Solutions Architect (Pre-sales) – Manufacturing & Automotive

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Req ID: FEQ427R141
Reporting to: Manager, Field Engineering
Language requirements: Business-professional Japanese required; business-level English preferred

Mission

As a Pre-sales Solutions Architect focused on Manufacturing and Automotive, you will engage with leading global automotive manufacturers and strategic industry accounts across Japan. In partnership with Account Executives, Solutions Architects, technology specialists, partners, and customer teams, you will develop and execute technical strategies that help customers adopt the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform and achieve measurable business outcomes.

You will translate complex automotive and manufacturing challenges into scalable data and AI solutions across vehicle platforms, connected-vehicle analytics, vehicle and component quality, supply-chain optimization, smart manufacturing, engineering and R&D analytics, aftersales, customer intelligence, and AI-powered applications. You will operate with a builder mindset, creating hands-on prototypes, demonstrations, and proof points that accelerate customer confidence and adoption.

The impact you will have

• Develop and execute customer engagement strategies in partnership with Account Executives and Solutions Architects for strategic automotive and manufacturing accounts.
• Lead complex customer engagements across the full technical pre-sales lifecycle, including discovery, requirements gathering, solution scoping, architecture design, workshops, demonstrations, proof-of-concepts, and implementation planning.
• Coach account teams and peers on positioning, adoption strategies, use-case prioritization, and execution plans that deliver outcomes within a defined timeline.
• Influence stakeholders at all levels, from data practitioners and engineers to manufacturing leaders and C-level executives, by connecting technical decisions to business value.
• Act as a champion and trusted advisor for customers and colleagues on data, analytics, machine learning, generative AI, architecture, design, and Databricks adoption.
• Design and communicate end-to-end solutions using Databricks and public cloud platforms, including AWS, Azure, and GCP.
• Build tailored demos, prototypes, reference architectures, migration plans, how-to materials, and other customer-facing assets rather than relying only on standard presentations.
• Help automotive and manufacturing customers identify and prioritize high-value use cases across vehicle platforms, connected vehicles, vehicle telemetry, quality and warranty, industrial IoT, smart factories, supply chain, demand forecasting, engineering and R&D, aftersales, and EV or battery analytics.
• Integrate Databricks with cloud services, enterprise platforms, and third-party applications to support customer architectures.
• Collaborate with Product, Engineering, Services, Customer Success, Partners, Marketing, Sales, and Field Engineering to represent customer needs and accelerate adoption.
• Lead workshops, seminars, meetups, and other community activities to build technical awareness and scale best practices in Japan.

What we look for

• Experience engaging with complex customers and sales lifecycles in a technical pre-sales, consulting, technical architecture, or equivalent role.
• A technical background in data engineering, data warehousing, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or related fields.
• Experience designing and implementing solutions on public cloud platforms, including AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• Hands-on expertise delivering complex proof-of-concepts and technical demonstrations.
• Ability to code in Python or SQL and willingness to learn or deepen knowledge of Apache Spark™; experience with Scala, Java, or R is beneficial.
• Strong understanding of enterprise data platforms, distributed data systems, analytics, machine learning, generative AI, or modern cloud architectures.
• Demonstrated ability to provide technical solutions for specialized customer needs and navigate a competitive landscape.
• Ability to influence decision-makers and C-level executives by building relationships and orchestrating cross-functional teams toward long-term customer success.
• Builder mindset with a track record of prototyping, creating demos, and crafting tailored solutions for ambiguous or challenging customer environments.
• Strong communication, presentation, whiteboarding, and storytelling skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Experience working with enterprise customers and building trusted relationships with technical and business stakeholders.
• Strong collaboration skills and the ability to partner effectively with Account Executives, Solutions Architects, specialists, and other cross-functional teams.
• Business-professional fluency in Japanese; business-level English proficiency is preferred.

Preferred experience

• Experience working with leading automotive manufacturers, automotive suppliers, industrial companies, transportation providers, or mobility businesses.
• Familiarity with vehicle platforms, connected vehicles, vehicle telemetry, smart factories, industrial IoT, supply-chain analytics, quality and warranty analytics, engineering/R&D, aftersales, EVs, or battery analytics.
• Experience with Databricks, Apache Spark™, MLflow, Delta Lake, lakehouse architectures, or comparable data and AI platforms.
• Experience coaching or mentoring other technical professionals or account teams.
• Databricks or relevant cloud and data certifications.

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