Principal Data and Applied Science, HCM Autonomous Suite, Palo Alto

About the role

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.

Responsibilities

• Build the semantic and contextual foundation of SAP's AI.
• Design and maintain enterprise ontologies and semantic models.
• Develop AI capabilities including RAG pipelines, embeddings, vector databases, and enterprise knowledge grounding.
• Apply machine learning, deep learning, and statistical modeling to develop and evaluate AI solutions using real-world enterprise datasets.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in knowledge engineering, semantic data systems, applied AI, or data science.
• Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, or a related quantitative field.
• Hands-on experience designing enterprise ontologies and semantic models.
• Strong Python and SQL skills with production-grade development practices.
• Experience with big data infrastructure and cloud environments.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with modern GenAI systems RAG, embeddings, vector databases, semantic retrieval, and enterprise knowledge grounding.
• Proven track record deploying and operating AI/ML solutions in production.
• Deep working knowledge of SAP data models, metadata structures, and core business processes.
• Experience with the SAP data and AI platform stack.
• Deep expertise across the W3C stack and property graph query languages.
• Deep expertise in machine learning and deep learning.
• Experience with agentic AI, reasoning frameworks, planning, orchestration, tool use, or multi-agent architectures.
• Experience contributing to reusable AI platforms, foundation model initiatives, or shared AI services.
• Understanding of HR/HCM domain semantics.
• Experience working with SAP SuccessFactors extensibility and integration technologies.
• Experience applying analytics, machine learning, or statistical methods to workforce use cases.

Skills

• Knowledge engineering, semantic data systems, applied AI, or data science.
• Experience with modern GenAI systems.
• Experience with big data infrastructure and cloud environments.
• Experience with the SAP data and AI platform stack.
• Deep expertise across the W3C stack and property graph query languages.
• Deep expertise in machine learning and deep learning.
• Experience with agentic AI, reasoning frameworks, planning, orchestration, tool use, or multi-agent architectures.
• Experience contributing to reusable AI platforms, foundation model initiatives, or shared AI services.
• Understanding of HR/HCM domain semantics.
• Experience working with SAP SuccessFactors extensibility and integration technologies.
• Experience applying analytics, machine learning, or statistical methods to workforce use cases.

Benefits

Constant learning, skill growth, great benefits, and a team that wants you to grow and succeed.

Pay

The targeted annual combined range for this position is $198,2000 - $420,000 (USD).

Schedule

Expected Travel: 0 - 10%