Lead Developer - Knowledge Graph & Semantics (f/m/d)

We help the world run better
At SAP, we keep it simple: you bring your best to us, and we'll bring out the best in you. We're builders touching over 20 industries and 80% of global commerce, and we need your unique talents to help shape what's next. The work is challenging – but it matters. You'll find a place where you can be yourself, prioritize your wellbeing, and truly belong. What's in it for you? Constant learning, skill growth, great benefits, and a team that wants you to grow and succeed. 

What you`ll do 

Summary:
The Lead Developer - Knowledge Graph & Semantics (f/m/d) designs, develops, and scales the Knowledge Graph platform that grounds AI use cases in trusted business context across SAP IT. Join a newly formed team working with cutting-edge graph technologies to define Knowledge Graph architecture, entity extraction pipelines, and hybrid RAG implementations for next-generation AI systems.

The Role:

• Design ontology-to-graph pipelines, collaborating with Ontologists and Data Scientists to translate domain knowledge into graph schemas
• Build entity extraction workflows to parse unstructured content to graph-aware structures
• Build context retrieval and delivery services that provide AI agents with rich, semantically meaningful information
• Implement efficient graph traversal algorithms and optimize query performance for large-scale enterprise data
• Integrate graph-based retrieval with vector search and implement SHACL validation pipelines
• Apply software engineering best practices including code reviews, testing, documentation, and CI/CD automation
• Provide technical guidance to team members and actively contribute to architectural and technical decision-making

What you bring

We are looking for an innovative, self-driven team player to become an integral part of our technical team:

• 5+ years of professional experience in software development with a focus on data-intensive applications
• Familiarity with semantic web standards (RDF, RDFS, SPARQL) and ontology concepts, or data science background with NLP/NER experience (Azure Cognitive Services, spaCy, entity extraction)
• Strong Python skills (PySpark, LangChain, Databricks APIs)
• Experience with at least one graph database (Neo4j, Neptune, Stardog, SAP HANA Graph is a plus) and query languages (Cypher, SPARQL, Gremlin)
• Good understanding of RAG architectures (vector databases, embeddings, reranking)
• Experience with Databricks, Delta Lake, or similar
• Good understanding of MLOps (MLflow, model serving, evaluation)
• Familiarity with agentic AI
• Proficient in both German and English, with strong communication skills

Meet your team

The Knowledge Graph CoE, a part of the Corporate Processes & Information Technology (CPIT) organization within SAP, is on an exciting journey to define and scale the use of Knowledge Graphs. This includes the whole process from defining ontologies and data models, ingesting and harmonizing data from various source systems, building the graph infrastructure, and enabling AI agents and knowledge workers across the organization. As we drive the progression of our offering, we actively collaborate with various LoBs and teams within SAP.
The team consists of motivated individuals from various locations, primarily working out of the EMEA region.

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Bring out your best
SAP innovations help more than four hundred thousand customers worldwide work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively. Originally known for leadership in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, SAP has evolved to become a market leader in end-to-end business application software and related services for database, analytics, intelligent technologies, and experience management. As a cloud company with two hundred million users and more than one hundred thousand employees worldwide, we are purpose-driven and future-focused, with a highly collaborative team ethic and commitment to personal development. Whether connecting global industries, people, or platforms, we help ensure every challenge gets the solution it deserves. At SAP, you can bring out your best.  

We win with inclusion
SAP’s culture of inclusion, focus on health and well-being, and flexible working models help ensure that everyone – regardless of background – feels included and can run at their best. At SAP, we believe we are made stronger by the unique capabilities and qualities that each person brings to our company, and we invest in our employees to inspire confidence and help everyone realize their full potential. We ultimately believe in unleashing all talent and creating a better world.

SAP is committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provides accessibility accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with SAP and are in need of accommodation or special assistance to navigate our website or to complete your application, please send an e-mail with your request to Recruiting Operations Team: Careers@sap.com.

For SAP employees: Only permanent roles are eligible for the SAP Employee Referral Program, according to the eligibility rules set in the SAP Referral Policy. Specific conditions may apply for roles in Vocational Training.

AI Usage in the Recruitment Process

For information on the responsible use of AI in our recruitment process, please refer to our Guidelines for Ethical Usage of AI in the Recruiting Process.

Please note that any violation of these guidelines may result in disqualification from the hiring process.

Requisition ID: 449686  | Work Area: Information Technology  | Expected Travel: 0 - 10%  | Career Status: Professional  | Employment Type: Part Time or Regular Full Time   |  #LI-Hybrid

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