Senior Data Engineer (Graph focused), Fixed Term - Toronto

Senior Data Engineer – Fixed Term Contract

This is a 6‑month fixed‑term salaried contract located in Ontario, Canada (preferably Toronto).

The Senior Data Engineer will be a core technical contributor on the evaluation team for one of our most relevant clients in AMER. Your primary task will be to determine whether an enterprise‑scale knowledge graph requires a purpose‑built graph database or whether PostgreSQL can carry the load. The work is hands‑on and benchmark‑driven, focusing on measured results rather than opinions.

What You’ll Do

• Pull data from Databricks, transform it, and load it into multiple graph database candidates – then tear them down and repeat under controlled, repeatable conditions.
• Build and manage relationship structures and entity linkages within each graph database to mirror real production data models.
• Implement benchmark queries in each technology’s native language (Cypher, GSQL, nGQL, AQL, OpenCypher) and as PostgreSQL recursive CTEs for the baseline.
• Build APIs against each candidate to evaluate real‑world query performance across use cases.
• Contribute scored candidate evaluations and written analysis to a final technology recommendation presented to engineering and architecture leadership.

What You Bring

• Databricks fluency.
• Hands‑on experience with at least two graph databases—Neo4j and/or TigerGraph strongly preferred—and working proficiency in Cypher at minimum.
• Strong PostgreSQL skills: recursive CTEs, materialized views, query plan analysis, index strategy.
• Comfort spinning up and tearing down database environments repeatedly in a structured evaluation context.
• Experience designing and executing structured technology benchmarks at enterprise scale.
• Bonus: KYC/AML domain knowledge, Kubernetes for database workloads, or AWS‑native database deployment.

Benefits

• 15 days holiday per annum, pro rata.
• 10 paid sick days off, not pro rata.
• Flexible hybrid working policy.
• Buddy Program to support you in your first weeks.
• Opportunities to work with a diverse range of global clients across all industries.
• Training, development, and certification support to further develop your skills.
• Annual community service month where employees volunteer skills to local charities.
• Office perks including biweekly breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and regular team events.

Equal Opportunity and Accommodations

DEPT is an equal opportunity employer. We believe our work is best when our people feel safe and free to be themselves. We’re committed to an inclusive and barrier‑free recruitment and selection process and workplace, regardless of anyone’s lived experience, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. If you need accommodations, please let us know. It’s confidential and used only to support you at every step.

DEPT participates in E‑Verify, meaning your Form I‑9 information will be sent to the federal government to confirm you are authorized to work in the U.S.