WHO are we looking for?

CAPTRUST is seeking a Principal Semantic Engineer to design, build, and govern the semantic and knowledge foundations that make AI trustworthy, explainable, and scalable across the firm. This role focuses on enabling high‑impact AI capabilities such as copilots, agentic analytics, and decision support by ensuring business meaning, relationships, and metadata are clearly defined, aligned, and exposed to AI systems. This position is ideal for an experienced data professional who combines strong engineering skills with deep understanding of semantics, governance, and enterprise context, partnering closely with data engineers, analytics teams, data stewards, and business owners to architect and deploy reliable AI solutions.

• Design and maintain the knowledge layer that supports priority AI use cases, including semantic models, business definitions, and entity relationship, applying ontology and semantic design where it directly enables consistent, trustworthy AI outcomes.
• Define how curated data products, metrics, and metadata are exposed to AI models (e.g., RAG, prompt context, embeddings) to ensure consistent and explainable outputs.
• Partner with data engineers and analytics engineers to integrate semantic and metadata standards into Fabric, dbt models, metrics layers, and deployment pipelines.
• Collaborate with data stewards and business owners to resolve semantic ambiguity, align definitions, and document assumptions that impact AI behavior.
• Establish AI‑readiness and usage metadata, including lineage, sensitivity, usage constraints, and trust signals that guide responsible AI consumption.
• Actively participate in AI strategy conversations, advising on model selection, grounding approaches, and guardrails from a knowledge and trust perspective.
• Promote best practices for semantic modeling, knowledge representation, and AI governance through documentation, patterns, and enablement.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in data analytics, computer science, information systems, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• 6+ years of experience in data engineering, data architecture, or a closely related role.
  • Strong SQL proficiency and experience working with analytical data models
•  Hands‑on experience with semantic modeling and metrics layers.
• Working knowledge of data governance concepts including definitions, metadata, lineage, stewardship, and data products.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical and conceptual topics in business‑friendly terms.

Desired Qualifications/Skills:

• Experience with dbt (models, metrics, documentation, sources, and tests) as a system of record for analytics and semantics.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Fabric, Power BI semantic models, or similar analytics platforms.
• Exposure to AI or ML systems, including LLMs, RAG patterns, embeddings, or AI copilots, with an emphasis on context and grounding.
• Experience designing ontologies or knowledge graphs in a data or analytics context.
• Understanding of AI governance, principles, and risk considerations.
• Comfort operating in ambiguous problem spaces and bringing structure and alignment.
• High standard of professionalism and integrity.

WHAT can you expect from your career at CAPTRUST?

Our colleagues, like our clients, tend to stay with CAPTRUST for years. There’s a reason for it; it’s a great culture in which to work and grow. We all work together, each of us motivating those around us with our commitment to high standards. At CAPTRUST, expect a fully stocked break room, fun employee events, and a quality team surrounding you with opportunities for personal growth.

Our Employee Benefits Package shows how much we value our team. Some benefits include:

• Company discretionary bonus.
• Health, dental, and vision coverage, employer 401(k) plan and company match, health savings accounts, flexible spending accounts, and voluntary supplemental plans subject to plan terms
•  Company-paid benefits such as life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability, subject to applicable waiting periods.
• Paid time off (PTO) or Paid Sick Leave (PSL)

WHERE will you be working?

4208 Six Forks Rd #1700 | Raleigh, NC 27609

Due to the nature of the role, this is not a remote or work from home position. #LI-Onsite

HOW do we build a world class organization one brick at a time?

We make it a priority to hire those who have a commitment to service, a real interest in other people, and a passion to continuously improve. Simply put: the difference at CAPTRUST is the quality of our people and depth of our bench. If you are ready to make your mark, we want to talk to you.

Are you the next brick?

To get it done the CAPTRUST Way, an individual should exhibit the following characteristics:

• Ability to build successful, collaborative, and trusting relationships
• Instinctive aptitude for consistently creating accurate, concise, respectful, and easy-to-understand verbal and written communications conveying complex information
•  A strong sense of urgency about getting work done and solving problems to achieve results that benefit our clients and colleagues, even when faced with challenges
• Inherent desire to give back to our communities and enrich the lives of those around us
• An other-centered mindset
•  Integrity through maintaining objectivity

EEO/Diversity Statement:

At CAPTRUST, we are committed to building and maintaining a diverse workforce and inclusive work environment where ALL colleagues feel authentically seen, respected, and supported.

It is our intent to maintain a work environment that is free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation because of sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or other related medical conditions), gender, race (including hair texture or hairstyles associated with race), religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, protected veteran status, uniformed service, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws.#mid-senior

This position will remain open until filled.