, and manage a portfolio of key accounts. You will report directly to the Head of Public Sector, FDE.

The impact you will have:

Lead and scale a world-class AI FDE team, including hiring, mentoring, and building a team structure to support long-term growth and execution at scale
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
Align with Field Engineering and Sales Leaders to define joint strategies for strategic accounts and ensure strong delivery coordination across functions
Lead strategic AI initiatives, practice development, and standardized delivery processes; design scalable engagement models and reusable solutions for repeatability across the global team
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
Own OKRs for AI-services led accounts, revenue, utilization, and public references
Represent Databricks as a thought leader in AI

What we look for:

Passion for transforming the public sector with data and AI
Extensive experience managing, hiring, and building a team of high-performing data scientists/ML engineers and leaders, with a track record of scaling organizations through developing scalable processes and cultivating leaders
Ability to scope, guide, and sell technical engagements, manage escalations, and ensure successful delivery in enterprise environments
Deep technical expertise in ML, GenAI, and data science, and curiosity to continue to stay up-to-date in this ever-changing field
Experience leading teams building cutting-edge production AI solutions in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
Proven success developing strategy with senior executive stakeholders to define program-level goals, align technical vision, and build trust throughout complex enterprise engagements
Demonstrated experience in cross-functional leadership roles, collaborating with Sales, Product, and GTM teams to drive business impact through AI
“Company-first” mindset
Graduate degree in a quantitative discipline (Computer Science, Engineering, Statistics, Operations Research, etc.) or equivalent practical experience

Preferred:

Experience in a customer-facing consulting or professional services leadership role
Experience working with Databricks

Pay Range Transparency

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

Local Pay Range

$232,900—$320,200 USD

About Databricks

Databricks is the data and AI company. More than 10,000 organizations worldwide — including Comcast, Condé Nast, Grammarly, and over 50% of the Fortune 500 — rely on the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform to unify and democratize data, analytics and AI. Databricks is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices around the globe and was founded by the original creators of Lakehouse, Apache Spark™, Delta Lake and MLflow. To learn more, follow Databricks on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Benefits

At Databricks, we strive to provide comprehensive benefits and perks that meet the needs of all of our employees. For specific details on the 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. We take great care to ensure that our hiring practices are inclusive and meet equal employment opportunity standards. Individuals looking for employment at Databricks 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.

About Databricks

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for the Head of AI Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE), Public Sector position at Databricks?

Use the Apply button above to submit your application directly to Databricks. Most applications take less than 5 minutes if your resume and contact details are ready, and you'll be routed to the employer's official application system to finish.

Where is the Head of AI Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE), Public Sector position at Databricks located?

This position is based in Maryland; Virginia; Washington, D.C.. Databricks has not indicated remote or hybrid options for this role, so candidates should plan for on-site work.

What does a Head of AI Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE), Public Sector at Databricks earn?

Databricks has not disclosed a salary range in this posting. Many employers share specifics later in the interview process; you can also ask during a recruiter screen if compensation transparency is important to you.

When was the Head of AI Forward Deployed Engineering (FDE), Public Sector role at Databricks posted?

This role was posted on July 8, 2026 (14 days ago). It's still listed as actively hiring; we re-confirm openings against the source system multiple times per day and remove closed roles.