Principal Ontology Engineer

The Mission

Pavati Solutions is seeking a Principal Ontology Engineer to serve as the lead architect for a unified, vendor agnostic worldview. We aren't looking for someone to configure a tool, we are looking for a Foundational Thinker to design the logic that allows the government to achieve Semantic Sovereignty. While proprietary stacks like Palantir Foundry provide the plumbing, you will be the one architecting the source of truth that ensures the mission remains independent, interoperable, and future proof.

What You’ll Do

• Design the Foundation: Architect and implement ontologies using BFO and OWL to represent complex mission domains.
• Build the Data Fabric: Lead the creation of knowledge graphs and semantic models that allow disparate organizations to speak the same language, enabling true data interoperability.
• Engineer Trust: Use SHACL and SPARQL to build self validating data structures, ensuring that AI/ML teams have high fidelity, trusted data for their models.
• Serve as a Trusted Advisor: Work across agency boundaries to advocate for semantic standards, helping the customer move from legacy data silos to a modern, automated data environment.

Who You Are

• A Foundational Thinker (9–13+ years): You are a master of formal logic who believes that a well designed ontology is the ultimate force multiplier for AI. (Advanced degrees, Masters/PhD, count toward experience).
• Technically Agnostic: You understand the IC/DoW ecosystem and have seen the lock-in risks of proprietary tools. You are driven to build something better, a vendor neutral foundation that works across every platform.
• A "Zero-to-One" Architect: You thrive when translating messy, high stakes mission domains into elegant, BFO compliant models that stand the test of time.

Technical Pillars

• Principled Modeling: Expert command of BFO is essential for this source of truth mission.
• The Semantic Stack: Mastery of OWL, RDF, RDFS, and SPARQL.
• Validation & Logic: Experience with SHACL to ensure that data remains high fidelity across disparate agency feeds.

Why Pavati

• Direct Mission Impact: Your work is the Rosetta Stone that makes national security AI possible.
• The Home Team Support: Even when onsite with the customer, you are part of a collaborative circle of Pavati engineers who have your back.
• Top Tier Compensation: We offer highly competitive packages that recognize the expertise of a Principal level Ontologist.
• More Engineering, Less Corporate: We cut through the noise so you can focus on building the logic that powers the mission.

Benefits

Pavati provides a premium rewards package that includes full employer paid premiums for healthcare, an automatic 6% 401(k) contribution, and a very friendly PTO policy. We further invest in your professional growth through a dedicated annual allowance for education and advanced certifications.

Location & Flexibility: This is a Hybrid role requiring high side access. It is not a fully Remote position. Your time will be split between remote work, client sites, and cleared office space based on the specific needs of the mission.

About Pavati

Pavati is focused on closing the gap between commercial innovation and government adoption. We don’t do business as usual. We help advanced technologies move quickly and securely into operational use by cutting through the noise and focusing on practical, high impact outcomes. If you want to spend more time building and less time navigating bureaucracy, we want to talk.