Software Development Engineer - US Federal

Workday; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 137,000 - 205,400; Full time

Job summary

Workday seeks a Software Development Engineer to support contracts with the U.S. Federal Government, focusing on design, development, and support in air-gapped cloud environments.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in AWS or GCP, automation tools, and a strong focus on security compliance. This position is critical for optimizing the Workday platform and requires on-site presence in Virginia.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience deploying large-scale applications, 3+ years with cloud deployments.
• 2+ years experience using automation tools and languages including Ansible, Python, Go.
• Hands-on experience with infrastructure automation tools like Chef, Puppet, and Ansible.

Responsibilities

• Manage and optimize Workday in the air-gapped U.S. AWS cloud regions.
• Develop and maintain tools and analytics for deployment flexibility and cost savings.
• Collaborate to ensure robust, scalable, and efficient solutions.

Skills

Cloud Platforms & Infrastructure: AWS, GCP, Azure, Terraform

Configuration Management & Automation: Puppet, Ansible, Chef, Terraform, CloudFormation

Containerization & Orchestration: Docker, Kubernetes, Helm

CI/CD & DevOps Tools: Jenkins, Git, TeamCity, GitLab CI/CD

Programming & Scripting Languages: Go (Golang), Python, Ruby, Java, Bash

Database & Middleware: MySQL, PostgreSQL, Tomcat, ZooKeeper, Kafka

Education

Bachelors in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Jenkins

Ansible

AWS

Terraform

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

This Software Development Engineer (SDE) on the Federal Cloud Platform Engineering team supports direct and indirect contracts with the U.S. Federal Government. The role focuses on design, development, analysis, acquisition, installation, modification, and support of operating systems, deployments, databases, utilities, and network‑related tools within air‑gapped cloud environments.

This role may require a TS/SCI with CI Poly security clearance. Applicants must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government‑issued clearance. The position may require on‑site presence in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) area.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and optimize Workday in the air‑gapped U.S. AWS cloud regions and serve as the core team nexus, working closely with commercial software engineering teams responsible for the overall Workday platform.
• Partner with the Workday Federal Cyber Defense team responsible for security operations, overall cybersecurity posture, governance, risk, and compliance, and platform security health.
• Develop and maintain deployment tools and analytics to support company‑wide deployment flexibility and cost savings.
• Collaborate across teams to ensure robust, scalable, and efficient solutions.

Skills

• Cloud Platforms & Infrastructure: AWS, GCP, Azure, Terraform
• Configuration Management & Automation: Puppet, Ansible, Chef, Terraform, CloudFormation
• Containerization & Orchestration: Docker, Kubernetes, Helm
• CI/CD & DevOps Tools: Jenkins, Git, TeamCity, GitLab CI/CD
• Programming & Scripting Languages: Go (Golang), Python, Ruby, Java, Bash
• Database & Middleware: MySQL, PostgreSQL, Tomcat, ZooKeeper, Kafka

Basic Qualifications

• 4+ years in deploying large‑scale, complex applications, with 3+ years in cloud‑based deployments on AWS or GCP.
• 2+ years experience with automation tools and languages, including Ansible, Python, Go, Chef, and Puppet; proficient in CI/CD, build management, and monitoring.
• 2+ years experience with networks, servers, storage, and operating systems in cloud environments; skilled in deployment orchestration and automation frameworks.
• Hands‑on experience with infrastructure automation tools like Chef, Puppet, and Ansible.

Other Qualifications

• Preferred DoD 8570/8140 compliant with at least IAT Level II certification, including a current Computing Environment (CE) credential and one approved specialty certification (e.g., CompTIA CySA+, GICSP, CASP+).
• Extensive experience in developing orchestration and automation frameworks using Ansible and Jenkins, with cloud deployments.
• Proven ability to introduce, integrate, and implement new technologies rapidly.
• Skilled in network analysis and troubleshooting, using tools like tcpdump to resolve network, firewall, and connectivity issues in collaboration with engineering teams.
• Proficient in Unix/Linux environments, with strong Python scripting expertise for automation and system management.
• Familiar with Agile/Scrum practices, including sprint planning and daily stand‑ups using Jira; excellent communication skills and a collaborative approach in team environments.
• Extensive experience creating and operating automation frameworks for deployment orchestration in production environments.

Workday Pay Transparency Statement

• Primary Location: USA.VA.Reston
• Primary Location Base Pay Range: $137,000 USD - $205,400 USD
• Additional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $123,900 USD - $222,000 USD

Our Approach to Flexible Work

With Flex Work, we combine the best of both worlds: in‑person time and remote. We require at least 50% of our time each quarter in the office or in the field with our customers, prospects, and partners, depending on role.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Workday is an Equal Opportunity Employer including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. Pursuant to applicable Fair Chance law, Workday will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.