Principal AI UX Lead

Workday, Inc.; Pleasanton (CA); Hybrid; USD 246,000 - 370,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flex Work

Stock grants

Bonus plan

Job summary

Workday, Inc. in Pleasanton, CA, is seeking a Principal/Senior AI UX Lead to shape the conversational AI experience and ambient capabilities for Workday’s agents. You are an AI-native builder, owning features end-to-end and connecting agentic logic directly to the user interface.

You’ll lead cross-functional teams of AI engineers, software engineers, PMs, and designers to deliver scalable, reliable UX that translates AI power into real business workflows.

Qualifications

• Extensive software engineering experience with 12+ years.
• 7+ years with web frameworks (TypeScript/React, Python/FastAPI).
• 3+ years building conversational or agentic AI apps.
• 5+ years leading projects or teams.
• Experience collaborating with product designers and cross-functional teams.
• Experience SaaS in cloud environments (AWS).
• Familiarity with distributed systems and DevOps practices.
• Hands-on with Docker and Kubernetes.

Responsibilities

• Design and deliver intuitive conversational and agentic AI experiences, prioritizing seamless user interactions and thoughtful workflows.
• Bridge AI reasoning with usable interfaces and collaborate in an iterative, team-first environment.
• Mentor teammates and raise the technical bar across the pod.

Skills

Software engineering

Web development

Conversational AI

Team leadership

React/TypeScript

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Elasticsearch

AWS

FastAPI

TypeScript

React

Job description

Your work days are brighter here. We’re obsessed with making hard work pay off, for our people, our customers, and the world around us. As a Fortune 500 company and a leading AI platform for managing people, money, and agents, we’re shaping the future of work so teams can reach their potential and focus on what matters most. The minute you join, you’ll feel it. Not just in the products we build, but in how we show up for each other. Our culture is rooted in integrity, empathy, and shared enthusiasm. We’re in this together, tackling big challenges with bold ideas and genuine care. We look for curious minds and courageous collaborators who bring sun-drenched optimism and drive. Whether you're building smarter solutions, supporting customers, or creating a space where everyone belongs, you’ll do meaningful work with Workmates who’ve got your back. In return, we’ll give you the trust to take risks, the tools to grow, the skills to develop and the support of a company invested in you for the long haul. So, if you want to inspire a brighter work day for everyone, including yourself, you’ve found a match in Workday, and we hope to be a match for you too.

About the Team

Agent Factory is where Workday’s next chapter gets built. We’re forming small, senior, cross-functional AI teams that bring together product leaders, AI engineers, and full-stack builders to create intelligent agents used by millions of people every day. This is production-grade AI—deeply embedded into Workday’s platform—not research experiments or maintenance work. Teams own problems end to end, collaborate tightly across disciplines, and use the right tools to solve real customer challenges at global scale. You’ll work at the intersection of AI, platform architecture, and human workflows, with the autonomy to shape how agents reason, act, and scale responsibly. High trust, high expectations, and real impact. Engineering, but brighter.

About the Role

As a Principal/Senior AI UX Lead in Agent Factory, you’ll help build the conversational AI experience and ambient capabilities that bring Workday’s agents to life. You are an AI-native builder, not a pure frontend developer. You will own features end-to-end, connecting the agentic logic directly to the user interface. You don't just build UI; you orchestrate the agentic flows that power the UX. You’ll design and ship experiences that bridge the gap between AI capabilities and user intent. This role is about turning powerful technology into products people actually use: scalable, reliable systems that simplify complex business processes. You’ll collaborate closely with AI engineers, software engineering, product managers, and designers, ensuring that the interface is a seamless extension of the agent's reasoning. If you enjoy building real products and solving meaningful problems at the intersection of AI and human workflows, you'll feel right at home here.

Your 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 the gap between powerful 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.

About You

P5 Principal AI UX Lead Basic Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience in software engineering
• 7+ years experience with a web development framework (TypeScript/React, Python/FastAPI)
• 3+ years of experience building conversational or agentic AI applications
• 5+ years of experience leading projects or teams

P4 Senior AI UX Lead Basic Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in software engineering
• 5+ years experience with a web development framework (TypeScript/React, Python/FastAPI)
• 2+ years of experience building conversational or agentic AI applications

Other Qualifications

• Experience collaborating with product designers, or a demonstrated portfolio focusing on high-quality UX/UI design principles
• 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

Pay Transparency Statement

The annualized base salary ranges for the primary location and any additional locations are listed below. Workday pay ranges vary based on work location. As a part of the total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Workday Bonus Plan or a role-specific commission/bonus, as well as annual refresh stock grants. Recruiters can share more detail during the hiring process. Each candidate’s compensation offer will be based on multiple factors including, but not limited to, geography, experience, skills, job duties, and business need, among other things. For more information regarding Workday’s comprehensive benefits, please click here. Primary Location: USA.CA.Pleasanton Primary Location Base Pay Range: $246,000 USD - $370,000 USD Additional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $206,000 USD - $370,000 USD You may view the Workday's Pay Transparency Policy, and Know Your Rights Notice, by clicking on their corresponding links.

Our Approach to Flexible Work

With Flex Work, we’re combining the best of both worlds: in-person time and remote. Our approach enables our teams to deepen connections, maintain a strong community, and do their best work. We know that flexibility can take shape in many ways, so rather than a number of required days in-office each week, we simply spend at least half (50%) of our time each quarter in the office or in the field with our customers, prospects, and partners (depending on role). This means you'll have the freedom to create a flexible schedule that caters to your business, team, and personal needs, while being intentional to make the most of time spent together. Those in our remote home office roles also have the opportunity to come together in our offices for important moments that matter.

Equal Opportunity & Inclusion

Workday is an Equal Opportunity Employer including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. Workday is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals during our application process, in order to perform one or more essential functions of their job, as well as regarding the use of AI tools for employment decision‑making to any degree. Pursuant to applicable Fair Chance law, Workday will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Workday prohibits taking adverse action against any candidate or employee for reporting a possible violation of this policy, requesting one or more work accommodations, exercising a privacy right, or cooperating in an investigation in accordance with applicable law. Any employee who retaliates against a candidate or employee for doing so may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment, to the fullest extent allowable under applicable law. If you require a reasonable accommodation, you may email [e-mail], as far in advance as possible.