Principal Software Engineer, Agentic UX

Workday • Pleasanton, CA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

As a Principal Software Engineer in Agent Factory, you will build conversational AI experiences and ambient capabilities that bring Workday’s agents to life. The role is for an AI-native builder who owns features end to end, connecting agentic logic directly to the user interface and orchestrating the flows that power the user experience. You will design and ship products that bridge AI capabilities and user intent, creating scalable and reliable systems that simplify complex business processes.

You will work closely with AI and software engineers, product managers, and designers to make the interface a seamless extension of agent reasoning. Agent Factory is a team of senior, cross-functional AI builders creating production-grade agents embedded in Workday’s platform. Teams own problems end to end and build solutions for customer challenges at global scale, at the intersection of AI, platform architecture, and human workflows.

Requirements

• 12+ years of experience in software engineering.
• 7+ years of experience building and shipping user-facing software products; TypeScript/React and Python/FastAPI are preferred.
• 3+ years of experience building conversational or agentic AI applications.
• 5+ years of experience leading projects or teams.
• Experience collaborating with product designers, or a demonstrated portfolio focused on high-quality UX/UI design principles.
• Experience building and operating SaaS products in cloud environments; AWS is preferred.
• Familiarity with the tradeoffs and architecture of modern distributed systems.
• Knowledge of software development best practices, including DevOps, CI/CD, automated testing, and observability.
• Hands-on experience with containerization technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes.
• Familiarity with Elasticsearch.
• Proven success working in fast-paced, agile environments and cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication skills and ability to collaborate with technical and non-technical partners.
• Comfort with ambiguity and ability to translate complex problems into clear, thoughtful solutions.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive, team-oriented environment and contributing to a culture of continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

• Python/FastAPI experience.
• AWS experience.
• Exposure to additional programming languages such as Java for backend and TypeScript for frontend/full-stack work.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver intuitive conversational and agentic AI experiences, prioritizing seamless user interactions and thoughtful workflows.
• Shape how users experience AI reasoning by bridging agent capabilities and clear, usable interfaces.
• 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.
• Own features end to end, connecting agentic logic to the user interface and orchestrating agentic flows that power the user experience.

Benefits

• May be eligible for the Workday Bonus Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus.
• May be eligible for annual refresh stock grants.
• Flexible work schedule, with at least 50% of each quarter spent in the office or in the field with customers, prospects, and partners, depending on role.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal
• Education Level: No Education Listed