Pierre Semaan
Senior Data Engineer
About
Pierre hails from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. He has earned a diploma in Applied Information Technology from the Information Technology Institute, and a Business Administration degree (Accounting Concentration) from the University College of Cape Breton. Upon graduating from ITI in May 1999, Pierre travelled to Raleigh, North Carolina to start his professional career. After living in the North Carolina area for 10 years, Pierre moved back to Nova Scotia, where he resided for 11 years before moving to Moncton, New Brunswick in October of 2020. Pierre has extensive experience developing and supporting internet, intranet and n-tier database-driven solutions in varying development languages and environments. Pierre has twenty-six years of experience in database design, development, and administration, as well as experience in administering a variety of cloud, server and operating system environments.
Work Experience
Semafor
New York, NY
Semafor is the world’s first news platform designed to meet the moment we are in. Providing audiences with an unparalleled level of journalistic transparency through innovative new forms, cutting through the noise of the news cycle with smart, distilled views and exploring competing perspectives across borders for a curious, new global audience.
November 2022 – Present
Senior Data Engineer
As a senior data engineer at Semafor, I’ve built scalable systems, automated internal workflows, and developed tools that power insights and marketing operations across the company. Highlights include:
Highlights
- Built and maintained 100+ DBT models powering executive dashboards, website behavior analytics, content tagging, churn prediction, and our Unified Data Platform (UDP).
- Designed a robust DBT testing suite and implemented snapshot strategies to track changes, enabling reliable historical analysis and downstream workflows.
- Used DBT snapshot changes to power a HubSpot contact sync integration, ensuring up-to-date contact metadata for the Marketing team.
- Built internal tools in Python and Flask, including: A DSAR automation platform (V2–V3) with PII scrubbing, a ZoomInfo uploader, a Content tagging pipeline (via ChatGPT & BigQuery), a PDF ingestion & parsing engine, and data connectors for Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Ads, and more
- Refactored DBT models and optimized BigQuery usage, significantly reducing cost and improving performance.
- Migrated manual and one-off SQL scripts into version-controlled DBT workflows and helped define modern data engineering practices.
- Environment: Google Cloud (GCP), Google BigQuery, DBT, Python, PostgreSQL, GitHub, Looker, Google Run, CI/CD
StellarAlgo
Calgary, Alberta
The Customer Cloud Platform for the Sports & Live Audience Industry
August 2021 – November 2022
Senior Data Engineer
As a senior data engineer on the Stellaralgo data engineering team, day-to-day work included:
Highlights
- Designing and performing data-integration development work and assisting with data migration tasks using Python-based Lambda Functions and Glue ETL jobs to ingest customer data from REST APIs and flat files (text and CSV)
- Migrating existing customer loads to a productized SQL Server load, pushing migrated data into a single customer view CDP model
- Leading and planning sprints
- Mentoring (data) developers
- Peer-reviewing team members' code
- Environment: AWS, SQL Server RDS, Lambda Functions, Glue ETL Jobs, S3, Amazon EC2, EventBridge, AWS Identity and Access Management
Lixar, Fuelled by BDO
Halifax, Nova Scotia
An end-to-end technology solutions provider, helping businesses accelerate and grow from coast-to-coast.
June 2019 – August 2021
Senior Data Engineer
Worked directly with multiple Lixar clients in the role of Senior Data Engineer to complete the projects listed
Highlights
- Teesnap: delivered customer-requested golf course management software solution OLTP and Datamart changes; automated and delivered SSIS ETL Package releases using flyway and Python scripting to handle OLTP to datamart script change migrations. Created and updated DDL and DML queries, procedures, views, and functions for Datamart modifications in both the client's on-premises servers and their AWS environment. Supported client AWS RDS environment setup for a lift and shift to the cloud. Created new, and modified existing, customer-facing Tableau reports to encompass requested OLTP and datamart changes.
- Bonavista Energy: helped migrate an on-premises SQL Server data warehouse to an Azure Synapse Analytics server, using Azure data factory to build pipelines, data sets, and manipulate blob storage to migrate tables containing hundreds of millions of records and recreate them in the cloud to help reduce administrative overhead.
