Software Engineer/Senior Software Engineer - AI Platform (Agent Cell)

Workday, Inc.; Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 156,000 - 264,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock grants

Flexible work options

Job summary

Workday, Inc. is seeking a Senior Software Development Engineer to design and build core runtime capabilities for policy-governed agent execution in Boulder.

You will own sandbox execution, sidecar interfaces, and production reliability, shaping secure, deterministic data and tool access across components. You will contribute to backend services, write high-quality code, and drive observability and reliability with strong collaboration across teams.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of software development experience in designing, building, and deploying software systems.
• Experience with distributed systems, APIs, and service-oriented architectures.
• Proficiency in at least one backend language such as Python, Rust, Java or Go.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement core runtime services for secure, isolated agent execution.
• Build deterministic enforcement pathways for data, context, tool, and model boundaries.
• Define and evolve service interfaces and contracts across maincar and sidecar components.
• Improve performance, scalability, and resilience for high-concurrency workloads.
• Build observability into runtime behavior, policy decisions, and audit traces.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate data prep, context assembly, tool gating, and model mediation.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to code and design reviews.

Skills

Python

Rust

Java

Go

Distributed systems

APIs

Tools

Terraform

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

The Agent Runtime team builds Workday’s secure execution platform for enterprise AI agents. We are creating the runtime substrate that enforces policy by architecture, not by prompt, with deterministic controls for data access, tool use, model routing, and auditability. Our charter spans runtime isolation, policy enforcement boundaries, model mediation, and observability at scale. We partner closely with other engineering and platform teams at Workday to deliver a multi-language, enterprise-grade agent runtime.

About the Role

As a Senior Software Development Engineer, you will design and build core runtime capabilities for policy-governed agent execution. You will own high-impact technical areas across sandbox execution, sidecar interfaces, enforcement flows, and production reliability. In this role, you will:

• Design and implement core runtime services for secure, isolated agent execution.
• Build deterministic enforcement pathways for data, context, tool, and model boundaries.
• Define and evolve service interfaces and contracts across maincar and sidecar components.
• Improve performance, scalability, and resilience for high-concurrency workloads.
• Build deep observability into runtime behavior, policy decisions, and audit traces.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to integrate data prep, context assembly, tool gating, and model mediation.
• Participate in architecture reviews, incident response, and operational hardening.
• Mentor engineers and help raise engineering quality across the team.

As a Software Development Engineer, you will implement key runtime components and services that power secure agent execution. You will contribute to design, coding, testing, and operations for systems that enforce policy and reliability guarantees in production. You will:

• Build backend services and runtime components for cell lifecycle and execution control.
• Implement policy-aware data, context, tool, and model access pathways.
• Contribute to interface development between runtime components and partner systems.
• Write high-quality, testable code and participate in code and design reviews.
• Develop telemetry and logging capabilities for traceability and operational insight.
• Support production operations, performance tuning, and incident follow-through.
• Collaborate closely with senior engineers and partner teams on roadmap delivery.

About You

• Basic Qualifications (Software Engineer): 5+ years experience in software development engineering including designing, developing, and deploying software solutions.
• Basic Qualifications (Senior Software Engineer): 8+ years experience in software development engineering, architecting, building, and scaling robust and efficient software systems.
• 6+ years of software engineering experience with platform systems.
• Other Qualification: Strong experience with distributed systems, APIs, and service-oriented architecture.
• Proficiency in at least one systems or backend language (for example, Python, Rust, Java or Go).
• Proficiency with IaC tools such as Terraform.
• Experience building secure systems with least-privilege patterns and policy controls.
• Experience operating production services with strong reliability and observability practices.
• Demonstrated ownership of complex technical projects from design through production.
• Strong collaboration and communication skills in cross-functional environments.

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, please click here.

Primary Location: USA.CO.Boulder

Primary Location Base Pay Range: $156,000 USD - $234,000 USD

Additional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $148,200 USD - $264,000 USD

Additional Considerations: The application deadline for this role is the same as the posting end date stated as below: 10/08/2026

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 Accommodation Statements

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.

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 is an Equal Opportunity Employer in accordance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, 2010, and is an Equal Opportunity Employer in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Workday will also consider for employment qualified applicants using a criminal or arrest history, following applicable Fair Chance laws.

Workday does not accept resumes from headhunters, placement agencies, or other suppliers that have not signed a formal agreement with us.

If you are being referred to one of our roles? If so, ask your connection at Workday about our Employee Referral process!

If you require a reasonable accommodation, you may email [e-mail], as far in advance as possible.

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.