Principal Engineer, Knowledge Graph

This position is classified as hybrid and the work location is Adelphi Maryland. An on-site presence is expected for meetings summits or events and as accordance with UMGC Travel policy you will be responsible for any expenses incurred from traveling including temporary lodging to Adelphi or locations within the DMV region.

We are seeking a strategic and technically proficient Principal Engineer Knowledge Graph to lead the design development and implementation of enterprise-grade knowledge graph solutions. This leader will be responsible for driving semantic data modeling graph-based AI/ML solutions and graph database architecture (with an emphasis on Neo4j) in support of our data and AI strategy execution.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in graph modeling and implementation ontology development graph machine learning and semantic technologies and is skilled in understanding business goals and requirements and reflecting them in systems implementations that consider current and emerging needs. You will collaborate across data science engineering and product teams to embed graph intelligence into enterprise systems using platforms like Neo4j and Databricks.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the enterprise knowledge graph development and operationalization including data modeling ontology and taxonomy development semantic modeling and integration with machine learning and business platforms.

• Design and manage complex graph data models and ontologies using W3C standards (RDF OWL SKOS SHACL) to support data standardization discovery and analytics.

• Develop and implement graph-based machine learning models (e.g. GNNs link prediction GraphRAG) to support key business capabilities such as personalized learning intelligent search and recommendation systems.

• Drive the use of NEO4J for graph data storage querying (Cypher) and integration into enterprise pipelines.

• Collaborate with AI/ML engineers to fine-tune LLMs and integrate graph data into intelligent agents and semantic search systems.

• Provide architectural leadership for semantic pipelines and Databricks integration supporting both batch and real-time graph analytics.

• Champion the adoption of graph-based AI/ML especially in online higher education use cases.

• Translate evolving business needs into a prioritized roadmap for knowledge graph implementation and continuous improvement.

• Stay abreast of developments in graph database graph AI/ML semantic web agent-based systems and enterprise AI platforms.

Education & Experience Requirements:

Education:

• Masters Degree in Information science Library and Information Science Data Science Ontology Computer Science Engineering or a related field.

Experience:

• 6 years of experience in ontology development semantics or graph modeling including W3C standards (RDF OWL SKOS SHACL).

• 5 years of hands-on experience designing and implementing knowledge graphs using NEO4J including Cypher queries and graph modeling and graph database design and operations best practices.

• Proven experience implementing graph-based machine learning models (e.g. GNNs GraphRAG).

• Experience working with Databricks and Spark-based data workflows.

• Demonstrated ability to lead enterprise-level data integration initiatives and semantic modeling projects.

• Strong programming skills in Python including ML libraries (e.g. PyTorch TensorFlow) and graph libraries (e.g. DGL NetworkX NEO4J Python driver).

• Excellent stakeholder communication and team leadership skills.

• Experience supporting online platforms ideally in online education or digital business ecosystems.

Preferred Requirements:

Education:

• Ph.D. Degree in Information science Library and Information Science Data Science Ontology Computer Science Engineering or a related field.

Experience:

• Experience integrating knowledge graphs with LLMs prompt engineering and AI agents (e.g. LangGraph CrewAI).

• Familiarity with graph query optimization entity resolution and knowledge extraction from structured and unstructured data.

• Experience with graph data cataloging tools (e.g. Stardog PoolParty TopQuadrant).

All submissions should include a cover letter and resume.

The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination. UMGC is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race color national origin age marital status sex sexual orientation gender identity gender expression disability religion ancestry political affiliation or veteran status in employment educational programs and activities and admissions.

Workplace Accommodations:

The University of Maryland Global Campus Global Campus (UMGC) is committed to creating and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive working environment for people of all abilities. UMGC is dedicated to the principle that no qualified individual with a disability shall based on disability be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services programs or activities of the University or be subjected to discrimination. For information about UMGCs Reasonable Workplace Accommodation Policy or to request an accommodation applicants/candidates can contact Employee Accommodations via email at.

Benefits Package Highlights:

• Generous Time Off:Enjoy 22 days of paid vacation 15 days of sick leave 3 personal days and 15 paid holidays (16 during general election years). For part-time employees time off rates will be prorated based on the number of hours worked.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage:Access to health care medical with vision dental and prescription plans for both individuals and families effective from the 1st of the month following your hire date.
• Insurance Options:Term Life Insurance Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance and Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance. Part-time employees working less than 0.5 FTE are not eligible for LTD.
• Flexible Spending Accounts:Available for medical and dependent care expenses.
• Retirement Plans:Choose between the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) or the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System (MSRPS).
• Supplemental Retirement Plans: include 401(k) 403(b) 457(b) and various Roth options. The university does not provide matching funds.
• Tuition Remission:Immediate availability for Regular Exempt Staff. Spouses and dependent children are eligible for undergraduate tuition remission after two years of service. NOTE: For part-time employees (at least 50 percent of the time) tuition remission benefits are prorated.

Hiring Range: