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

WHY DEPT®? We are pioneers at heart. What this means, is that we are always leaning forward, thinking of what we can create tomorrow that does not exist today. We were born digital and we are a new model of agency, with a deep skillset in tech and marketing. That’s why we hire curious, self-driven, talented people who never stop innovating. Our culture is big enough to cope and small enough to care. Meaning, that with people across 20+ countries, we’re big enough to provide you with the best tools, global opportunities, and benefits that help you thrive. While acting small by investing in you, your growth, your team, and giving you the autonomy to solve our clients' problems, no matter where you are in the world. This is a 6 month fixed term salaried contract, located in Ontario Canada. Preferably in Toronto. The Role: The Senior Data Engineer will be a core technical contributor on the evaluation team within one of our most relevant clients in AMER. Will be responsible for determining 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 — measured results, not opinions. What You’ll Do: Pull data from Databricks, transform it, and load it into multiple graph database candidates — then tear them down and do it again 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 WHAT DO WE OFFER? We are a collaborative, open-door, best-idea-wins environment that fosters personal and company growth and has fun doing it. Here is a snapshot of our benefits package: 15 days holiday (per annum, pro rata) 10 paid sick days off, not pro rata A flexible, hybrid working policy Buddy Program: You will be paired with a ‘Buddy’ to help you through your first weeks’ at DEPT® A reputation for doing good. DEPT® has been a Certified B Corp® since 2021 and named ‘Agency of the Year’ at both The Lovies and The Webby Awards. Awesome clients. Whether big or small, local or global — at DEPT® you’ll get the opportunity to work with clients of all sizes and across all industries. And we celebrate all of our successes together! The opportunity for possibility. We want to enable you to do what you do best and help you develop your skills further with training, development and certifications. Global annual DEPT® Cares Month in which employees come together and donate their skills to support local charities. Tons of Office perks in our Toronto office! Enjoy biweekly breakfasts and lunches, tons of free snacks, and of course team events on the regular! WE SUPPORT YOU BEING YOU: DEPT® is an equal opportunity employer (EOE). We believe our work is its 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, and genetic information. So tell us about any accommodations you need. It’s totally confidential and only used to make sure you feel fully supported 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. We are a B Corp-certified company passionate about purpose-driven work . Our hope is that you can feel good about the contributions DEPT® is making to the world and we always have an open door for your ideas in making the world a better place. DEPT® is a pioneering technology and marketing services company that creates integrated end-to-end digital experiences for brands such as Google, KFC, Philips, Audi, Twitch, Patagonia, eBay and more. Its team of 2,500+ digital specialists across 30+ locations on 5 continents delivers pioneering work on a global scale with a boutique culture. Learn more about DEPT® DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION At DEPT®, we take pride in creating an inclusive workplace where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive. We actively seek to recruit, develop, nurture, and retain talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, with varying skills and perspectives. Not sure you meet all qualifications? Apply, and let us decide! Research shows that women and members of underrepresented groups tend not to apply for jobs when they think they may not meet every requirement, when in fact they do. We believe in giving everyone a fair chance to shine. We also encourage you to reach out to us and discuss any reasonable adjustments we can make to support you throughout the recruitment process and your time with us. Want to know more about our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion? Check out our efforts here . #LI-Remote