Cyclotron, Inc. is seeking an AI Engineering Presales Architect who combines strong technical credibility with exceptional discovery, solution shaping, and executive communication skills. This role involves leading early-stage engagements, uncovering business drivers, and designing scalable solutions across the Microsoft cloud ecosystem.
Responsibilities:
- Lead 60–120 minute enterprise discovery sessions that surface true drivers, constraints, and decision dynamics
- Challenge client assumptions respectfully and reframe feature requests into business problems + measurable outcomes
- Architect credible solutions across Azure, Data, AI, Security, Integration, and Power Platform
- Produce high-quality SOWs, scopes, assumptions, dependencies, and change-control language
- Design phased delivery approaches that de-risk early (data readiness, feasibility, security constraints)
- Communicate effectively with CFO/COO audiences (value, impact, risk) and CTO/CISO audiences (architecture, feasibility)
- Shape engagements that balance margin, utilization, and delivery risk
- Partner with sales and delivery for clean handoffs and deal readiness
- Translate AI/Copilot/automation requests into clearly defined problems, measurable outcomes, and value hypotheses
- Support sales, delivery, and leadership through clean handoffs and deal orchestration
- Protect delivery teams by identifying risks, gaps, and misaligned client expectations early
Requirements:
- Deliverables Production: Produces high-quality SOWs, 1–2 page discovery summaries, phased delivery plans with gates, and DevOps-ready backlogs with estimates and assumptions
- Enterprise Discovery Leadership: Ability to steer conversations past feature requests into true needs and drivers
- SOW + Scope Engineering: Writes clear, enforceable scopes with realistic boundaries and measurable outcomes
- Microsoft Architecture Breadth: Comfortable whiteboarding and defending designs across Azure + Data + AI + Security + Power Platform
- Consulting Economics: Understands margin, utilization, fixed-fee vs T&M, and risk structuring
- Executive Communication: Clear, concise, and credible with executive stakeholders
- Experience: 8+ years in Microsoft cloud, data, or application architecture; 3–5 years in pre-sales, advisory, or solution architecture roles
- Discovery & Workshop Facilitation: Demonstrated experience leading enterprise discovery or design workshops
- Technical Expertise (Microsoft Stack): Azure data platforms: Fabric, Synapse, Data Lake, Data Factory; Applied AI: Azure OpenAI (RAG, agents, summarization), Azure AI Search, evaluation strategies; Integration patterns: APIM, Event Grid, Functions, Logic Apps, Container Apps; Power Platform & Copilot Studio: when to use, when not to, and governance considerations
- Design Thinking (Preferred): Certifications such as LUMA, IDEO, IBM Enterprise Design Thinking, Microsoft Catalyst, or equivalent structured problem-solving frameworks
- Consulting Background: Prior experience at a Microsoft-focused consulting partner (e.g., Avanade, Slalom, Deloitte, EY, Accenture) strongly preferred
- Change & Adoption (Preferred): Exposure to Prosci or similar change management methodologies