Sr. Software Development Engineer

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

Job summary

Workday, Inc. is seeking a Sr. Software Development Engineer to join the Intelligent Experience Platform (IXP) team in Pleasanton, CA. You will design, build, and operate scalable multi‑channel messaging and email services at enterprise scale, impacting millions of users.

You’ll collaborate with product, design, security, and other engineers to deliver robust, secure microservices, while mentoring junior team members and shaping engineering practices.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of related software engineering experience building and operating high‑scale distributed systems and platform services.
• 5+ years in modern programming languages (e.g., Java, Kotlin, Go, or C++), OO design, REST/gRPC, automated testing, and CI/CD.
• 5+ years designing and building scalable distributed systems, including event‑driven microservices or messaging platforms.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain critical components of Workday’s enterprise messaging and email platform in alignment with platform standards and goals.
• Develop and scale core multi‑channel messaging services, templates, and deliverability infrastructure, following best practices.
• Collaborate across Product Management, Design, Security, and engineering to deliver high‑quality email capabilities.
• Ensure code quality, security, performance, resilience, and testability across all owned services.
• Participate in technology evaluations and third‑party messaging and email provider integrations, build prototypes, and optimize deliverability.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to code and design reviews.

Skills

Distributed systems

Java

Kotlin

Go

C++

API development

CI/CD

Messaging platforms

Email infrastructure

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 Intelligent Experience Platform (IXP) team builds technology that powers a unified, intelligent, and seamless user experience across the Workday ecosystem. As part of Core Services within Workday’s Platform organization, IXP delivers the foundational layers that every Workday application and agent is built on and every user interacts with. Through data-driven insights, cutting‑edge technology, and strong cross‑functional collaboration, the team multiplies the impact of every application team by delivering scalable, user‑centric solutions and a cohesive, agent‑ready foundation essential to Workday’s next era of innovation. We are passionate about bringing industry‑leading solutions to life while putting our people first—embracing new challenges with courage, and staying committed to delivering exceptional value for our customers.

About the Role

As a Sr. Software Development Engineer on the IXP team, you will contribute to building, scaling, and maintaining Workday’s messaging platform and services spanning SMS, WhatsApp, Push notifications, and Email. In this role, you will work closely with senior technical leaders to deliver robust, high‑volume email delivery capabilities at enterprise scale across Workday’s core messaging and email infrastructure. You will design, develop, and operate high‑performing, resilient, and secure microservices. Your contributions will directly impact how millions of users receive critical, timely communications from the Workday platform.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain critical components of Workday’s enterprise messaging and email platform in alignment with broader platform standards and architecture goals.
• Develop and scale core multi‑channel messaging services, templates, and deliverability infrastructure, adhering to established design patterns and best practices.
• Collaborate effectively across Product Management, Design, Security, and engineering team members to deliver high‑quality email capabilities.
• Ensure code quality, security, performance, resilience, and testability across all owned platform services.
• Participate in technology evaluations and third‑party messaging and email provider integrations, build prototypes, and implement optimized solutions for email throughput and deliverability.
• Help shape team engineering practices, participate in code and design reviews, and mentor junior engineers on the team.

Basic Qualifications

• 8+ years of related software engineering experience, with deep expertise in building and operating high‑scale distributed systems and platform services.
• 5+ years in modern programming languages (e.g., Java, Kotlin, Go, or C++), object‑oriented design, REST/gRPC API development, automated testing, and CI/CD pipelines.
• 5+ year experience designing and building scalable distributed systems, including event‑driven microservices or messaging platforms, following architectural best practices.

Other Qualifications

• Technical Execution and Strategy: Ability to execute on feature roadmaps and shape the technical direction of messaging services in alignment with platform team goals.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Track record of effective collaboration with product, design, and cross‑functional engineering teams to deliver high‑quality software features.
• Engineering Excellence: Commitment to writing clean, maintainable code with high standards for testing, performance, security, and operational reliability.
• Pragmatic Problem Solving: Strong analytical skills with a customer‑centric focus, capable of building prototypes and evaluating trade‑offs to balance feature velocity with platform quality.
• Teamwork and Mentorship: Experience contributing to code reviews, sharing knowledge, and helping onboard or mentor junior team members.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain technical details clearly to peers and collaborators.

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. For more information regarding Workday’s comprehensive benefits.

• Primary Location: USA.CA.Pleasanton
• Primary Location Base Pay Range: $176,000 USD - $264,000 USD
• Additional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $148,200 USD - $264,000 USD

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.

Fair Chance and Equal Opportunity

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

Disability and Veteran Accommodations

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.

Equal Opportunity Statement

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. Further, pursuant to applicable local ordinances, Workday will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Resume Policy

We do not accept resumes from headhunters, placement agencies, or other suppliers that have not signed a formal agreement with us. You may view the Workday’s Pay Transparency Policy, and Know Your Rights Notice.