- Scotiabank: Built several functioning proof of concepts that included an SSIS package that handles processing dynamically-created SSAS partitions thru the use of JSON, and configuration tables, allowing the client to process data changes on a daily basis, instead of performing a full refresh, as well as reducing processing times from 12 hours to mere minutes; wrote and ran scripts to identify and create missing indexes, and clean up unused indexes; Used Attunity SSIS Oracle Connectors to create SSIS packages that allowed the client to run data extracts from an Oracle environment in parallel, significantly decreasing processing time.
- Bell Canada: provided mentorship to more junior resources for SQL query performance tuning tips
- Environment: SQL Server 2016; MySQL 5.6+; AWS Relational Database Service (RDS); Tableau 2018; GIT; Jira; Business Intelligence Markup Language (BIML); SQL Server Data Tools; Flyway; Python; ETL packages; SSIS; SSAS; Azure Synapse Analytics; Azure Data Factory pipelines and datasets
Avenu Insights
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
An end-to-end technology solutions provider, helping businesses accelerate and grow from coast-to-coast.
November 2018 – June 2019
Senior Engineer/Reports Team Lead
Worked as a member of the corporate team, focused on providing outstanding business solution services on the Finance & Tax Solutions team
Highlights
- Primary responsibilities included: lead a team of 6 off-shore reports developers
- Ensured all assigned work was completed during each sprint by the group
- Ran daily scrums, helping to remove any impediments, troubleshooting any issues
- Tuned any poorly performing code, and provided general development advice and feedback.
- Environment: SQL Server 2016; SQL Server Reporting Services 2016; SQL Server Information Services; .NET Framework 4.5 & 2.0; WPF; WCF; winforms; C#; Entity Framework 5 and 6
Mariner Innovations
Halifax, Nova Scotia
An end-to-end technology solutions provider, helping businesses accelerate and grow from coast-to-coast.
September 2015 – October 2018
Senior Developer/Team Lead
Worked as a consultant at Bell Aliant in the role of programmer analyst, first as a member of the former Call-Center Operations Management team and then as a member on the Work-Force Management team
Highlights
- Day-to-day work included troubleshooting issues in the Microsoft SQL Server environment (SSMS, SSRS, SSIS, and SSAS)
- Created new, and modified existing, database applications
- Created new, and modified existing, ASP.Net web applications for various contact center environments
- Environment: SQL Server 2008 R2; SQL Server Reporting Services 2012; Analysis Services; .NET Framework 4.5 & 2.0; ASP.Net; C#; VB.Net; MVC5; Entity Framework 5 and 6; HTML5; CSS; JavaScript; jQuery; bootstrap; ASP; Telerik controls
Knowledge-Vault.com
Bedford, Nova Scotia
October 2014 – September 2015
.Net/Web Developer
Worked as a member of a 4-person development team
Highlights
- Developed a cloud-based SAAS product for data collections of Office 365, Dropbox for Business, Box.Net, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Skype for Business environments
- Worked closely with product management to design and implement features, develop a platform for data collection and processing, and create an online sales integration and lead tracking system utilizing Act-On, Stripe.Net and SalesForce.com
- Environment: Windows Azure Cloud Services; Microsoft SQL Server 2012; SSRS 2012; SSIS 2012; SSAS; MDX; Visual Studio 2013; C#; Powershell; HTML5; CSS; JavaScript; jQuery; ASP.NET MVC and Web API (C#); Hadoop/HDInsight
Xerox
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
March 2014 – October 2014
SQL Server Reports Developer (Contract)
Highlights
- Lead a team of 3 developers, sharing responsibility amongst the team for the development of 70 SSRS reports that integrated with the Xerox Services Land Records Management Suite (LRMS)
- Responsibilities included working on the layout and design of reports, architecting the design of the reporting data warehouse, writing complex SQL stored procedures, assigning developer tasks, managing priorities and timelines, estimating the amount of work required for each report, documenting report requirements, and mentoring other developers
- Environment: SQL Server 2012; SQL Server Reporting Services 2012; SQL Server Integration Services 2012; Microsoft Business Intelligence Development Studio (BIDS)
Senior Associate, Technology
Highlights
