Stephan Fröde
NLP/LLM Chatbot
Experience
NLP/LLM Chatbot
Insurance
- Conceptualized and implemented an LLM-based case assistant (file assistant)
- Selected and evaluated RAG methods; designed hybrid RAG information retrieval using Elasticsearch + embeddings
- Built ingestion pipelines for multiple document formats; analyzed and aligned with source systems
- Developed a Streamlit-based chatbot GUI and performed NLP-based causal chain analysis for regress cases
- Evaluated analytical LLM methods; deployed via Jenkins to OpenStage
AWS PoC / Content Analytics
- Evaluated dashboard approaches and built a prototype dashboard in Streamlit using Google Search data and HTTP logs stored in AWS S3/Athena
- Integrated web search and marketing/blog data; designed pipelines for image knowledge extraction and evaluation (LMM / Graph & Vector RAG)
- Built an AWS Amplify-based service integrating AI-as-a-Service (Mistral, Replicate); data persisted in Neo4j with text-to-graph extraction
- Implemented Graph RAG with Neo4j, and deployed with AWS CDK and GitLab CI/CD
Knowledge Graph / NLP / AI
Federal Criminal Police Office
- Worked in a security-cleared (SÜ2) and BSI-compliant environment
- Explored and advised on Knowledge Graph use; designed & implemented pipelines with Neo4j
- Raw data extraction from SQL dumps and mapping to entities; graph data model design
- Advanced NLP: NER, topic & event extraction, language detection; extraction of complex relations using POLE (Persons, Objects, Locations, Events)
- Applied graph algorithms (incoming degree, community detection – Louvain/triangle count) to identify relevant entities and relationships
- Integrated GeoIP/domain extraction and URL evaluation; implemented streaming ingestion (Kafka)
- Built an LLM/Chat Streamlit app deployed on Cloud Foundry on Kubernetes; integrated into BSI-compliant environment
Corporate Web Portal
Siemens
- Designed and implemented daily data pipelines using AWS Glue/PySpark and Athena; monitoring via CloudWatch
- Built a GraphQL Apollo Server in AWS Lambda; integrated content items from OpenSearch and usage data from Adobe warehouse
- Added an app for readability scoring; integrated an AWS SageMaker endpoint for text classification
- Conducted feasibility studies, concept work, and stakeholder alignment; evaluated Athena Query Federation; managed costs and optimization
Data Lake
BMW Connected Vehicle
- Led development of large-scale AWS-based data pipelines for multiple datasets (Glue/PySpark, Athena, S3, Lambda, IAM, SQS/SNS, DynamoDB/DAX, Elasticsearch)
- Processed up to 30+ billion rows; implemented automated restart & recovery procedures and unit tests
- Architected daily/historic/housekeeping pipelines; performed production problem analysis and internal advisory
- Performed cost analysis, derived measures, implemented cost savings, and monitored reductions
- Refactored complex vehicle master data (7 datasets, ~35 tables; mid-level business logic; >1B rows/day)
- Ran feasibility analyses, requirements refinement, and implementation concepts; authored documentation
Project
Generative AI Blog & AWS Serverless Experiments
- Built multiple serverless stacks in AWS using CDK and GitLab CI/CD (VPC/Serverless, Amplify, AppSync, Lambda, API Gateway, Cognito, Route 53, Glue, Neptune, SageMaker, Bedrock, S3)
- Explored LLMs/NLP (OpenAI API, Hugging Face, Mistral, Replicate, Gemini, Claude); conducted experiments in automated image analysis & generation with VLM/LMM
- Implemented AI data pipelines for knowledge extraction and enrichment (Image-to-Text-to-Knowledge); built chatbots combining image analysis with knowledge graph context
- Developed iOS exploratory apps (Swift/SwiftUI) with API Gateway; results persisted in DynamoDB; Lambda/Python back ends
Data Warehouse (Passenger Revenue)
Deutsche Bahn Vertrieb
- Designed & implemented data model for passenger revenue (ticket sales and other services) considering AWS specifics (sort key, data distribution)
- Built multi-stage Data Warehouse architecture: two-stage staging, Core (persistent business model), Analytics (optimized for SAP BO), and Output for file interfaces
- Designed ETL/Data Pipelines: daily, historic reprocessing, housekeeping; Lambda/S3 events for job control; reload from raw data; processed ~1M rows/day
- Implemented jobs with AWS Batch (Python, Docker) using SSM Parameter Store; integrated DynamoDB; limited Red Hat OpenShift on AWS
- Managed build pipelines via GitLab CI/CD for >15 projects (dynamic parameterization, Docker images, build scripts, Python merge/deploy)
- Conducted performance analysis and workshops with AWS Support; optimized Redshift WLM; ensured operations stability with weekly coordination & troubleshooting
Inbound Logistics Costs
Opel/GM
- Designed data model to compute inbound logistics costs based on freight rates, goods receipts, and master data
- Calculated inbound costs per produced vehicle and per transport/shipment/material number; extensive analyses with SQL and R to derive business rules and error analysis
- Acted across roles as Data Analyst, Business Analyst, and Data Engineer; coordinated interfaces and processes with logistics, network planning, and finance
- Produced IT concept and handed over solution to the business unit for operational use
Functional Data Analysis
BMW
- Analyzed materials control and logistics planning; prioritized with stakeholders; investigated the SAP–DWH interface
- Investigated Teradata SQL, ETL modules, views, and data models across source, inbound (SAP→DWH), and DWH layers; proposed solutions and documented results
Production Data / Big Data
BMW
- Authored interface specifications and conducted SQL-based data analysis; captured and analyzed requirements; documented & modeled the solution
- Created the IT concept (architecture, interfaces, operations); supported tool selection for change-data-capture
Side Project
Social VR Prototype
- Prototyped collaborative VR space with messaging, user management, and real-time constraints
- Explored scaling and availability of real-time services; created visual concept and 3D modeling
Time Tracking
BMW
