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.

We are looking for an experienced and visionary Engineering Leader to lead a high-performing team building distributed systems that power AI and large language model (LLM) capabilities at scale. In this role, you will define technical direction, foster innovation, and ensure your team delivers impactful, production-grade systems that shape the future of SAP’s AI offerings.

Description
As the leader of a fast-moving and collaborative team, you will guide the design, development, and deployment of cutting-edge AI infrastructure. You’ll be responsible for growing and mentoring engineering talent, setting technical priorities, and working closely with cross-functional partners to align on vision and execution. We’re seeking someone who thrives in ambiguous environments, can connect high-level strategy to concrete deliverables, and inspires engineers to achieve their best work.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and inspire a team of managers and engineers delivering backend systems, APIs, databases, and LLM infrastructure

• Define and communicate technical vision, ensuring alignment with product and business goals

• Collaborate with product managers, researchers, and architects to translate ideas into scalable solutions

• Foster a culture of technical excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement

• Provide hands-on technical guidance where needed, ensuring high-quality code and architecture

• Oversee projects leveraging modern distributed systems, data platforms, and API frameworks

• Build team capabilities through mentoring, recruitment, and career development initiatives

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics, or related field; advanced degree preferred

• 12+ years of software engineering experience, with at least 8 years in an engineering leadership role

• Proven track record of delivering complex, distributed systems in production

• Strong understanding of AI/ML and/or LLM systems and their application in real-world products

• Experience managing teams in fast-paced, high-growth environments

• Strong decision-making skills and ability to balance technical depth with business priorities

• Excellent English communication skills and ability to lead in global, multicultural environments

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience scaling engineering teams and processes in enterprise environments

• Open-source contributions or engagement in the AI/ML community

• Familiarity with modern development practices, CI/CD, and cloud-native architectures

Why Join Us

• Lead a team building cutting-edge AI systems with global impact

• High-trust, high-autonomy culture with minimal bureaucracy

• Collaborate with senior engineers and AI experts in a mission-driven environment

• Play a central role in defining SAP’s AI strategy and delivering transformative capabilities

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.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their age, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, et al), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or disability, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local legal requirements.

Successful candidates might be required to undergo a background verification with an external vendor.

We are ethical and compliant
Our leadership credo: Do what’s right. Make SAP better for generations to come. We believe that great leadership extends far beyond the mere pursuit of business goals. We value and foster leadership that is driven with purpose and integrity. Our leaders are role models who uphold SAP’s values and shape SAP’s culture of integrity, by demonstrating and championing ethical and compliant behavior towards all stakeholders.

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: 446257 | Work Area: Software-Design and Development | Expected Travel: 0 - 10% | Career Status: Management | Employment Type: Regular Full Time | Additional Locations: