ABAP Technical Lead

Stonebranch

3d • Remote

About The Position

Stonebranch is seeking an ABAP Technical Lead to own the technical direction of BatchMan, its SAP-native workload automation product. BatchMan extends SAP job scheduling into landscape-wide workload automation and serves more than 160 customers. The role is an individual-contributor position with no people-management responsibilities, but it carries responsibility for high-level architecture decisions and engineering standards across a mature codebase that includes classic ABAP4, ABAP OO, and Java-based agent components.

The role will lead the transition to an AI-first, specification-driven development approach, using Claude Code as the primary AI agent. The Technical Lead will write specifications, direct and verify AI-generated code, and apply senior technical judgment to protect quality and architectural integrity. The position also includes developing product capabilities, integrations, and performance improvements; packaging releases; serving as the technical escalation point for Customer Support; and working directly with customers when needed.

This is a remote position open to candidates anywhere in EMEA, with a preference for candidates near a Stonebranch office. Quarterly travel to the EMEA headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, or the Honico office in Hamburg, Germany, is required. The role reports directly to the Senior Product Manager. Business-fluent German and fluent English are required.

Requirements

• Degree in computer science or a related field, or completed vocational IT training (such as Fachinformatiker für Anwendungsentwicklung) with equivalent professional experience.
• At least 10 years of professional software development experience.
• At least 8 years of hands-on ABAP development experience, including substantial classic procedural ABAP (ABAP4) work.
• Proven experience building or maintaining a commercially shipped SAP add-on or product, rather than only customer-specific extensions or module customizations.
• Track record of owning a technical area and making architecture decisions that shape it.
• Expert-level command of ABAP4 and ABAP OO, including Dynpro UI, ALV, and the SAP Control Framework.
• Deep knowledge of SAP background processing and job scheduling, including SM36/SM37 for job definition and monitoring, SM50/SM66 for active work process analysis, and ST22 for dump analysis.
• Hands-on experience with XBP (External Batch Processing) and XMI interfaces.
• RFC programming and debugging experience, including configuring RFC connections in SM59.
• Strong understanding of core ABAP concepts, including authorization objects, lock objects, and LUWs.
• Experience optimizing SQL for large data volumes.
• Working knowledge of the SAP Transport System.
• Hands-on experience with AI coding agents such as Claude Code, and strong interest in building an AI-first, specification-driven development workflow.
• Ability to write specifications that drive AI-generated code; this is also identified as a strong plus.
• Ability to combine writing specifications, directing AI agents, reviewing and verifying code, and direct ABAP development where needed.
• Strong architectural judgment and accountability for technical outcomes.
• Self-directed and proactive approach to moving a product forward without handholding.
• Methodical troubleshooting ability, including diagnosing complex issues in customer SAP environments and resolving them.
• Ability to understand business needs and translate them into technical solutions.
• Effective written and verbal communication, including explaining technical direction and trade-offs to colleagues, customers, and non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaborative approach and comfort working in a small, focused, international team.
• Business-fluent German (C1 minimum) and fluent English (C1 minimum), written and verbal.

Nice To Haves

• Experience packaging and delivering add-ons with the SAP Add-On Assembly Kit (AAK).
• Java development experience, particularly with agent- or service-based architectures.
• Experience with Java file I/O and protocols such as SFTP and SSH.
• JKS keystore management and TLS/SSL configuration experience.
• Ability to read and debug multithreaded Java service code running as a Windows service or Linux daemon.
• Experience with web technologies and data formats, including OData, REST, XML, and JSON.
• SAP Basis knowledge, including authorization configuration.
• Background with workload automation or enterprise job scheduling products.

Responsibilities

• Own BatchMan's technical architecture and make high-level design decisions that shape the product's direction within the SAP landscape.
• Establish and maintain engineering standards, coding conventions, and best practices for the BatchMan codebase.
• Maintain and modernize a codebase spanning classic ABAP4, ABAP OO, and Java-based agent components while supporting existing customers and evolving the product.
• Translate product requirements into technical solutions that balance speed, quality, and long-term maintainability.
• Lead the transformation of BatchMan's development pipeline to an AI-first approach using Claude Code as the primary AI agent.
• Write clear, detailed technical specifications to guide AI-driven development.
• Direct, review, and verify AI-generated ABAP and Java code, enforcing standards and protecting architectural integrity.
• Build documentation, context, and conventions that enable AI agents to work safely and effectively within the mature SAP codebase.
• Participate in peer code reviews and maintain a consistent quality bar.
• Design and build capabilities extending SAP background processing and job scheduling into landscape-wide workload automation.
• Develop and maintain integrations through XBP/XMI, RFC, and web technologies such as OData and REST.
• Optimize performance for high-volume job processing and large data volumes, including SQL tuning.
• Package and deliver releases through the SAP Transport System and Add-On Assembly Kit (AAK) to support reliable installations and upgrades.
• Serve as the technical escalation point for Customer Support, diagnosing and resolving complex issues.
• Engage directly with customers in German or English when technical escalations require it.
• Partner with the Senior Product Manager on roadmap feasibility, effort estimates, and technical trade-offs, and communicate technical direction to technical and business stakeholders.
• Collaborate with the other developer and share knowledge to avoid relying on a single person for critical product expertise.

Benefits

• Continuous learning opportunities and professional development.
• Flexible work environment with hybrid or remote options.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package aligned with local market standards and employment regulations.
• Regular team and company events.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior