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Solutions Architect – Retail

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Remote from
USA
Salary
USD 180k–247,500 / yr
Employment
Full Time
Experience
Director
Published
Apply before
2 Dec 2026
Listing views
52
Application actions
3
Application toolkit

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AI Summary

The role, at a glance.

Databricks seeks a senior Solutions Architect to own technical strategy and platform adoption for retail customer accounts. The role combines customer-facing technical pre-sales with hands-on architecture design across data engineering, streaming, ML/AI, and cloud data platforms. The architect will lead design discussions, build custom demonstrations, coordinate specialist resources, and influence product feedback. Candidates need strong Python and SQL skills, production cloud experience, and the ability to communicate architecture trade-offs to technical and executive stakeholders. This is a US remote opportunity with listed remote options in Illinois and Ohio.

Role DNA

A quick view of the complexity, pace, ownership and collaboration implied by the job description.

Job Complexity

5/5
EasyHard

Pace & Pressure

5/5
RelaxedFast-paced

Autonomy Level

5/5
GuidedFull ownership

Communication Load

5/5
IndependentCollaborative
AI insightThis is a senior, high-impact customer-facing architecture role requiring deep distributed-systems expertise, live coding ability, executive communication, and competitive technical positioning. Success depends on independently leading complex engagements from discovery through production adoption.

Salary analysis

Estimated compensation compared with the broader US market for similar roles.

Estimated job median (per year)Market rate
$213,750
US market range (per year)$180k–$250k
AI insightThe yearly pay period is inferred from the job context; it was not explicitly stated by the employer. The employer discloses a yearly local pay range of $180,000 to $247,500 USD, with a midpoint of $213,750. This range is broadly credible for a senior US solutions architect focused on cloud data and AI platforms; estimated market compensation is $180,000 to $250,000 USD per year, excluding bonus and equity.

Core skills

Skills and capabilities most closely associated with this opportunity.

Sample interview questions
How would you design a scalable retail data platform on Databricks that supports batch reporting and near-real-time inventory analytics?

I would use a lakehouse architecture with cloud object storage and Delta Lake as the foundation. Batch ingestion and transformation would use governed medallion layers, while streaming ingestion would use structured streaming with checkpointing and idempotent writes. I would implement Unity Catalog for access controls and lineage, define SLAs and observability, and expose curated gold-layer datasets for BI and inventory applications.

Describe how you approach a live coding or debugging exercise involving a slow PySpark workload.

I first clarify the data volume, expected output, and performance target, then inspect the execution plan for shuffles, skew, unnecessary UDFs, and inefficient joins. I would favor native Spark functions, predicate pushdown, selective projections, appropriate partitioning, and broadcast joins where justified. I validate improvements using explain plans and runtime metrics while preserving correctness and maintainability.

How do you lead an architecture discussion when a customer is considering both Databricks and a competing platform?

I begin with the customer’s business outcomes, workloads, operating model, security requirements, and measurable success criteria rather than leading with product features. I map those requirements to an architecture and demonstrate differentiated workflows through a focused proof of value. I communicate trade-offs transparently, quantify operational and performance impacts, and align technical stakeholders and executives on a practical adoption plan.

How would you drive adoption after an initial Databricks deployment is in production?

I would establish success metrics such as active users, production workloads, query performance, pipeline reliability, and consumption trends. Then I would create a prioritized roadmap with customer champions, enablement sessions, reusable reference patterns, and regular architecture reviews. I would identify adjacent high-value use cases, remove governance or skills blockers, and use product feedback to improve the customer experience.

How do you explain a complex data and AI architecture to an executive audience?

I frame the discussion around business outcomes, risk reduction, speed to insight, and operating cost rather than implementation detail. I use a simple visual that connects source data, governed platform capabilities, and business-facing outcomes, then discuss the key decisions, investment needs, and success metrics. Technical details are available for architects, but the executive narrative remains focused on value, timelines, and risks.

This analysis is generated from the job description. Salary estimates, role characteristics and sample answers are guidance, not employer-provided facts.
Opportunity details

About this role.

Solutions Architect (L5)

FEQ128R82

The Role


As a Solutions Architect, you will lead the technical strategy for your customers — owning architecture discussions, driving platform adoption, and serving as a trusted advisor to customer technical leads and architects. You combine deep technical expertise with strategic thinking to position Databricks as the foundation of your customers’ data and AI strategy. You are developing a technical specialization (archetype) and are recognized within your team for depth in a specific domain.

The Impact You Will Have

  • Own the end-to-end technical strategy for your accounts, from initial discovery through production deployment and consumption growth
  • Lead complex architecture discussions — designing 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 your team in that domain
  • Orchestrate cross-functional resources (DSAs, SSAs, Partners) to deliver comprehensive solutions for complex customer needs
  • Influence product direction by providing structured feedback on customer requirements and competitive gaps

What We Look For

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

Nice to Have:

  • Databricks certifications (Data Engineer, ML, Platform)
  • Experience with competitive platforms (Snowflake, AWS native services, Azure Synapse) — understanding the landscape you’ll position against
  • Background in a data/AI company or cloud provider
  • Industry domain expertise (Financial Services, Healthcare, Retail, Media, etc.)

Interview Process: Recruiter Screen → Hiring Manager Screen → Design and Architecture Interview → Live Coding Assessment → Build, Demo, Pitch! Presentation → Reference Check

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

$180,000—$247,500 USD

About Databricks

Databricks is the Data and AI company. More than 20,000 organizations worldwide — including adidas, AT&T, Bayer, Block, Mastercard, Rivian, Unilever, and 70% of the Fortune 500 — rely on the Databricks Data + AI Platform to build and scale data and AI apps, analytics and agents. Headquartered in San Francisco with 30+ offices around the globe, Databricks offers a unified platform that includes Genie, Lakebase, Agent Bricks, Lakeflow, Lakehouse, and Unity Catalog. To learn more, follow Databricks on LinkedIn, X, YouTube, and Instagram.

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.

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