Principal Data Engineer

BWX Technologies; Oak Ridge (TN); On-site; USD 86,000 - 136,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Flexible schedules

Professional development

Inclusive culture

National security programs

Job summary

BWX Technologies seeks a Principal Data Engineer to lead semantic modeling and industrial knowledge architecture for real-time operational intelligence in advanced manufacturing. This on-site role in Oak Ridge, Tennessee supports enterprise knowledge graphs and ontology-driven systems within a high-security DOE/NNSA environment.

You will design and govern large-scale semantic data models, build knowledge graph components, and guide data modernization initiatives while mentoring engineering teams

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, computer science, or related STEM field.
• Minimum 5 years of data engineering, semantic modeling, or knowledge graph experience.
• Experience designing ontologies with OWL, RDF, RDFS, SKOS, SHACL, SPARQL.
• Hands-on pipelines for structured and unstructured data.
• Experience integrating OT/IoT, edge devices, and SCADA systems.
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or Scala; familiarity with Kubernetes.

Responsibilities

• Design semantic data models and ontologies for unified industrial data interpretation.
• Develop enterprise knowledge graph components using OWL, RDF, RDFS, SKOS, SHACL, SPARQL.
• Build namespaces aligned with ISA-95 and W3C standards for cross-system interoperability.
• Architect scalable storage including time-series databases and lakehouse systems.
• Ingest, reconcile, and contextualize data from multiple sources.
• Govern data with versioning, modularization, and quality gates.
• Map relational models to semantic representations using R2RML and RML.
• Support AI/ML and simulation teams by embedding semantic models in workflows.
• Lead workshops with SMEs to define concepts and requirements.
• Participate in audits, reviews, and security/compliance activities.

Skills

Data engineering

Semantic modeling

Ontology design

Knowledge graphs

Python

Java

Scala

Kubernetes

Education

Bachelor’s degree in STEM

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

OWL

RDF

RDFS

SKOS

SHACL

SPARQL

R2RML

RML

Databricks

Snowflake

AWS analytics

Job description

BWX Technologies is seeking a Principal Data Engineer to lead semantic modeling and industrial knowledge architecture efforts for real-time operational intelligence in advanced manufacturing settings. This on-site role in Oak Ridge, Tennessee supports enterprise knowledge graphs and ontology-driven systems within a high-security DOE/NNSA environment.

Role Summary

In this position, you will design, engineer, and govern large-scale semantic data models and industrial knowledge systems. The work includes supporting enterprise knowledge graphs, ontology-driven architectures, and interoperable data foundations to enable integration across advanced manufacturing domains.

Responsibilities

• Design semantic data models and ontologies for unified interpretation of industrial data across chemical, aerospace, automotive, and high-throughput manufacturing sectors.
• Develop enterprise knowledge graph components using OWL, RDF, RDFS, SKOS, SHACL, and SPARQL.
• Build unified namespaces aligned with ISA-95 and W3C standards to support cross-system interoperability.
• Architect scalable storage solutions including time-series databases, knowledge graphs, and lakehouse systems.
• Engineer pipelines to ingest, reconcile, and contextualize structured, semi-structured, streaming, and unstructured data.
• Apply governance practices including versioning, modularization, URI strategies, and quality gates.
• Map relational models into semantic representations using R2RML and RML.
• Support AI/ML and simulation teams by embedding semantic models into analytics and automation workflows.
• Lead workshops with SMEs to define domain concepts, modeling requirements, and competency questions.
• Implement data quality controls, lineage, validation frameworks, and anomaly detection.
• Develop reusable frameworks for units modeling, hierarchical structures, identifier normalization, and event modeling.
• Mentor engineering teams and contribute to enterprise data modernization strategies.
• Maintain semantic specifications, governance artifacts, workflows, and compliance documentation.
• Participate in DOE/NNSA audits, reviews, and inspections.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Engineering, Information Science, Computer Science, or a related STEM field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in data engineering, semantic modeling, ontology design, or knowledge graph development.
• Experience designing ontologies using OWL, RDF, RDFS, SKOS, SHACL, and SPARQL.
• Hands‑on experience with pipelines for structured, semi-structured, streaming, and unstructured data.
• Experience integrating OT/IoT, edge devices, and SCADA systems into unified data environments.
• Strong knowledge of data architecture principles and modern storage paradigms.
• Proficiency in Python, Java, or Scala.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms and Kubernetes.
• Understanding of semantic governance and lifecycle management.
• Must be a U.S. citizen with ability to obtain and maintain a DOE Q clearance.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, Information Science, or related field.
• Experience in automotive, aerospace, chemical, or high-throughput manufacturing sectors.
• Consulting or enterprise-scale modernization experience.
• Experience with Unified Namespace, data mesh/fabric, and graph-enabled AI frameworks.
• Familiarity with Databricks, Snowflake, or AWS analytics.
• Experience with semantic modularization, versioning, and interoperability.
• Experience leading global engineering teams.

Technologies

• OWL, RDF, RDFS, SKOS, SHACL, SPARQL
• ISA-95, W3C
• Time-series databases, knowledge graphs, lakehouse systems
• R2RML, RML
• Python, Java, Scala
• Kubernetes, cloud platforms
• OT/IoT, edge devices, SCADA systems

Compensation

Pay: $86,450 - $136,000 per year (USD).

Location

On-site in Oak Ridge, Tennessee (Q Clearance Required).

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits.
• Flexible work schedules and paid time off (as applicable).
• Professional development including mentorship and continuing education support.
• An inclusive culture that values diverse perspectives.
• Opportunities to contribute to mission-driven national security programs.
• Continuous learning and training for career growth.

U.S. Citizen and Clearance / Screening

• All candidates must be U.S. citizens.
• Selected applicants are required to successfully complete a pre-employment check and drug screening.
• The position may require the ability to obtain and maintain applicable federal eligibility requirements for access to classified/sensitive information or matter involving an extensive criminal and financial background investigation, drug test, previous employment, and reference verifications.

Federal Contractor / Health and Safety Protocols

• As a federal government contractor, BWX Technologies, Inc. and any subsidiaries, affiliates and related entities comply with federal, state, and local laws and customer requirements regarding health and safety protocols.
• All BWXT new hires will be required to adhere to applicable Company health and safety requirements within the workplace as a condition of employment.

Equal Employment Opportunity

BWXT is committed to the concept of Equal Employment Opportunity.