Principal Software Engineer - AI-Driven Platform Leader

Workiva Inc.; Iowa; Hybrid; USD 177,000 - 284,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)

401(k) match

Job summary

Workiva seeks an engineering leader to drive AI-enabled software development and platform modernization across large, multi-team initiatives. You will co-create scalable architectures, define interfaces, and remove bottlenecks in data and reliability while mentoring senior engineers.

You will partner with product leadership to align technical decisions with business outcomes, design autonomous workflows, and implement guardrails for safe AI usage.

Qualifications

• Experience building and scaling complex software systems.
• Demonstrated experience using AI as a primary development collaborator with high quality output.
• Strong architectural judgment across distributed systems, APIs, and platform design.
• Proven success leading large, cross-pillar technical initiatives.
• Ability to operate as a force multiplier for other engineers.

Responsibilities

• Deliver outcomes and partner with engineering teams across modernization, product evolution, and new bets.
• Adapt your technical approach, planning style, and delivery strategy to match work needs.
• Use AI-native development methods to build automation, validation, and engineering harnesses.
• Lead technical strategy across large, multi-team initiatives with long-term impact.
• Design systems enabling autonomous or semi-autonomous engineering workflows and guardrails for safe AI-assisted development.
• Influence and mentor Staff+ engineers to expand scope, judgment, and impact.

Skills

System architecture

Distributed systems

APIs

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Information Security or related field; 6+ years with Master’s; or PhD with 4+ years

Job description

Workiva seeks an engineering leader to drive AI-enabled software development and platform modernization across large, multi-team initiatives. You will co-create scalable architectures, define interfaces, and remove bottlenecks in data and reliability while mentoring senior engineers.

You will partner with product leadership to align technical decisions with business outcomes, design autonomous workflows, and implement guardrails for safe AI usage.