Expert Development Architect - Data & AI Platforms

Expert Development Architect - Data & AI Platforms We help the world run better As a key leader within the Office of the CTO at SAP, you will shape the future of our enterprise data, analytics, and AI ecosystem. This highly strategic role sets the technical vision and architectural standards for the company’s data infrastructure. Responsibilities Act as the primary subject‑matter expert and strategic advisor for integrating Apache Iceberg into SAP’s Data & Analytics portfolio, ensuring seamless interoperability between open data‑lakehouse architectures and SAP products. Define and own the architectural roadmap that connects modern Data Lakehouse paradigms with SAP’s overarching data analytics strategy, spanning SAP HANA, Business Data Cloud (Datasphere), and SAP Analytics Cloud. Lead the design of a unified, Iceberg‑backed Lakehouse and champion Apache Iceberg as the enterprise standard. Evaluate, strategize, and implement interoperable metadata catalogs, driving adoption of the Iceberg REST catalog specification and Apache Polaris for multi‑engine compatibility. Assess and integrate new technologies within a regulated enterprise environment, ensuring alignment with security, governance, RBAC, data lineage, and global compliance standards. Serve as a trusted advisor to engineering teams, product managers, and executive leadership, authoring technical standards, architectural decision records, and proof‑of‑concept implementations. Monitor the evolving data and AI vendor landscape, evaluating build‑vs‑buy scenarios, managing strategic technical partnerships, and ensuring SAP remains at the forefront of the open‑source data movement. Qualifications 10+ years in data engineering, data architecture, or software engineering, with at least 3+ years in a strategic, enterprise‑wide architectural role. Deep knowledge of Data Lakehouse paradigms and experience with major compute engines (Spark, Trino, Flink) and enterprise platforms; expertise on Databricks and Snowflake a plus. Hands‑on and theoretical expertise with Apache Iceberg, including manifest files, snapshot isolation, and optimization techniques. Proven understanding of the metadata catalog ecosystem, specifically the Iceberg REST catalog API and emerging standards such as Apache Polaris or Project Nessie. Strong understanding of how data architecture impacts AI/ML pipelines, MLOps, vector databases, and LLM fine‑tuning/RAG architectures. Experience navigating enterprise landscapes—cloud networking, IAM integration, data privacy laws (GDPR/CCPA), and connecting legacy on‑premises systems to modern cloud architectures. Exceptional communication skills, translating complex technical concepts into business value for C‑suite executives while maintaining depth for senior engineers and product teams. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, etc.), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or disability. #J-18808-Ljbffr