PhD.: Multi-agent Planning System F/M

We help the world run better

At SAP, we enable you to bring out your best. Our company culture is focused on collaboration and a shared passion to help the world run better. How? We focus every day on building the foundation for tomorrow and creating a workplace that embraces differences, values flexibility, and is aligned to our purpose-driven and future-focused work. We offer a highly collaborative, caring team environment with a strong focus on learning and development, recognition for your individual contributions, and a variety of benefit options for you to choose from.

What you'll do

The mission of the Predictive team is to provide users of the SAP Analytics Cloud solution the ability to utilize predictive modeling and simulation to enhance their decision-making processes and improve their business operations. We achieve this by using machine learning algorithms to produce models for Classification, Regression, and Time Series.

Through a CIFRE thesis in collaboration with the LIPADE laboratory at Paris Cité University, we aim to study the contribution of multi-agent systems in enterprise planning: xP&A.

To understand how to assist the planner, we will imagine an extreme situation: replacing them with a group of AI agents that collaborate to achieve the same objectives. This requires examining the tasks carried out by planners from start to finish to assimilate information sources, develop scenarios while considering trends, sustainable development constraints, and collaborate with other experts (agents) or stakeholders to validate assumptions. It also requires a good understanding of enterprise architecture, data analysis, including variance analysis and seasonality. Another aspect to consider is risk management in the company, identifying causes, mitigation plans, and risky situations.

Even though in reality, the fundamental ethical principle remains "Human in the loop," and the use case must comply with the EU AI Act, we will push this reasoning to identify safeguards in such an architecture.

The study subject involves considering the contribution of multi-agent systems coupled with knowledge modeling (knowledge or causal graphs), specifically:

• Participate in defining the necessary agent-based architecture.
• Determine the information flows needed for decision-making.
• Evaluate these decisions in relation to the company's strategy and existing mitigation plans.

You will share your work time between the university laboratory and our R&D team in Levallois-Perret, where you will work under the supervision of our scientific director.

• Conduct a bibliographic state of the art on the techniques used.
• Study and propose innovative solutions.
• Internally present the proposed solutions.
• Prototype the solutions and validate them on synthetic or real data.
• Publish your research in collaboration with the laboratory.

What you bring

• Graduated with a Master's degree or equivalent, allowing you to enroll in a doctoral thesis, you have strong skills in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, NLP, knowledge graphs, descriptive logic, semantic networks, and causal graphs.
• Your solid mathematical background enables you to deeply understand these algorithms.
• You are proficient in Python and have a good understanding of Prompt Engineering, LLM agents, RAG, and knowledge graphs. Knowledge in the theory of Causality would be a plus.
• Highly autonomous, you are capable and accustomed to publishing and presenting your work.
• Fluent in English (B2/C1 at least required)

Meet your team

Our team of engineers and data scientists ensures the development and refinement of models integrated into SAP applications, meeting the needs of the users of these applications

Duration: 36 months

Start Date: Late 2025/early 2026

Remunaration according to the conditions fixed by the French Minister of Higher Education and Research

 ​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 and more equitable world.
SAP is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provide 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.

EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability:

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their age, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, et al), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or disability.
Successful candidates might be required to undergo a background verification with an external vendor.

Requisition ID: 431301  | Work Area: Software-Design and Development  | Expected Travel: 0 - 10%  | Career Status: Student  | Employment Type: Limited Full Time   | Additional Locations: #LI-Hybrid.