Director of Field Engineering, Federal

Location - Washington, D.C. Metro Area

Requisition FEQ426R370

Databricks is seeking a dynamic and experienced leader for the role of Director of Field Engineering, Federal. This position will lead teams of pre-sales Solutions Architects and first-line managers focused on complex federal civilian accounts. The Director will play a pivotal role in driving Databricks’ mission to empower federal agencies with secure, AI-driven data solutions that accelerate mission outcomes and modernize government operations. This role will report to the Tech GM of Field Engineering, Public Sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of pre-sales Solutions Architects and first-line managers, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous learning.
  
  
• Partner with federal sales organizations to develop and execute strategic plans that drive platform adoption, customer satisfaction, and mission success across federal agencies.
  
  
• Build and maintain trust-based relationships with key federal stakeholders, understanding agency-specific landscapes, compliance requirements, and mission priorities.
  
  
• Promote a solution and value-based selling approach tailored to the unique needs of federal customers, emphasizing secure, AI-driven data solutions.
  
  
• Drive transformational success by supporting large, complex consumption driven sales cycles and ensuring Solutions Architects deliver measurable value in federal engagements.
  
  
• Champion Databricks’ values of customer obsession, respect, teamwork, and diversity within the federal field engineering organization.
  
  
• Report on federal market trends and the forces shaping the strategic direction of government accounts, providing actionable insights to Databricks’ leadership.
  
  
• Enhance Databricks’ brand in the federal sector by collaborating with go-to-market, sales, and partner teams, and representing Databricks at industry events and with federal partners.
  
  
• Ensure compliance with federal security, privacy, and procurement standards, leveraging Databricks’ FedRAMP High and DoD IL5 authorizations to support agency missions.
  
  

Requirements

• 8-10 years of experience as a Senior Manager or Director level (manager of managers with teams of 20+) in a pre-sales or technical solutions architecture facing role.
  
  
• Demonstrated success in enterprise software pre-sales leadership, with experience with consumption-sales motions in the federal or public sector market.
  
  
• Proven ability to drive large transactions and high-growth federal customers, with a track record of delivering customer value and transformational outcomes.
  
  
• Deep understanding of federal procurement, compliance (FedRAMP, DoD IL5), and security requirements.
  
  
• Experience building and leading cross-functional teams (Sales, Engineering, Product Management) in complex, strategic federal accounts generating $1M+ ARR.
  
  
• Passion for data-driven decision-making, AI, and cloud software models, with the ability to communicate complex, business value-focused solutions to federal stakeholders.
  
  
• Strong process orientation, with experience instituting best practices for technical field teams to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
  
  
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or equivalent experience.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with or within federal agencies or government contractors.
  
  
• Familiarity with Databricks’ Data Intelligence Platform, Unity Catalog, and Lakehouse architecture.
  
  
• Knowledge of federal data governance, cybersecurity, and AI/ML adoption trends.
  
  
• Active security clearance (Secret or above) is a plus.