Sr. Data Engineer (Ontology & Semantic Modeling)We're building a modern data + AI platform where ontologies and semantic models create a consistent understanding of entities, relationships, and meaning across systems. We are seeking a Sr. Data Engineer to design scalable data pipelines, contribute to an ontology-driven semantic layer, and help improve database schema and performance across our platform.
This is a hands-on senior engineering role with meaningful architectural influence.Essential Responsibilities/DutiesDesign, evolve, and maintain ontologies, taxonomies, and semantic modelsDefine entities and relationships; create mappings from source systems into semantic structuresEstablish practical governance practices (versioning, documentation, naming standards)Ensure semantic consistency across pipelines, APIs, and downstream applicationsBuild and operate scalable pipelines using DatabricksDesign reliable, well-structured datasets and transformation frameworksImprove data quality through validation, deduplication, and monitoringOptimize Spark and SQL workloads for performance and cost efficiencyAnalyze existing Postgres schemas and query patterns to identify performance bottlenecksImprove table structures, indexing strategies, and data access patternsReview query execution plans and optimize joins and filtering logicEvaluate trade-offs between normalized, dimensional, and denormalized modelsPartner with engineering teams to resolve latency and scaling challengesStructure datasets and metadata to support LLM and agentic AI workflowsSupport retrieval use cases (RAG / hybrid search) by preparing clean, linked, high-signal dataCollaborate with AI teams to validate semantic consistency and correctnessWork within AWS environments (S3, IAM, compute, managed databases)Collaborate across data engineering, AI, product, and platform teamsDocument architecture decisions, ontology standards, and best practicesMinimum Qualifications5+ years in Data Engineering or Data ArchitectureStrong experience with Databricks + Spark in production environmentsAdvanced SQL and strong data modeling skills (conceptual/logical/physical)Strong experience with Postgres, including schema design and performance tuningExperience building reliable ETL/ELT pipelinesProficiency in Python (or Scala) for data engineering workflowsExperience working in AWS environmentsExperience implementing data quality practices (validation, deduplication, monitoring)Nice to HaveComfortable working with ontology / semantic modeling conceptsKnowledge graph concepts; exposure to RDF/OWL/SPARQLGraph databases (Neo4j, etc.)Experience supporting AI/ML or LLM-based systems (RAG/hybrid retrieval)Experience with orchestration tools (Airflow, Dagster, dbt)Experience with governance/lineage tooling (e.g., Unity Catalog)Travel: 15%Location: Fremont, CA, OfficeHybrid WorkplaceSoundThinking follows a hybrid schedule for employees who live equal to or less than 50 miles from one of our office locations, which include Fremont, CA, Tucson, AZ, Washington, D.C., Orlando, Florida, or Iselin, NJ. Employees are expected to work onsite for a minimum of 3 days per week, unless the advertised role has a specific on-site requirement. The specific days for in-office are dependent on the office location.Compensation: At SoundThinking, we are committed to equitable compensation practices and consider a variety of factors, including skills, experience, and work location. The typical base salary range for this role is $140,000 - $165,000 annually.
This range reflects base salary only and does not include bonus, sales incentives, equity, or benefits, where applicable.Note: The Company reserves exclusive right in its sole discretion to modify, adjust, delete, add or otherwise change the above at any time.SoundThinking provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, SoundThinking complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.SoundThinking expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of SoundThinking's employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.
If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact SoundThinking at for assistance.The above salary is based on a good faith estimate made at the time of publication and may be modified in the future. The pay offered to a candidate may vary within this range depending on factors such as education, experience, and geographic location. VISA SPONSORSHIP NOT AVAILABLE