Salesforce

Principal Data and AI Architect

Salesforce$173K — $231K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7+ years experience in technical architecture, enterprise architecture, or related work in complex enterprise environments, ideally in public sector contexts.
  • Proven ability to shape technical strategies and connect organizational needs to technology solutions.
  • Strong understanding of AI, data integration, security, and compliance frameworks relevant to public sector.
  • Experience collaborating across teams (Sales, Product, Engineering) to translate ideas into execution.
  • Ability to communicate technical concepts effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated eagerness to learn emerging technologies, especially in AI and data.
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related STEM field; graduate degrees are a bonus.

Responsibilities

  • Articulate the value of Salesforce solutions to public sector missions involving data and AI.
  • Deeply understand and communicate the capabilities of Salesforce Data 360 and Agentforce to stakeholders.
  • Collaborate with sellers to identify mission-critical customer problems and define technical strategies.
  • Lead architectural discussions on data structures, AI readiness, and integration for public sector clients.
  • Build customer confidence through delivering meaningful demos and proof of concepts.
  • Continuously refine technical judgment and solution approaches in the public sector AI space.
  • Transform field insights into reusable assets, enablement practices, and product feedback.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health and wellness programs to support work-life balance.
  • AI tools and resources to enhance personal and professional productivity.
  • Opportunities for continuous learning and development.
  • A supportive environment that encourages innovation and challenges the status quo.
  • The chance to work on transformative projects that shape the future of public sector organizations.
Full Job Description

To get the best candidate experience, please consider applying for a maximum of 3 roles within 12 months to ensure you are not duplicating efforts.

Job Category

Sales

Job Details

About the Team

We are a Data & AI Architects team focused on helping Global Public Sector customers, spanning Defense, Federal/Civilian, State and Local Government, Higher Education, and Nonprofits, understand what this new AI era makes possible, and what it actually takes to make the possible a reality: the right architecture, a trusted data foundation, a clear operating model, and an adoption path that scales within the constraints and mission drivers of government and public-serving institutions. We work in the field, close to customers, close to our Agentforce and Data 360 sellers, and close to Product, Engineering, Support, and delivery teams. We are expected to know the public sector domain, understand the wider ecosystem including common government vendors and compliance frameworks, bring a strong point of view, and help guide the architectural decisions that turn AI ambition into trusted mission and business outcomes.
We are looking for architects who love hard problems, think in systems, and are energized by the transformation AI is driving across government and public institutions. We value people who understand how the whole public sector landscape fits together, including its unique security, compliance, and procurement realities, and where Salesforce creates the most leverage within it.

About the Role

As a Data & AI Technical Architect on our Global Public Sector team, you are the expert thought leader and senior field specialist for defense, federal, state, local, higher education, and nonprofit customers evaluating, implementing, and expanding their use of Salesforce Data 360 (Data Cloud), Agentforce, and the broader enterprise data and AI ecosystem.
Your work sits at the intersection of technical architectural, solution engineering, applied data and AI, and delivery-aware judgment on what it takes to make a solution succeed in a government or public sector environment. You help customers translate their mission and data and AI ambitions into practical, actionable architectures that also satisfy the security, compliance, and governance requirements common to the public sector. This role asks you to go both deep and wide: deep on the trusted data and agent foundation that everything else depends on, and wide across the ecosystem on which your customers actually run their mission, because real architecture lives at the seams between systems, not inside any single product.

What You’ll Do

  • Share a clear point of view on enterprise data and AI for public sector missions, how agents, data platforms, CRM, trust, identity, workflow, governance, security, compliance, and adoption come together into something that delivers value through Salesforce.

  • Deeply understand our data & AI products and articulate the value of the Salesforce platform to defense, federal, state, local, higher education, and nonprofit stakeholders.

  • Partner with sellers and solution teams to uncover customers' real mission problems, shape technical strategy, and pressure-test feasibility, security posture, and cost-to-serve early.

  • Lead customer architectural discussions around Data 360, Agentforce, data structures and patterns, AI readiness, identity management, governance, integration, automation, compliance, and business/mission value.

