Principal Researcher (f/m/d) - Foundation and World Models on Structured Business Data

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:

 
At SAP ’s Business AI Research ,  we  are  exploring  the next frontier of AI methods  on structured business data  – graphs, tables, time series, and more . Foundation Models on Structured Data, like SAP-RPT-1, have ushered in the GenAI era for  business relevant scenarios – scenarios that have so far been  addressed with classical, often tree-based methods. Now, we are taking the next step .  We collaborate  with our existing applied research teams  in  creat ing   novel benchmarks  for business problems  and   the  develop ment of  novel  architectures and models , with the goal to  publish benchmarks and models  at scientific conferences and  in the  open-source  community . We are working  jointly  with our academic partners to  create ever better means of solving  real business  problems.  

The Role  

• Drive  pioneering technical advances to  the field of foundation models on structured data, as well as exploring world models for solving business problems .  

• Expand the horizon of what is possible  by bringing together rich semantic context with large scale business data  

• Define the research agenda for a  small squad of research scientists and engineers  

• Enable academic research by providing  B usiness  AI  relevant problem statements,  frameworks  and data sets .  

• Keep the pulse with  novel  research, providing insights into the latest research  findings  and  making  them comparable with internal work .  

• Translate  applied  research breakthroughs  into research publications  at relevant top-tier conferences   and contribute to thought leadership in  foundation and  world  models on structured data.  

• Collaborate closely with various domain specialists and data owners to understand how the data can be used for world model training.  

• Contribute to thought leadership in an entirely new field of Foundation and World Models on Structured Data.   

• Work closely with the team  developing  the relational pre-trained transformer (SAP-RPT-1)  to exchange information and ensure that internal initiatives and project deliverables are aligned with community best practices.  

• Collaborate with established academic partners and define new collaborations with top tier academic researchers.  

• Supervise PhD  students  during summer internships or as part of academic collaborations.  

 
   

What you bring:  

• PhD in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence,  physics,  mathematics   or other relevant disciplines  

• Candidate must have an academic background in one of the following fields: Foundation Models / Machine Learning on large scale structured data, World Models. This should be supported by a substantial record of related publications, including recent works, at top tier conferences and a well-established network in these fields.  

• A strong research vision for foundation models on structured data, and of how world models  impact  the  development of such foundation models  

• Extensive  research  experience with  machine learning on structured data  

• Ideally, experience in Causal AI and how it relates to foundation models on structured data  

• Proven experience and deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with collaboration between industrial and academic research  

• Proficiency  in Python and experience with ML frameworks such as  PyTorch , TensorFlow, or similar. Optionally, hands-on experience with  (knowledge) graph  technologies  

• Ideally, professional experience with the combination of knowledge graphs and large language models in ERP domain  

• Proven history of leading projects with a strategic mindset complemented by superior organizational abilities  

Meet your team:   

SAP's AI organization is dedicated to seamlessly infusing AI into all enterprise applications, enabling customers, partners, and developers to enhance business processes and generate remarkable business value. Join our international AI team where innovation  thrives,  opportunities for personal development abound, and exceptional colleagues collaborate globally.  

 
#SAPBusinessAICareers  

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: 448468  | Work Area: Software-Research  | Expected Travel: 0 - 10%  | Career Status: Professional  | Employment Type: Regular Full Time  #LI-Hybrid
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