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Head of AI Forward Deployed Engineering , Public Sector

233k – 320kMarylandVirginiaWashington, DCHybrid8+ YOE
Summary

Lead and scale the AI Forward Deployed Engineering team for public sector customers, driving AI transformation engagements, building executive relationships, and shaping product and GTM strategy. Requires deep ML/GenAI expertise, proven team leadership, and a graduate degree or equivalent.

About the role

Responsibilities

  • 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

Requirements

  • 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
  • Graduate degree in a quantitative discipline (Computer Science, Engineering, Statistics, Operations Research, etc.) or equivalent practical experience

Nice-to-Haves

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

Compensation & Benefits

  • Total compensation package may include eligibility for annual performance bonus, equity, and benefits
  • Local Pay Range: $232,900—$320,200 USD
Skills
Machine LearningGenerative AIData ScienceAWSAzureGoogle CloudTeam LeadershipProfessional ServicesExecutive Stakeholder ManagementCross-functional Collaboration
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