  • Build customer confidence through demos, prototypes, proofs of concept, reference patterns, and architectural walkthroughs that demonstrate what's real as well as what it will take to operationalize and scale within public sector constraints.

  • Continuously scan the horizon and tinker to refine your judgement on what's worth building and how to build within the public sector data and AI space.

  • Turn what you learn in the field into reusable assets, enablement, best practices, and product feedback that extend your impact beyond your immediate teams and stakeholders.

What You'll Bring

You are a builder as much as an advisor. You are comfortable picking up new tools and technology, and are not afraid to get hands-on. You can craft and deliver an engaging story and also pressure-test the architecture behind it. You go deep without getting lost and wide without getting shallow. You bring field presence and credibility across a range of levels with your ability to effectively engage customer executives, enterprise architects, data platform owners, security and governance leaders, technical practitioners, sellers, partners, and delivery stakeholders.

Qualifications

  • 7+ years experience in technical architecture, enterprise architecture, solution engineering, consulting, implementation, software engineering, product development, or related work in complex enterprise environments; experience in defense, federal/civilian, state, local, higher education, or nonprofit environments preferred.

  • A track record of shaping technical strategy with input from customers and/or stakeholders, validating solution approaches, and connecting mission or business needs to technology decisions.

  • Strong understanding of enterprise data, AI, integration, governance, security, privacy, and platform architecture concepts and patterns; familiarity with public sector compliance frameworks (e.g. FedRAMP, StateRAMP, CJIS, NIST) is a plus.

  • Experience working across Sales, Product, Engineering, Support, and delivery or customer teams to move solutions from idea to execution.

  • The ability to distill and communicate complex technical ideas to executive and technical audiences, including government and institutional stakeholders.

  • Demonstrated curiosity and learning velocity in emerging technologies, especially within the AI, data, automation, and agentic systems space.

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Data Science, other STEM degrees or equivalent work experience. Graduate study a plus.

  • U.S. citizenship required.

Helpful Experience

We care most about architectural judgment, learning velocity, and stakeholder impact. Experience with any of the following technologies and functions is a plus:

  • Salesforce Data 360 (Data Cloud), Agentforce, MuleSoft, Tableau, Informatica, or the broader Salesforce Platform, ideally within government or public sector deployments.

  • Experience with public sector-common vendors and platforms such as AWS (including AWS GovCloud), Microsoft/Azure Government, Palantir, Databricks, or Snowflake, in a pre-sales, solution engineering, or forward-deployed engineering capacity.

  • Conversational AI, voice-enabled AI agents, real-time voice orchestration, telephony integrations, or multi-channel service experiences.

  • Modern data platforms such as Snowflake, Databricks, BigQuery, RedShift, and the hyperscaler ecosystems around them.

  • AI agents, generative AI, AI governance and observability, external agent ecosystems, hyperscaler AI services, or enterprise automation.

  • Familiarity with public sector security and compliance requirements (e.g. FedRAMP, StateRAMP, CJIS, IL4/IL5, NIST 800-53) and identity/access frameworks common in government environments.

  • Programming languages such as Python, common data structures and tooling, and AI-assisted development pipelines.

  • Building demos, prototypes, proofs of concept, workshops, reference architectures, or field enablement assets.

The Architect Who Thrives Here

You will thrive as part of our team if you seek to understand customers' real problems, not just the stated requirements. You are curious about how organizations work, where data and processes break down, where AI can create leverage, and how businesses need to evolve to succeed. You are a leader who confidently defines the what, how, and why, and challenges the status quo when you see a better path. You are excited about AI while remaining grounded in what makes it work well: trusted data, clear use cases, strong architectures, governance, adoption, and demonstrable value.

Unleash Your Potential

When you join Salesforce, you’ll be limitless in all areas of your life. Our benefits and resources support you to find balance andbe your best, and our AI agents accelerate your impact so you cando your best. Together, we’ll bring the power of Agentforce to organizations of all sizes and deliver amazing experiences that customers love. Apply today to not only shape the future — but to redefine what’s possible — for yourself, for AI, and the world.

