Principal Software Development Engineer

Workday•New York, NY

1d•$173,300 - $309,600•Hybrid

About The Position

Workday is seeking a Principal Software Development Engineer to join their Agent Factory team. This role involves building user-facing and platform experiences for Workday's AI agents. You will work within a small, cross-functional pod, designing and shipping full-stack solutions that integrate AI-driven capabilities into HR and Finance workflows. The focus is on turning powerful technology into usable products, creating scalable and reliable systems that simplify complex business processes. You will collaborate with machine learning engineers, product managers, and platform teams, owning features end-to-end and seeing your work in production. This role is ideal for individuals who enjoy building real products, solving meaningful problems, and working with a team that values quality and craft.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in software engineering.
7+ years experience with a web development framework (Python preferred: Flask, Django, or FastAPI).
7+ years with a Relational DB (PostgreSQL preferred).

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience building AI agents using modern AI development tools (e.g., LangChain/LangGraph, LLM vendor APIs).
Experience building and operating SaaS products in cloud environments (AWS preferred).
Familiarity with the tradeoffs and architecture of modern distributed systems.
Knowledge of software development best practices (DevOps, CI/CD, automated testing, observability).
Hands-on experience with containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
Familiarity with Elasticsearch.
Exposure to additional programming languages like Java (backend) and TypeScript (frontend/fullstack) is a plus.
Proven success working within fast-paced, agile environments and cross-functional teams.
Strong communication skills, with the ability to collaborate with both technical and non-technical partners.
Comfortable working with ambiguity and translating complex problems into clear, thoughtful solutions.
Committed to fostering an inclusive, team-oriented environment and contributing to a culture of continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

Design and implement agentic architectures, securely integrating LLMs with our backend systems to execute complex tasks.
Build and deliver full stack features that power AI agents embedded in HR and Financial workflows.
Own services and experiences from development through production—you build it, you run it.
Collaborate in an iterative, team-first environment that values strong engineering practices and continuous learning.
Share knowledge, mentor teammates, and help raise the technical bar across the pod.