Ontology & Knowledge Graph Engineer

Ontology & Knowledge Graph Engineer

Location: United States – Remote
Engagement: 1099 Independent Contractor
Experience: 7+ years

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Ontology & Knowledge Graph Engineer to help build the semantic foundation for healthcare data and AI applications.

You will work at the intersection of healthcare data, knowledge representation, graph technologies, and AI. The role involves turning complex business and domain knowledge into structured models that can be understood and used by data platforms, analytics solutions, knowledge graphs, and intelligent applications.

The ideal candidate is someone who enjoys solving complex modeling problems, experimenting with different approaches, and working closely with both technical teams and healthcare domain experts.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and maintain semantic models and ontologies for healthcare and administrative data.
• Develop knowledge representations using technologies such as RDF, OWL, and SKOS.
• Translate complex business concepts, relationships, and rules into structured and reusable models.
• Map internal data and terminology to healthcare standards such as FHIR, SNOMED CT, and ICD.
• Use SPARQL to query, analyze, and validate knowledge graph data.
• Work with subject-matter experts to capture domain knowledge and convert it into formal representations.
• Evaluate different modeling approaches and clearly communicate their technical tradeoffs.
• Contribute to knowledge graph architecture and graph database design.
• Work with technologies such as Neo4j, TypeDB, or similar graph platforms.
• Collaborate with data engineers and AI teams to make semantic data available to downstream applications.
• Prototype and test modeling approaches before making architectural decisions.
• Establish reusable modeling patterns and contribute to ontology governance and best practices.
• Stay current with developments in semantic technologies, knowledge graphs, healthcare data standards, and AI.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in data engineering, knowledge engineering, semantic technologies, or a related field.
• Strong hands-on experience with ontology development and knowledge representation.
• Practical experience with RDF, OWL, SKOS, or comparable semantic technologies.
• Strong understanding of SPARQL and experience querying RDF/knowledge graph data.
• Hands-on experience with Protégé or a comparable ontology authoring tool.
• Understanding of ontology design principles and reusable modeling patterns.
• Experience working with healthcare data standards such as FHIR, SNOMED CT, or ICD.
• Experience with at least one graph database or knowledge graph platform, such as Neo4j or TypeDB.
• Proficiency in Python.
• Working knowledge of SQL and NoSQL databases.
• Understanding of how structured knowledge and semantic data can support AI and analytics applications.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to explain technical concepts and modeling decisions to both technical and business stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ontology reasoning tools such as HermiT, Pellet, or ELK.
• Familiarity with SHACL for validating data structures and graph constraints.
• Experience with healthcare terminology services, UMLS, or terminology servers.
• Experience integrating knowledge graphs with AI/ML systems.
• Experience with semantic search, entity resolution, or knowledge graph-based applications.
• Experience working in complex healthcare or enterprise data environments.
• Familiarity with modern AI/ML frameworks and applications involving Generative AI or intelligent agents.

What You’ll Bring

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• The ability to understand complex business concepts and represent them in a structured form.
• A practical, experimentation-driven approach to architecture and modeling.
• The ability to balance technical quality with real-world business requirements.
• Strong collaboration skills when working with engineers, architects, analysts, and domain experts.

Engagement Details

• Location: United States – Remote
• Engagement Type: 1099 Independent Contractor
• Experience Level: Senior / 7+ years