- Developed SQL Server 2012 reports against an Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment using the FetchXML protocol
- Set up, administered and supported Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, 2010 and 2013 environments
- Offered technical expertise in relation to SharePoint Data Migration, Backups and Recovery
- Setup and maintained various development environments with different hardware/software
- Assisted in responding to Project proposals including RFQs, RFIs and RFPs
- Environment: SQL Server 2008 and 2012; Microsoft Dynamics CRM; SharePoint Server 2007, 2010 and 2013
Halifax Regional Municipality
Halifax, Nova Scotia
November 2012 – February 2013
SSIS Developer (Contract)
Highlights
- Automated the data extract, transfer and load (ETL) routines between various Oracle 11g source and SQL Server 2008 target data sources, using Microsoft SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS)
- Created SSIS packages, DB schemas, tables, views and stored procedures defined in the detail design
- Worked with the DBA to create and configure scheduled jobs
- Worked on unit test plans and test cases; Conducted unit tests and documented the test results
- Fixed defects
- Environment: SQL Server 2008; SQL Server Integration Services; Oracle 11g;
Seaboard Transport
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
February 2012 – October 2012
IT Analyst
Highlights
- Provided IT leadership, development and support for in-house and third party applications
- Acted as a Technical Lead to other developers and project leaders, interfacing with other organizations of the company and acting as a liaison on both technical and non-technical matters
- Environment: SQL Server 2000, 2008; SSRS; C#; VB.Net; ASP.Net; VB6; ASP; MS Access; TMW Suite; Peoplenet
Halifax Regional School Board
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
November 2010 – February 2012
Senior Web Developer/DBA
Highlights
- Developed and maintained database-related services along with Intranet services (Web, FTP and Broadcast Servers) within the Halifax Regional School Board domain
- Ensured database-related applications were operating at efficient levels for all users
- Built interactivity (i.e. self-service options) into Halifax Regional School Board databases
- Environment: SQL Server 2000, 2008; C#; VB.Net; ASP.Net; ASP; MS Access
Support Engineer
Highlights
- Provided high quality technical support to developer and enterprise customers using Quest SharePoint tools, responding to support requests through a combination of phone and email communications
- Environment: Quest SharePoint tools; SharePoint 2003, MOSS 2007, MOSS 2010; Windows Server 2003, 2008; SQL Server 2000, 2005, 2008; T-SQL; IIS 6 and 7
Sports Direct, Inc
Halifax, Nova Scotia
October 2009 – March 2010
Web App Developer (Contract)
Highlights
- Programmed, debugged, optimized, tested, and documented solutions
- Mapped Java Classes to database tables and Java data types to SQL data types, along with querying and retrieving SQL data, using a combination of the Spring Framework and Hibernate
- Supported, maintained and extended existing Visual Studio .Net Framework 2.0 and Java solutions
- Environment: SQL Server 2000 and 2008; .Net Framework 2.0 and 3.5; Java/JSP/Spring/Hibernate
MIIS Support Engineeer III (Contract)
Highlights
- Provided high quality technical support to developer and enterprise customers using Microsoft's Identity Management software suite, responding to customer technical support and advisory requests through a combination of phone and email communications using a team based and solution-centered approach.
- Environment: FIM 2010, ILM 2007, MIIS 2003, IIFP, Active Directory, Password Change Notification Services (PCNS), SQL Server, C# and VB.Net, MS Exchange and Windows Server technologies, MOSS 2010 administration
Developer 3 (Contract)
Highlights
- Provided support for, and created, new applications used by both the Security and HR departments.
- Supported and created one-off applications in the following areas: Workforce Identification Policy (WIP) Application; Active Directory Search Engine; DS Query and Authentication Web Services; Active Directory User Extract; Active Directory Group Membership; Initialization Tool; ITROM (Information Technology Resource Owner Management) Application;
- Configured and maintained applications residing on multiple application servers
- Designed, coded, tested, and implemented software enhancements and fixes utilizing recently implemented SDLC Methodology; consulted with process owners on solutions.
