Manager, Developer Relations - Open Source

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At Databricks, we are passionate about enabling data teams to solve the world's most challenging problems — from making the next mode of transportation a reality to accelerating medical breakthroughs. We do this by building and running the world's best data and AI platform, enabling our customers to use deep data insights to improve their businesses. Our ability to execute this mission depends on building trust and recognition within an ever-growing community of data engineers, analysts, scientists, machine learning practitioners, and AI practitioners.

Databricks’ Developer Relations team is looking for a leader to manage our open source Developer Advocates, deepen our engagement across the Apache Software Foundation and Linux Foundation communities, and lead technical storytelling and experiences that strengthen trust and adoption. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in the spotlight, is known and respected in open source communities, and gets even more satisfaction from growing other advocates than from giving the keynote themselves.

As the Developer Advocate Manager for Open Source, you'll lead the team that advocates for the projects Databricks builds in the open, and serve as a crucial link between our engineering teams and the global community of practitioners building their careers on them. Your team's remit spans the Open Lakehouse — Apache Spark™ (including Spark Declarative Pipelines), Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, Apache Iceberg™, and MLflow — as well as Omnigent, our open source meta-harness for composing, governing, and sharing AI agents. As the original creators of Apache Spark™, Delta Lake, and MLflow, we hold ourselves to a high standard here: our credibility in these communities is earned continuously, not inherited.

This role will leverage your expertise in building and scaling a developer relations team, and it will build on your standing within the open source world and your working relationships with the Apache Software Foundation, the Linux Foundation, and the maintainers and committers who keep these projects healthy. You'll coach your team on building a content flywheel — where a single demo, video, or talk becomes the source of truth for a dozen derivative assets — and on applying AI as a force multiplier without ever lowering the technical bar.

Your responsibilities will encompass both team leadership and a wide range of knowledge-sharing activities. You'll lead by example: delivering engaging talks, hosting panels and meetups, creating blogs and video content, developing courseware, answering questions in community forums, and meeting one-on-one with influential contributors and maintainers.

Community engagement will be at the heart of your role. You'll work closely with the open source communities and with product and engineering teams, ensuring that community needs and product development align seamlessly. Reporting directly to the Head of Developer Relations, you'll collaborate with fellow DevRel managers across our Databricks, App Dev, and DevRel Programs teams to create a cohesive and impactful open source strategy.

The ideal candidate embodies the values of our Developer Relations team: a deep passion for data and AI, genuine empathy for developers' needs, and a real, demonstrated commitment to open source — including the parts that don't directly benefit Databricks.

More about the DevRel team

The Developer Relations (DevRel) team at Databricks is dedicated to building and fostering relationships with communities of data practitioners. Our goal is to drive awareness and adoption of the Databricks Data + AI Platform — including Lakeflow, Lakebase, Genie Agents, and AI/BI — alongside the open source projects that underpin it, such as Apache Spark™, Delta Lake, Unity Catalog, MLflow, Apache Iceberg™, and Omnigent. Our team also owns programs like the Databricks MVP program, the user group program, and DevConnect roadshows.

What we look for

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.

Zone 1 Pay Range $172,300—$236,950 USD

• Own developer relations for our open source portfolio end-to-end — set the strategy, define what success looks like, and be accountable for the outcomes.
• Hire, level, and grow a team of Developer Advocates, and take real ownership of their careers: clear expectations, honest feedback, and a visible path forward.
• Strengthen Databricks' standing as a trusted, vendor-neutral participant in the Apache and Linux Foundation ecosystems — measured by what the projects gain, not only by what we gain.

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.

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.