Open source is our beating heart and it’s something that fuels our work and our culture. It’s where we began. It’s where we’ll always be. Our vision is to become the trusted open source data platform for everyone. We are a Cast of over 400 individuals (‘Crabs’) located across the globe. Why Crabs? Because we believe in thinking sideways. And right now, we’re looking for sideways-thinking Solution Architects.

Our Sales team plays a crucial role in our growth and profitability. We want to be the trusted data source data platform for everyone – which, let’s face it, is an ambitious target. But thanks to our dedicated commercial OR GTM teams we are growing fast. Right now, we are looking for Solution Architects.

Our sales team works directly with customers as well as with channel partners. We look for courageous people ready to revolutionize the way businesses operate and are not afraid to challenge our customers' current ways of working. Showcasing the transformative power of Aiven's open-source managed data services is essential.

To join our Cast, you will need to be goal-oriented, with excellent negotiation skills and broader communication abilities. Plus you will need to be adept (like a true Crab) at venturing into all the hidden crevices and corners that could lead to more sales

Who we are

So, how do we become the trusted open source data platform for everyone? By listening closely to our customers and taking action to ensure they achieve their business goals. You see, the software we create is merely a means of delivering value. Our thinking is customer-first. That’s why our customers are at the front and center of all we do. And in the spirit of sideways thinking, we’re by their side as well. Actively helping them solve their challenges. Collaborating. Sharing. And innovating. In other words, it really isn’t just about who we are. It’s about who our customers are – and where they want to be.

Our values

We want individuals who can embody our values of ownership, courage, and openness.

What does that mean in practice?

We take ownership of the problems we solve. What we do is about improving life for our customers, enabling them to meet their goals. So we own our decisions and mistakes. Sometimes that takes courage. But we don’t falter – we take on challenges with confidence. And right at our heart is openness. We’re always open to new ideas – from wherever and whoever they come.

About the role

We are looking for a customer-centric Solutions Architect to promote the use of Aiven's managed open source services. An ideal candidate will be passionate about open-source technology and genuinely want to help customers in a pre-sales and post-sales capacity.

Suitable candidates must have proven experience in the following areas that will be required in their day-to-day job: Apache Kafka, Apache Cassandra, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Elasticsearch, Redis, InfluxDB and Grafana.

The position is full-time and permanent and can be located either remotely in the US or Canada or in one of our offices in Toronto or Boston.

Responsibilities:

• Help customers succeed, building successful relationships from pre-sales stage to roll out and beyond
• Conduct successful proof of concepts and solve the customers' problems in getting up and running
• Actively contribute to customer stability, enablement, and growth
• Be an active contributor during the sales process as well as to our existing customers
• Be an ambassador for Aiven by various means such as writing technical blogs, conducting webinars, sponsor meetups, or technical talks at conferences
• Travel up to 10% of the time

Requirements:

• Experience working in technology/software sales, pre-sales or consulting
• Fluency in one or more programming languages such as Java, Python, Go or Ruby
• Ability to understand customers’ technical requirements on an architectural level and propose solutions using Aiven’s services
• Experience implementing proof of concepts as needed, to work with Aiven services in order to address business requirements
• Knowledgeable of public clouds (AWS, Google or Azure) and in the areas of compute, storage - block and object, networking, and security groups
• Linux operating system; demonstrable experience using various Linux utilities and tools (installation, securing system, storage, etc.) and a good grasp of networking basics like DNS
• A fairly deep conceptual and hands-on understanding of Kafka and at least one of Cassandra or Opensearch (Elasticsearch)
• Demonstrable use of a relational databases preferably PostgreSQL and/or MySQL
  (migration experience from Oracle to PostgreSQL is an asset)
• Act as a subject matter expert on Aiven service offerings
• Attention to detail and good problem solving and project management skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, ability to work well with cross-functional teams

The following are nice to have:

• Customer relationship management
• Any migration experience from Oracle to PostgreSQL will be considered an asset!