Senior Software Engineer (Data Engineering)

Workday, Inc.; Pleasanton (CA); Hybrid; USD 176,000 - 264,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work options

Job summary

Workday, Inc. in Pleasanton seeks a senior software engineer to drive data ingestion, governance, and serving for ML initiatives. You will work hands-on with Python, Spark, AWS, Kafka, Terraform, Kubernetes, and Iceberg to build scalable data platforms.

The role emphasizes distributed systems, production-focused development, and collaboration across teams to impact business initiatives, with flexible in-office and remote work options.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in Software Engineering, Distributed Systems or a related field.
• 4+ years proficiency in at least two programming languages: Java, Scala, Python.
• 4+ years in data engineering or related field(s).
• Working knowledge of cloud-based infrastructure and managed services (AWS, GCP).
• Experience with Spark, Iceberg, Avro, Kafka, Flink.

Responsibilities

• Ingestion, discoverability, governance, derivation, and serving of data for Workday's Classic Machine Learning and agentic initiatives.
• Hands-on work with Python, Spark, AWS Infra, Kafka, Terraform/Kubernetes, and Iceberg.
• Collaborate to design and maintain scalable data engineering solutions for production use.

Skills

Java

Scala

Python

Distributed Systems

Apache Spark

Apache Kafka

Docker

Kubernetes

Education

BSc or MSc in Computer Science/Computer Engineering or equivalent experience

Tools

Apache Spark

Apache Iceberg

Apache Avro

Apache Kafka

Apache Flink

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

Your work days are brighter here! At Workday, it all began with a conversation over breakfast. When our founders met at a sunny California diner, they came up with an idea to revolutionize the enterprise software market. And when we began to rise, one thing that really set us apart was our culture. A culture which was driven by our value of putting our people first. And ever since, the happiness, development, and contribution of every Workmate is central to who we are. Our Workmates believe a healthy employee‑centric, collaborative culture is the essential mix of ingredients for success in business. That’s why we look after our people, communities and the planet while still being profitable. Feel encouraged to shine, however that manifests: you don’t need to hide who you are. You can feel the energy and the passion, it's what makes us unique. Inspired to make a brighter work day for all and transform with us to the next stage of our growth journey? Bring your brightest version of you and have a brighter work day here. At Workday, we value our candidates’ privacy and data security. Workday will never ask candidates to apply to jobs through websites that are not Workday Careers. We’re Platypus, an AI/ML‑centered data engineering team and our goal is to ingest, manage, derive, and serve data across Workday’s growing suite of AI/ML features. Right data, right time!

About the Role

In this role, you will contribute to the ingestion, discoverability, governance, derivation, and serving of data for Workday's Classic Machine Learning and agentic initiatives. You'll be working hands‑on with technologies like Python, Spark, AWS Infra, Kafka, Terraform/Kubernetes, and Iceberg.

About You

You are a highly motivated and skilled Software engineer with a passion for data engineering and machine learning. You strive to apply technology to drive real impact on Workday's business initiatives. You thrive in a collaborative environment, working closely with your colleagues to deliver innovative solutions. You possess excellent communication skills, actively listening to understand different perspectives and effectively conveying technical ideas. You are eager to contribute to a high‑performing team and are driven to continuously learn and grow in the ever‑evolving world of Distributed Systems, Data Engineering, and Machine Learning.

Basic Qualifications

(Required) BSc or MSc in Computer Science/Computer Engineering or equivalent experience 7+ years of experience in Software Engineering, Distributed Systems or a related field 4+ years proficiency in at least two of the following programming languages: Java, Scala, Python 4+ years in data engineering or related field(s) Working knowledge of cloud‑based infrastructure and managed services (AWS, GCP) Experience with at least one of these data engineering technologies: Apache Spark, Apache Iceberg, Apache Avro, Apache Kafka, Apache Flink

Other Qualifications

Experience in delivering a service from writing code to deploying in production: continuous integration (Jenkins), virtualization (Docker), orchestration (Kubernetes, Terraform) Experience creating scalable service endpoints to retrieve data Track record of working with logging, monitoring, metrics, stats technologies, such as: Grafana, Prometheus, Kibana, Hive, etc Proficient collaborating with teammates to design, maintain and improve sophisticated object‑oriented software following clean code standard methodology A testing/quality approach - unit, system/integration and end‑to‑end testing, TDD, feature toggles, and canary deployments Exposure to operating system concepts covering memory and storage, threading and concurrency, networking and sockets, and process management An understanding and experience with topics related to performance and scale, security, availability, deployment and operations Experience being responsible for a service in production with experience of production triage and on‑call.

Workday 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 in Canada, please click here. For more information regarding Workday’s comprehensive benefits in the US, please click here.

Primary Location: USA.CA.Pleasanton

Primary Location Base Pay Range: $176,000 USD - $264,000 USD

Additional CAN Location(s) Base Pay Range: $140,000 - $210,000 CAD

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 and Accommodations

Pursuant to applicable Fair Chance law, Workday will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. 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. Please see below for more details including how to request an accommodation as a qualified veteran, due to a disability or for religious reasons, or as otherwise provided under applicable law. 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.

Recruitment and Privacy Guidance

We do not accept resumes from headhunters, placement agencies, or other suppliers that have not signed a formal agreement with us. We value our candidates’ privacy and data security.Workday will never ask candidates to pay a recruiting fee, or pay for consulting or coaching services, in order to apply for a job at Workday.Workday will never ask candidates to apply to jobs through websites that are not Workday Careers.Please be aware of sites that may ask for you to input your data in connection with a job posting that appears to be from Workday but is not.Workday is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Workday are considered without regards to age, ancestry, color, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, protected family care or medical leave status, race, religion (including beliefs and practices or the absence thereof), sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws./p