AI Solution Engineer

Job description

We are a leading chemical company, with the best teams developing intelligent solutions for our customers, and for a sustainable future. We connect and develop people with diverse talents all over the world. For you, this means a variety of ways to progress. Not only your performance but also your personality matter to us, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, orientation, and background. At BASF, careers develop from opportunities . Objectives of the Position Digitalization is a core enabler of the BASF Zhanjiang Verbund site. But Digitalization will only be successful, if the end users benefit from the digitalization methods and tools The objective for this role is to: Be part of the Site Operations China team as an AI Solution Engineer, supporting the development, deployment, operation, and continuous improvement of AI solutions for process industry operations. Support the development of AI solutions by integrating OT/IT data sources and the building of Agentic AI, Large Language Model (LLM), and machine learning solutions, enabling predictive analytics, decision support, and business process automation across industrial use cases. Collaborate closely with operations teams, digitalization teams, and external partners to support the implementation, testing, and continuous enhancement of AI solutions, helping transform business requirements into practical digital applications. Explore and apply emerging technologies in AI Industrial Internet of Things, and Smart Manufacturing, supporting technology research, proof-of-concept (POC) activities, and continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen innovation capabilities and deliver sustainable business value. Main Tasks Work closely with business stakeholders, product owners and solution architects to understand business requirements and translate business challenges into digital and AI-enabled solutions. Support the development and maintenance of data pipelines and related data services to ensure reliable and efficient data availability for analytics and AI applications. Contributes to the development of Agentic AI and Large Language Model (LLM) solutions for process industry operational use cases. such as predictive analytics, decision support, and business process automation. Participate in AI application development activities including prompt engineering, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), function calling, workflow orchestration, context management, and tool integration. Support the evaluation and continuous improvement of machine learning models and AI solutions through tuning, testing, model validation, performance monitoring, and optimization. Collaborate with internal business teams, digitalization teams, and external partners during solution implementation, testing, troubleshooting, and rollout activities. Support industrial data integration by connecting OT/IT systems (e.g., PIMS, MES, SAP, and LIMS), and participate in data acquisition, cleansing, standardization, and quality management activities. Prepare and maintain technical documentation, including solution specifications, design documents, user manuals and implementation reviews, ensuring standardized project delivery, knowledge retention, and sustainable operation of digital and AI solutions. Support Innovation and AI Enablement activities by identifying business use cases, participating in proof-of-concept (POC) initiatives, sharing best practices, and promoting AI adoption across the organization through effective communication, knowledge sharing, and change management. Minimum Education and Qualification Required for the Position Education: Master degree or above, preferably from a leading domestic or international university. Preferred majors include Mathematics, Computer Science, Automation, Information Technology, Data Science or other related scientific and technical disciplines. Technical & Professional Knowledge: Strong knowledge of data analytics, data modeling, and software development, with hands-on experience in Python, SQL, PySpark, PyTorch, ETL/ELT processes, and data visualization technologies. Good understanding of Machine Learning, Large Language Models (LLMs), and Agentic AI concepts, with familiarity in RAG, Prompt Engineering, Function Calling, and Workflow Orchestration. Familiarity with LangChain, LangGraph, or similar agent development frameworks, with the ability to design, develop, test, and troubleshoot AI applications. Fresh graduate or with 1-3 years’ working experience, prior project experience in data analytics, machine learning, or LLM based solution development, with the ability to independently deliver and optimize small-scale AI functionalities. Experience in process industries, chemicals, energy, smart manufacturing, or factory digitalization projects is preferred. Proactive and responsible, with a strong learning mindset, problem-solving capability, and adaptability. Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in cross-functional and multicultural teams. Good English and Mandarin communication skills, including the ability to read technical documentation and collaborate effectively with global teams. Prior internship or project experience is a plus (experience in multinational companies is highly desirable)