Senior Knowledge Graph Data Engineer - QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey

McKinsey & Company; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 176,000 - 179,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Retirement contributions program

Paid time off

Job summary

McKinsey & Company in Chicago is seeking a data engineer to design and build graph-centric data pipelines and a semantic data layer that powers GenAI applications. You will develop a platform deployed across regions and functions, combining AI capabilities, domain expertise, and human judgment.

The role requires 5+ years in data engineering, experience with AWS, Docker, Python, and knowledge graphs. You will write production-grade code with tests, implement CI/CD, and optimize data pipelines for

Qualifications

• Degree in CS/Engineering or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in data engineering or related field.
• Strong experience with AWS cloud-based data engineering.

Responsibilities

• Design and evolve entity/relationship models and taxonomies.
• Implement ingestion, normalization, and enrichment mapping sources to graph schemas.
• Write production-grade Python code with tests; maintain CI/CD pipelines; operate AWS- and Docker-based infrastructure.

Skills

Data engineering

Python development

Knowledge graphs

Docker

AWS

Relational databases

Testing automation

CI/CD

GitHub Actions

GenAI interest

Kedro

Strong communication

Education

Degree in CS/Engineering or equivalent experience

5+ years of relevant experience

Tools

GitHub Actions

Kedro

AWS

Job description

Locations

• Atlanta
• Boston
• Chicago
• New York City

YOUR IMPACT

• You will build graph-centric data pipelines and a semantic data layer that powers GenAI applications.
• You’ll build a platform that will be deployed across regions, sectors and functions. Focusing on a distinctive combination of AI capabilities, domain expertise, and human judgement. Your work will be at the forefront of developing exciting technology for our firm.
• You’ll design and evolve entity/relationship models, taxonomies, and identifiers; implement ingestion, normalization, and enrichment that maps heterogeneous sources to graph schemas; perform entity resolution and semantic tagging; validate structures; and publish data to graph stores.
• You’ll write production‑grade Python code with comprehensive tests, create and modify GitHub Actions CI/CD pipelines, and operate AWS- and Docker‑based infrastructure to deliver reliable, scalable knowledge graph data services.

YOUR GROWTH

Driving lasting impact and building long‑term capabilities with our clients is not easy work. You are the kind of person who thrives in a high performance/high reward culture - doing hard things, picking yourself up when you stumble, and having the resilience to try another way forward.

In return for your drive, determination, and curiosity, we’ll provide the resources, mentorship, and opportunities you need to become a stronger leader faster than you ever thought possible. Your colleagues‑at all levels‑will invest deeply in your development, just as much as they invest in delivering exceptional results for clients. Every day, you’ll receive apprenticeship, coaching, and exposure that will accelerate your growth in ways you won’t find anywhere else.

When you join us, you will have:

• Continuous learning: Our learning and apprenticeship culture, backed by structured programs, is all about helping you grow while creating an environment where feedback is clear, actionable, and focused on your development. The real magic happens when you take the input from others to heart and embrace the fast‑paced learning experience, owning your journey.
• A voice that matters: From day one, we value your ideas and contributions. You’ll make a tangible impact by offering innovative ideas and practical solutions, all while upholding our unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. We not only encourage diverse perspectives, but they are critical in driving us toward the best possible outcomes.
• Global community: With colleagues across 65+ countries and over 100 different nationalities, our firm’s diversity fuels creativity and helps us come up with the best solutions for our clients. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to learn from exceptional colleagues with diverse backgrounds and experiences.
• World‑class benefits: On top of a competitive salary (based on your location, experience, and skills), we provide a comprehensive benefits package to enable holistic well‑being for you and your family.

YOUR QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Degree in CS/Engineering or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of relevant experience which may include a combination of professional work experience and relevant education
• Data engineering experience, with a strong focus on cloud‑based data engineering using AWS services; Previous enterprise platform experience preferred
• Expertise with Python development with strong experience with relational databases
• Experience with knowledge graphs
• Practicing high coding standards with clean code, modularity, error handling, testing automation and more
• Very driven, super strong on execution and output orientation, likes to get job done attitude and ability to figure things out independently. Able to work in a complex and very fast paced environment
• Hands‑on experience with Docker
• Solid and demonstrable background in data pipeline performance and diagnostics
• Interest in Generative AI and other ML topics. Kedro framework experience as a plus
• Excellent problem‑solving skills and the ability to analyze and resolve complex data engineering challenges
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a cross‑functional team environment

Please review the additional requirements regarding essential job functions of McKinsey colleagues.

Our unwavering commitment to integrity drives everything we do, guiding us to always act in the best interests of our clients, our people, and the communities we serve.

Industries

Capabilities

FOR U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Certain US jurisdictions require McKinsey & Company to include a reasonable estimate of the salary for this role. To help you understand what you can expect, the salary range for new joiners in this role in United States, including all office locations where the job may be performed, is $176,000 - $179,500 USD gross per year. This reflects our best estimate of the lowest to highest salary/hourly wages for this role at the time of this posting, ensuring you have a clear picture right from the start, though it's important to remember that actual salaries may vary. Factors like your office location, your unique blend of experience and skills, start date and our current organizational needs all play a part in determining the final figure. Certain roles are also eligible for bonuses, subject to McKinsey's discretion and based on factors such as individual and/or organizational performance.

Additionally, we provide a comprehensive benefits package that reflects our commitment to the wellness of our colleagues and their families. This includes:

• Medical coverage
• Mental health coverage
• Dental and vision coverage
• Telemedicine services
• Life insurance
• Accident and disability insurance
• Parental leave and family planning benefits
• Caregiving resources
• A generous retirement contributions program
• Financial guidance
• Paid time off

FOR NON-U.S. APPLICANTS: McKinsey & Company is an Equal Opportunity employer. For additional details regarding our global EEO policy and diversity initiatives, please visit our McKinsey Careers and Diversity & Inclusion sites.