- Environment: .Net Framework 2.0 3.5; C#; VB.Net; ASP.Net; ASP; Windows Server 2003 and 2008; SQL Server 2000, 2005 and 2008; T-SQL; IIS 6;
Wachovia, Inc
Charlotte, North Carolina
June 2007 – September 2007
Senior Developer (Contract)
Highlights
- Performed application development and production support for the existing CIBOS application, creating enhancements, additional reporting and data feeds as required by business specifications
- Developed an internal Reporting solution
- Created complex stored procedures, triggers and views
- Collaborated with other developers to create optimal, maintainable, and scalable architecture and design; Performed GUI enhancements
- Environment: .Net Framework 2.0; ADO.Net; MS SQL Reporting Services 2005; Sybase 12.5.2
Senior Developer
Highlights
- Created and enhanced new products to satisfy business owner needs
- Acted as a technical lead to other developers in creating, maintaining and enhancing company products and technologies
- Defined, designed, coded, tested and debugged complex, multi-tier distributed software applications
- Developed functional specifications
- Designed and developed feature-rich user interfaces
- Assisted in estimating development efforts and planned implementations and rollouts of system changes
- Coded in accordance with detailed technical design and standards
- Conducted peer code reviews
- Performed unit/integration testing of all project components
- Environment: .Net Framework 1.0, 1.1, 2.0; C#; ASP.Net; VB6; ASP; XML; XSLT; SQL Server 2000, 2008
Insurance Claims Adjusters
Charlotte, North Carolina
May 2003 – August 2004
IT Manager
Highlights
- Updated an existing desktop application, while moving the application to a web-based application
- Served as the Database Administrator, providing changes/updates to tables, functions, stored procedures and views
- Handled routine database backups
- Maintained all db user permissions
- Served as the Network administrator and handled all purchasing decisions enterprise-wide
- Environment: VB6/ASP/Com/Crystal Reports 9 application, interfacing with a SQL Server 2000 database
Senior Developer
Highlights
- Developed 7 internet/intranet project sites for nationwide clients including Internet-based payroll and billing systems and a vehicle maintenance and fleet management system all accessed via browser, allowing for a centralized, easy-to-use system that expedited end-user report creation
- Environment: ASP, ActiveX controls, MS Com Services, VB6, XML, XSL, MS SQL Server 2000 and Crystal Reports 8.5
Ballantyne Consulting Group
Charlotte, North Carolina
March 2000 – May 2001
Senior Consultant
Highlights
- Served as a senior member of the E-Business/Custom Development practice area, responsible for full life-cycle, custom development and database integration, with an emphasis on Intranet/Extranet E -Business solutions
- Performed application requirements analysis, client/server and n-tier system development, logical and physical data modeling and data migration
- Environment: Microsoft Active Server Pages (ASP), ActiveX, Transaction Server, COM, Visual Basic, T-SQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Seagate Crystal Reports, Cold Fusion and Microsoft Access
Total Sports
Raleigh, North Carolina
June 1999 – March 2000
Software Engineer
Highlights
- Created and maintained scripts and programs that generated the “Totalcast” web-based product to produce live, streaming HTML play-by-play, stats and shot charts for NCAA Sports Championships including Hockey, Soccer and Football
- Analyzed current operational procedures, identifying problems and creating solutions
- Tested, debugged and modified existing scripts and programs to enhance the current TotalCast product
- Environment: Java; XML/XSL/XSLT; Oracle 8
Contact
Florence, Nova Scotia B1Y 1L9 CA
Education
-
1998 1999
Information Technology Insititute
Masters
Applied Information Technology
-
1993 1997
University College of Cape Breton
Bachelors degree
Business Administration - Accounting
Skills
Azure Data Engineer Associate
Certified
DP-200
DP-201
Data Factory
Synapse Analytics
Databricks
Stream Analytics
Cosmos DB
Blob Storage
Data lake
Amazon Web Services
Advanced
SQL Server RDS
Redshift
Lambda Functions
Glue ETL Jobs
S3
Amazon EC2
EventBridge
AWS Identity and Access Management
SQL Server
Advanced
T-SQL
Reporting Services
Integration Services
Analysis Services
.Net
Advanced
ASP.NET
C#
VB.NET
ADO.NET
Entity Framework
MVC Framework
AJAX
Python
Advanced
Python 3.9
PySpark
Pandas
Numpy
Interests
Working Out
Weightlifting
Peloton
Dogs
Pug
Beagle
Puggles