About the Role
As a Principal Software Development Engineer, you'll play a pivotal role in advancing Workday's Planning User Experience by leading the design and implementation of next-generation enterprise planning capabilities enhanced by artificial intelligence. This position is central to shaping the technical direction of critical platform features and delivering solutions that meet the demands of modern, agentic computing environments.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the development and enhancement of user-facing planning features, integrating intelligent assistant capabilities to improve usability and automation
- Architect scalable, secure backend systems using Java and microservices, ensuring high performance and compliance across all deliverables
- Collaborate with Scrum teams, product managers, and architects to align cross-functional initiatives and meet enterprise-grade requirements
- Mentor engineers across experience levels, promoting technical rigor, psychological safety, and a culture of continuous improvement
- Identify inefficiencies in workflows and systems, then lead efforts to streamline processes across engineering and product domains
- Champion comprehensive documentation and knowledge sharing practices to strengthen team-wide technical understanding
Qualifications
You bring deep expertise in backend development with a proven track record in building scalable, distributed systems. Required experience includes:
- 12+ years in backend engineering, primarily with Java, and mastery of concurrency, design patterns, and system scalability
- 5+ years designing and integrating RESTful APIs and microservices
- 8+ years working with SQL, including database design, querying, and optimization for high-volume applications
- 3+ years managing CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins, Kubernetes, Docker, and testing frameworks like TestRail
- 5+ years in technical leadership roles within Agile environments, guiding projects from concept to production
Preferred Experience
- Hands-on work with MCP (Model Context Protocol) or similar frameworks for connecting AI agents to enterprise systems
- Production experience deploying AI-powered features, LLM integrations, or machine learning models
- Background in enterprise SaaS development and cloud-native architectures
- Skill in communicating complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences
- Contributions to open-source projects or active participation in developer communities
- Proficiency in Python, Scala, or other languages used in the current technology stack
Technology Environment
The role leverages a modern stack including Java, microservices, REST APIs, SQL, Kubernetes, Docker, Jenkins, and tools supporting AI agent integration and LLM workflows. Familiarity with MCP and related protocols is a strong advantage.
Work Environment
This is a hybrid role with team members expected to spend at least 50% of each quarter in-office or in-field, supporting collaboration with customers, partners, and internal stakeholders. Remote-friendly roles include periodic gatherings for key initiatives and team alignment.
Culture and Values
Our culture is built on integrity, empathy, and shared curiosity. We value collaboration, technical excellence, and the courage to explore new solutions. You'll join an environment that supports mentorship, inclusive practices, innovation, and lifelong learning—all driven by a passion for solving complex business problems.
Compensation and Benefits
The base salary range for this role is $182,400–$273,600 USD for the primary location, with additional U.S. locations ranging from $173,300–$309,600 USD. Compensation includes an annual equity refresh through stock grants and eligibility for the Workday Bonus Plan or role-specific incentives. Benefits emphasize professional growth, flexible work, and long-term career development, including access to technical training, leadership programs, and support for open-source contributions.
Equal Opportunity
We are committed to an inclusive hiring process and welcome applicants regardless of race, gender, disability, or veteran status. Accommodations are available upon request. In accordance with fair chance laws, we consider qualified candidates with criminal histories for employment.
