Presales Engineer - Date & AI Engineering

Presales Solution Engineer – Data & AI

Company: CTG

Department: Presales / Solutions Engineering

Location: Remote

Employment Type: Full-Time

Experience Level: 10–15 Years (minimum 5 years in a dedicated presales/solutions engineering capacity)

Reports To: Managing Director - Presales

About the Role

CTG is seeking an experienced Presales Solution Engineer to join our Data & AI practice. This individual will act as the technical bridge between our sales organization and clients, translating complex business problems into compelling, technically sound solution architectures spanning modern data platforms and AI/ML capabilities. You will be a trusted technical advisor throughout the sales cycle, from discovery and requirements gathering through solution design, demonstration, proof-of-concept (POC), and handoff to delivery teams.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical fluency in data platforms (e.g., Microsoft Fabric, Databricks, Snowflake) and AI engines/frameworks with strong client-facing consulting skills, and has a track record of influencing enterprise deals through credible, well-articulated technical solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Presales & Client Engagement

• Partner with Account Executives and Sales leadership to qualify opportunities and shape win strategies for Data & AI engagements.
• Lead technical discovery sessions with client stakeholders (business and IT) to understand current-state data architecture, pain points, and desired business outcomes.
• Translate business requirements into technical solution designs, reference architectures, and value propositions tailored to the client's environment.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact during the sales cycle, building trust and credibility with client architects, data leaders, and executives.

Solution Design & Architecture

• Design end-to-end data and AI solution architectures leveraging platforms such as Microsoft Fabric, Databricks, Snowflake, Azure Synapse, AWS Redshift/SageMaker, or Google BigQuery/Vertex AI.
• Develop solution blueprints covering data ingestion, data engineering, data governance, analytics/BI, MLOps, and AI application layers.
• Ensure proposed architectures address scalability, security, compliance, cost optimization, and integration with existing client ecosystems.

Demonstrations, POCs & Proposals

• Build and deliver tailored product demonstrations, technical presentations, and workshops that showcase platform capabilities aligned to client needs.
• Design, scope, and execute proof-of-concept (POC) and proof-of-value (POV) engagements, working cross-functionally with delivery, engineering, and partner teams.
• Develop responses to RFPs/RFIs, including technical narratives, architecture diagrams, and effort estimates.
• Create and maintain reusable presales assets: demo environments, solution accelerators, architecture templates, and battlecards.

Technical Advisory & Enablement

• Stay current on the evolving Data & AI landscape, including platform updates, competitive positioning, and emerging AI capabilities.
• Provide technical input on pricing, licensing, and deployment models (SaaS, hybrid, on-prem) in partnership with sales and vendor partners.
• Act as a liaison with technology partners (Microsoft, Databricks, Snowflake, AWS, Google Cloud) for co-selling motions, technical enablement, and joint solutioning.
• Mentor junior presales/solutions engineers and contribute to building presales best practices and methodology.
• Support smooth transition of won opportunities to delivery/implementation teams with clear documentation of scope, architecture, and client expectations.

Required Qualifications

Experience

• 10–15 years of overall experience in data, analytics, or AI-related technical roles.
• Minimum 5 years specifically in a Presales / Solutions Engineering / Solutions Architecture capacity, ideally within a consulting, systems integrator, or technology vendor environment.
• Demonstrated success supporting enterprise sales cycles and influencing deal outcomes through technical credibility.
• Experience responding to RFPs/RFIs and leading technical proposal development.

Technical Expertise

• Strong hands-on knowledge of modern data platforms, including one or more of:
• Microsoft Fabric / Azure Synapse / Azure Data Factory
• Databricks (Lakehouse architecture, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog)
• Snowflake
• AWS (Redshift, Glue, SageMaker) or Google Cloud (BigQuery, Vertex AI)
• Working knowledge of AI/ML engines and frameworks, including:
• Generative AI platforms (Azure OpenAI, AWS Bedrock, Google Vertex AI, Anthropic/OpenAI APIs)
• Traditional ML/MLOps tooling (MLflow, Kubeflow, Azure ML, SageMaker)
• LLM application patterns (RAG, agentic workflows, vector databases)
• Solid understanding of data architecture concepts: data lakes/lakehouses, data warehousing, ETL/ELT pipelines, data governance, data quality, and master data management.
• Familiarity with data security, privacy, and compliance frameworks (GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, etc.) as they apply to data and AI solutions.
• Ability to read and discuss architecture diagrams, and where needed, build basic proof-of-concept configurations (SQL, Python/PySpark, notebooks).

Consulting & Soft Skills

• Excellent client-facing communication skills able to present to both technical architects and C-level executives.
• Strong discovery and requirements-gathering skills; able to ask the right questions to uncover true business needs.
• Confident whiteboarding and storytelling ability to translate technical concepts into business value.
• Strong stakeholder management, negotiation, and objection-handling skills.
• Self-starter who can manage multiple concurrent opportunities and shifting priorities.
• Collaborative team player who works effectively with sales, delivery, product, and partner teams.
• Flexibility to learn new technologies and methodologies and stay ahead of market trends in terms of technology

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field (Master's a plus) or equivalent by experience.
• Relevant certifications preferred, such as:
• Microsoft Certified: Fabric Analytics Engineer / Azure Data Engineer / Azure AI Engineer
• Databricks Certified Data Engineer / Solutions Architect
• AWS/GCP data or ML certifications
• Snowflake SnowPro certification

Preferred / Nice-to-Have

• Prior experience at a systems integrator, consulting firm, or hyperscaler (Microsoft, AWS, Google, Databricks, Snowflake) in a presales or solutions capacity.
• Vertical industry expertise (e.g., manufacturing, technology, healthcare, energy) relevant to CTG's client base.
• Experience building or supporting Center of Excellence (CoE) initiatives for Data & AI.
• Familiarity with agentic AI frameworks, copilots, or enterprise AI adoption strategies.
• Public speaking, webinar, or thought-leadership experience (blogs, conference talks) in the Data & AI space.

What Success Looks Like in This Role

• Consistently strengthens win rates on Data & AI opportunities through credible technical engagement.
• Builds strong, trusted relationships with client technical stakeholders that extend beyond the sales cycle.
• Delivers high-quality POCs/demos that clearly demonstrate business value and technical feasibility.
• Contributes reusable IP (accelerators, templates, reference architectures) that improve presales efficiency across the team.
• Serves as a recognized subject matter expert on Data & AI platforms internally and with clients.

Travel Requirements

• Occasional travel is expected during Events, Conferences or Client meetings.

The expected base salary for this position is up to $140,000. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education, market factors, and where applicable, licensure or certifications obtained. In addition to salary, a competitive benefit package is also offered.