Junior Graph Data Engineer

NextGenEnergyJobs; Arlington, Northern (VA, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Redhorse Corporation seeks a data/AI focused professional to join the Semantic Knowledge Graph effort. You will design automated pipelines to discover enterprise data assets, ingest metadata, and align elements to Enterprise Core Ontology while maintaining data lineage and governance metadata.

You will scale the semantic map, define provenance, and support graph querying as you collaborate with engineers to integrate new data sources and support enterprise search and discovery.

Qualifications

• Exposure to graph query languages Cypher or SPARQL.
• Familiarity with modern enterprise graph database platforms.
• Basic understanding of LLM orchestration or agentic workflows.
• Knowledge of metadata lineage standards and semantic models.
• Familiarity with data catalogs and governance metadata.

Responsibilities

• Assist in designing automated pipelines to discover enterprise data assets and interface with data catalogs.
• Scan, catalog, and ingest technical metadata from legacy, cloud, and distributed environments.
• Ingest metadata to establish baseline assets aligned to the Enterprise Core Ontology.
• Scale the semantic map with automated pipelines and orchestrated workflows.
• Register data ingestion origins to establish provenance chains over time.
• Collaborate to align data elements with Enterprise Core Ontology and Domain Ontologies.
• Maintain data lineage within the Provenance Layer and document data origins and transformations.
• Write and test basic graph queries to support metadata retrieval and validation.
• Evaluate how integrated data sources affect the broader Semantic Map and use cases.
• Connect data assets to mission metadata for governance and discovery.
• Help ensure governance metadata including ownership, classification, and access constraints.

Skills

Cypher

SPARQL

Graph databases

GraphQL concepts

Data lineage

Semantic models

Data catalogs

Workflow orchestration

Agentic AI concepts

Ontologies alignment

Tools

Graph DB platforms

Job description

Now is a great time to join Redhorse Corporation.

Key Responsibilities

• Supplying the “Raw Ingredients” for the Semantic Knowledge Graph: Assist in designing and deploying automated pipelines that programmatically discover enterprise data assets and interface with existing data catalogs. Scan, catalog, and ingest technical metadata — including schemas, tables, columns, and API endpoints — from legacy, cloud, and distributed environments to establish baseline assets for alignment to the Enterprise Core Ontology.
• Scaling the Semantic Map: Use automated pipelines and orchestrated workflows to ingest metadata at scale rather than relying on manual, field-by-field mapping. Help keep the ontology current as a dynamic, living “semantic control plane” rather than a static document.
• Establishing the Entry Point for Lineage: Register the technical origin of ingested data and capture metadata at the point of ingestion. This creates the foundation for automated provenance chains that track where data originated and how it changes over time.
• Ontological Alignment Support: Collaborate with senior engineers to align discovered data elements from local systems to the shared Enterprise Core Ontology and specialized Domain Ontologies, with particular attention to compatibility with established institutional frameworks (e.g., DIA’s DIKEM). Preserve local naming conventions while establishing standardized, shared meaning.
• Lineage Tracking Support: Help engineering teams construct and maintain data lineage chains within the Provenance Layer, following applicable industry lineage standards to document where data originates, how it is transformed, and who governs it.
• Graph Querying Support (Growth Area): As your technical skills develop, write and test basic graph queries to support metadata retrieval, logical validation, and graph manipulation.
• Big-Picture Integration: Evaluate how newly integrated data sources and automated pipelines affect the broader Enterprise Semantic Map, selected use cases, downstream consumers, and enterprise search and discovery.
• Downstream Awareness: Connect data assets to relevant mission metadata so technical capabilities can be clearly linked to the mission workflows they support.
• Governance Compliance: Help ensure enterprise assets are associated with appropriate governance metadata, including ownership, classifications, handling rules, and access constraints. Support the translation of complex data policies into machine-readable semantic structures.
• Semantic Control Plane Maintenance: Help maintain and optimize the Enterprise Semantic Map within enterprise graph database platforms so human analysts, applications, and autonomous AI agents can efficiently search, navigate, and discover resources.
• Agent Integration Support: Collaborate with AI engineers to help planning, research, and tool agents dynamically query the graph and build grounded, trustworthy reasoning and retrieval strategies.

Requirements

• Graph Query Languages: Exposure to — or willingness to learn — graph query languages for metadata retrieval and validation (e.g., Cypher for property graphs, SPARQL for RDF/triple stores).
• Graph Database Platforms: Conceptual familiarity with modern enterprise graph database platforms.
• Agentic AI & AI Frameworks: Basic conceptual understanding of, coursework in, or project experience with LLM orchestration or agentic workflows.
• Data Lineage & Metadata Standards: Exposure to open lineage specifications or metadata management frameworks.
• Standard Ontologies & Semantic Models: Conceptual familiarity with established government- or defense-related semantic models that support standardized enterprise data integration.
• Data Catalogs: Familiarity with metadata catalog environments and data stewardship systems.
• Workflow Orchestration: Exposure to pipeline scheduling and orchestration tooling.