About Salesforce

ExactTarget is a provider of on-demand email marketing software solutions. Their suite of on-demand one-to-one marketing applications enables clients to send business-critical and event-triggered communications to increase sales, optimize marketing investments, and strengthen customer relationships. They offer four editions of their on-demand software application along with integrated solutions such as ExactTarget for AppExchange and ExactTarget for [Microsoft](/organization/Microsoft) Dynamics CRM.

Salesforce Careers

Joining Salesforce means becoming part of a dynamic, global team of professionals who are deeply committed to driving customer success and innovation. As the world's leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, Salesforce offers unparalleled job opportunities in technology and consulting, making it an ideal place for ambitious individuals looking to make a significant impact.

Work You'll Do

At Salesforce, every position is a chance to leverage your skills and creativity to transform businesses and industries. Our diverse team of experts collaborates to deliver cutting-edge solutions that foster growth and enhance leadership capabilities. By joining our team, you'll be at the forefront of digital innovation, using Salesforce's powerful platform to help clients navigate their transformation journeys.

Innovate and Lead

Salesforce is not just a company; it's a community where you can lead with your ideas and see them come to life. Our culture of innovation encourages you to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of what's possible. With Salesforce, you'll work alongside leaders in technology and business who are committed to your growth and professional development.

Career Growth and Opportunities

Whether you're looking for an internship, a full-time position, or leadership roles, Salesforce provides a wealth of opportunities to advance your career. Our commitment to professional growth is reflected in our robust training programs, including leadership development and diversity training, designed to help you excel at every stage of your career.

Be Part of a Great Team

Salesforce prides itself on a culture that values diversity, teamwork, and open communication. We believe that our strength lies in our people, and we're committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive. Joining our team means being part of a supportive community that encourages networking and collaboration.

Benefits and Culture

At Salesforce, we understand that job satisfaction extends beyond the office. That's why we offer competitive benefits to support the health, well-being, and financial security of our employees and their families. From health insurance and retirement plans to wellness programs and flexible working arrangements, we provide the benefits that contribute to a better work-life balance.

Explore Job Opportunities

Ready to take the next step in your career? Explore the wide range of employment opportunities at Salesforce. From technical roles to customer engagement positions, we are continuously hiring talented individuals who are passionate about making a difference.

Stay Connected

Keep up to date with the latest at Salesforce by following our careers blog. Gain insights from the people who work here and learn how you can bring your career to the next level with Salesforce.

Apply Now

Are you ready to join a company that's leading the way in CRM technology? Search open positions that match your skills and interests on our careers page. Tailor your resume, prepare for your interview, and take the first step towards a rewarding career at Salesforce.

SEARCH SALESFORCE JOBS

Join Salesforce today and be part of a company that's shaping the future of technology, fostering a culture of innovation, and building a more equitable world.
Learn more about Salesforce
Size
73,541 employees
Market Cap
$130.4 billion
Industry
Net Income
$4 billion
Founded
2000
5 Year Trend
+25.7%
Revenue
$21.2 billion
NASDAQ

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Salesforce

More Education, Government & Non-Profit Jobs

  • City of Philadelphia
    Commissioner of Labor Relations
    $150K — $250K + excellent benefits package *
    City of Philadelphia
    Philadelphia, PA 19102 (Philadelphia County)
  • State Of Delaware
    Director of Accounting
    $130K *
    State Of Delaware
    Dover, DE 19904 (Kent County)
  • Deputy Building Official
    $80K — $150K + gloucester county government offers an excellent benefit package *
    Gloucester County
    Gloucester, VA 23061 (Gloucester County)
  • Deputy Assessor
    $80K — $150K + gloucester county government offers an excellent benefit package *
    Gloucester County
    Gloucester, VA 23061 (Gloucester County)
  • Civil Engineer II
    $80K — $150K + gloucester county government offers an excellent benefit package *
    Gloucester County
    Gloucester, VA 23061 (Gloucester County)

Find similar Principal Data and AI Architect jobs: