PhD Student AI-based GraphRAG Parking Functions (f/m/d)

Job ID: 26781 Company: Volkswagen AG Location: Department: Research and Development Career Level: PhD students Working Model: Full-time Contract Type: Fixed-term Remote Working: Up to 80% Posting Date: Jun 5, 2026 Work environment Are you ready to shape the future of parking? The division " Entwicklung FAS/HAF-System" is responsible for developing advanced driver assistance systems, automated driving, and parking functionalities. The Assisted Parking Functions department develops innovative solutions that make parking safer, more efficient, and more comfortable. Join our highly qualified team and contribute your unique skills to achieving outstanding results together. In this doctoral research position, you will work at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), systems engineering, and requirements engineering. The focus is to develop (nearly) deterministic, domain-specific knowledge graphs for a structured representation of text-based requirements and their application in verifiable Graph-Retrieval-Augmented-Generation (GraphRAG) queries. The research is conducted within an interdisciplinary industrial environment and includes the design, implementation, and evaluation of the proposed methods using real-world datasets of requirements. The goal is to enable formalized, traceable, and certifiable analyses of requirement interdependencies, thereby contributing to the advancement of modern driver assistance systems through scientifically grounded approaches. Possible Tasks within this Role Designing a (nearly) deterministic knowledge graph for the structured representation of text-based requirements Defining a domain-specific semantic model and ontology, including reasoning mechanisms for verifiable GraphRAG queries Implementing the proposed concepts end-to-end, including delivering a scalable minimum viable product (MVP) based on approved toolchains Evaluating and validating the approaches using real‑world requirements from selected parking functions (SAE Level 2) Demonstrating correctness, completeness, traceability, and certifiability of the generated results in close collaboration with industrial and academic partners The final doctoral topic is defined together with the professor. The prerequisite for the cooperation is the confirmation of supervision as well as a confirmed delimitation of topics by the professor of a university or research institution entitled to confer a doctorate. We are happy to support you in this process. Qualification requirements Good to very good university degree qualifying for doctoral studies in cybernetics, computer science, mathematics, physics, or a comparable field of study Programming experience (e.g., Python, Cypher, CI/CD) and willingness to work with graph-based technologies and tools Solid knowledge of, or strong research interest in, formal methods, artificial intelligence, graph theory, ontologies, and requirements engineering Strong ability to abstract and model complex system relationships English language level C1 Analytical, structured, and self-driven working style combined with strong intrinsic motivation for scientific research Strong problem-solving skills and a drive to fully understand and implement novel approaches The following documents must be submitted with the application Curriculum Vitae Current transcript of records / Master’s or Diplom degree certificate Keywords Dissertation, AI-driven analytics, databases, verification, validation, machine learning, ML What we offer Attractive salary & 30 vacation days (+ 24.12. and 31.12. off) 35-hour week, flexible working hours, remote work Special conditions for the purchase and leasing of vehicles Free seminars on scientific work and interdisciplinary qualifications Participation in the doctoral network for scientific exchange with science representatives and other doctoral candidates within the Volkswagen Group The gross monthly salary for this position, based on a 35-hour workweek and scaled according to the respective year of employment, is €3,030 (1st year), €3,194 (2nd year), and €3,497 (3rd year). In addition, there is a monthly allowance of €167 as well as a 49% share of the variable bonus. Contact person for this posting: Fabian Wenzel Work environment Are you ready to shape the future of parking? The division " Entwicklung FAS/HAF-System" is responsible for developing advanced driver assistance systems, automated driving, and parking functionalities. The Assisted Parking Functions department develops innovative solutions that make parking safer, more efficient, and more comfortable. Join our highly qualified team and contribute your unique skills to achieving outstanding results together. In this doctoral research position, you will work at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), systems engineering, and requirements engineering. The focus is to develop (nearly) deterministic, domain-specific knowledge graphs for a structured representation of text-based requirements and their application in verifiable Graph-Retrieval-Augmented-Generation (GraphRAG) queries. The research is conducted within an interdisciplinary industrial environment and includes the design, implementation, and evaluation of the proposed methods using real-world datasets of requirements. The goal is to enable formalized, traceable, and certifiable analyses of requirement interdependencies, thereby contributing to the advancement of modern driver assistance systems through scientifically grounded approaches. Possible Tasks within this Role Designing a (nearly) deterministic knowledge graph for the structured representation of text-based requirements Defining a domain-specific semantic model and ontology, including reasoning mechanisms for verifiable GraphRAG queries Implementing the proposed concepts end-to-end, including delivering a scalable minimum viable product (MVP) based on approved toolchains Evaluating and validating the approaches using real‑world requirements from selected parking functions (SAE Level 2) Demonstrating correctness, completeness, traceability, and certifiability of the generated results in close collaboration with industrial and academic partners The final doctoral topic is defined together with the professor. The prerequisite for the cooperation is the confirmation of supervision as well as a confirmed delimitation of topics by the professor of a university or research institution entitled to confer a doctorate. We are happy to support you in this process. Qualification requirements Good to very good university degree qualifying for doctoral studies in cybernetics, computer science, mathematics, physics, or a comparable field of study Programming experience (e.g., Python, Cypher, CI/CD) and willingness to work with graph-based technologies and tools Solid knowledge of, or strong research interest in, formal methods, artificial intelligence, graph theory, ontologies, and requirements engineering Strong ability to abstract and model complex system relationships English language level C1 Analytical, structured, and self-driven working style combined with strong intrinsic motivation for scientific research Strong problem-solving skills and a drive to fully understand and implement novel approaches The following documents must be submitted with the application Curriculum Vitae Current transcript of records / Master’s or Diplom degree certificate Keywords Dissertation, AI-driven analytics, databases, verification, validation, machine learning, ML What we offer Attractive salary & 30 vacation days (+ 24.12. and 31.12. off) 35-hour week, flexible working hours, remote work Special conditions for the purchase and leasing of vehicles Free seminars on scientific work and interdisciplinary qualifications Participation in the doctoral network for scientific exchange with science representatives and other doctoral candidates within the Volkswagen Group The gross monthly salary for this position, based on a 35-hour workweek and scaled according to the respective year of employment, is €3,030 (1st year), €3,194 (2nd year), and €3,497 (3rd year). In addition, there is a monthly allowance of €167 as well as a 49% share of the variable bonus. Contact person for this posting: Fabian Wenzel Job ID: 26781 Company: Volkswagen AG Location: Department: Research and Development Career Level: PhD students Working Model: Full-time Contract Type: Fixed-term Remote Working: Up to 80% Posting Date: Jun 5, 2026 Volkswagen - that's why We want to revolutionize and shape the mobility of tomorrow sustainably. For this purpose, we are looking for talents who are willing to break completely new ground with us and are not afraid to make mistakes. We are looking for personalities who want to achieve something extraordinary. And talents who believe in the innovative power of big ideas. Are you in? Go to our career website Questions? Your application | All you need to know FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions Mail: [email protected] ✉️ Hotline: +49 5361 9 36363 The costs for calls depend on the your provider's tariff. 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