- Prepared and completed go-live readiness and test management; authored operating manual
- Analyzed deployment and operations issues
Tableau / Teradata Introduction
BMW
- Introduced Teradata/Tableau BI/DWH environment (~80 interfaces): architecture analysis, scaling/performance, and 7-year TCO across 6 alternatives
- Supported high-level/functional/IT concepts, interface analysis, and coordination with external data suppliers
- Advised on information security and personal data protection; initiated and automated operations process; managed change and incidents
- Coordinated testing (test cases & monitoring); led code reviews, data quality analyses, and remediation proposals
Strategic Reporting – Pre-Series
BMW
- Coordinated changes and authored operating handbook for go-live readiness & operations enablement
- Analyzed deployment/operations issues and documented operational measures
- Worked with SAP BW (process chains, DSOs)
Special Equipment Planning
BMW
- Produced high-level and functional concepts: process analysis & description, requirements capture & analysis, process modeling
- Translated requirements and process models into user guidance and data stewardship workflows
Warranty Cost Controlling
BMW
- Analyzed processes and IT architecture; ran performance tests; captured functional requirements (costs, quality, provisions)
- Proposed BI/analytics solutions and a new architecture; delivered prototypes in QlikView, SPSS Modeler, and Java EJB
BI in Quality Assurance
BMW
- Analyzed data model and supply of a QlikView application in QA; built UI and analytical requirements in QlikView 11 with VBScript components
- Implemented country-specific data views based on user (NTUser)
Hybrid AI Storytelling Platform
Saganode
- Designed and built a hybrid AI storytelling/world-building platform combining knowledge graphs, LLMs, and custom entropy-shaping heuristics
- Implemented multi-layer graph spaces (temporal, causal, conceptual) and Graph RAG; integrated generative services for text, image, and music
- Developed React-based graph explorer for universe/saga/story navigation
- Managed security and deployment: AWS AppSync/Amplify back ends; REST/GraphQL endpoints; CI/CD; AWS CDK; Cognito/IAM
Recommendation Engine
Obylo
- Explored graph database approaches and semantic BI on top of Neo4j; built ETL for graph ingestion; researched scaling/latency/IO constraints
- Developed early social VR experiments using Unity/Blender with Akka/C#; built search and recommendation components for complex data
ERP/DWH Migration & Finance Processes
Deutsche Telekom
- Analyzed impacts of the One.ERP Integration on DWH-T systems; mapped data flows across SAP and BW landscapes
- Assessed core finance processes: revenue processing, month-end close, dunning/receivables, logistics, sub-ledgers, billing/invoicing
- Prepared knowledge materials on controlling, treasury, accounting, financial reporting differences under IFRS/HGB; clarified KPIs (OCF, ROCE, CapEx, EBITDA)
Banking & Finance Consulting
Multiple Institutions
- Senior consultant for group-level management reporting: high-level and functional concepts, requirements alignment, project management
- Advisory on reporting and BI flows supporting controlling and treasury needs; OSPlus migrations and data integration
- Designed cash-flow prototypes and advised on cash management solutions and processes
- Conducted business analysis and prototype design for closing workflows and financial reporting
- Developed business plan, liquidity planning, and contribution margin calculation for an e-commerce startup; market model based on exchange-style mechanics
BI/DWH Architecture & Reporting
NordLB
- Consulted on BI/DWH architecture and reporting for banking functions with emphasis on controlling and risk-related reporting
Consultant
Independent/Freelance
- Managed projects across banking, media, and telecom; roles in project management, software engineering, and product management
Co-founder and Manager
Scopas Medien AG / FunPage
- Co-founded and managed agency operations; production planning; delivered multiple client projects
- Conducted software and multimedia engineering
Industries Experience
See where this freelancer has spent most of their professional time. Longer bars indicate deeper hands-on experience, while shorter ones reflect targeted or project-based work.
Experienced in Media and Entertainment (27 years), Information Technology (14 years), Telecommunication (12 years), Banking and Finance (11 years), Automotive (5.5 years), and Transportation (3 years).
Business Areas Experience
The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.
Experienced in Product Development (27 years), Information Technology (22 years), Business Intelligence (16 years), Research and Development (14 years), Project Management (11 years), and Operations (7 years).
Summary
Consultant and engineer with 20+ years in data engineering, AI/LLM integration, and cloud architectures. Specialized in scalable data pipelines, knowledge graphs, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). Deep background in NLP/LLM engineering, ontology integration, semantic enrichment, and graph algorithms. Track record across automotive, finance, telecom, public sector, and law enforcement.
Skills
- Data Engineering: Aws (Glue, Athena, S3, Lambda, Redshift, Sagemaker, Amplify), Databricks, Ci/cd (Gitlab Ci/cd, Jenkins), Python, Pyspark
- Ai & Llms: Llms (Openai, Mistral, Gemini, Claude, Amazon Nova), Rag Architectures, Embeddings, Vector Databases (Neo4j, Qdrant), Ontology Integration (Esco), Nlp (Spacy, Nltk), Generative Ai
- Graph Analytics: Knowledge Graph Modeling, Graph Algorithms (Community Detection, Triangle Count, Louvain), Graph Reasoning, Semantic Enrichment, Graphql
- Finance & Controlling Expertise: Ifrs/hgb Accounting, Controlling, Treasury, Cash Management, Risk Controlling, Financial Reporting
Languages
Education
University of Applied Sciences Furtwangen
Diploma in Business Informatics (FH) · Business Informatics · Furtwangen, Germany
Werner Heisenberg School
Abitur (German A-levels) · Rüsselsheim, Germany
Profile
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