Sr. Software Development Engineer - Distributed Systems ( Java/ Kotlin)

Workday; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 168,500 - 252,700; Full time

Job summary

Workday, a Fortune 500 leader in AI-powered people, money and planning, is seeking a Senior Software Engineer to design and scale its Developer Platform core services. You will own end-to-end platform initiatives, architect distributed subsystems, and collaborate with PMs, designers, and engineers to deliver robust features.

The role emphasizes end-to-end ownership, modern tech stack, and collaboration across teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in CS, engineering, or equivalent.
• 8+ years in software engineering with backend microservices.
• 5+ years in Java, Kotlin, or Go.
• Cloud experience with AWS/GCP/Azure and services like S3/Lambda/EC2/DynamoDB.
• Docker and Kubernetes expertise.
• 2+ years frontend with React/TypeScript.
• 1+ year with MCP and AI-augmented development.
• Strong API design and distributed systems knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Design and scale microservices and frontend experiences.
• Own major platform initiatives end-to-end.
• Promote API contracts, observability, and testing best practices.
• Use AI tools to accelerate delivery.
• Lead a small 1–3 developer team with mentorship.

Skills

Java/Kotlin/Go

Cloud platforms

Docker/Kubernetes

Frontend React/TypeScript

AI-augmented development

Distributed systems

API development

Architecture design

Team leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in CS/Engineering

Tools

Cursor

Claude Code

GitHub Copilot

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.

About the Team

At Workday, we love to have fun! From quirky sprint names to adventurous team outings, our team knows the importance of having fun together. Inclusivity and diversity are important for the team; everyone on the team takes training on Workday's VIBE (Value, Inclusion, Belonging, Equity) program.

What is the Developer Platform App Life Cycle at Workday?

Developer Platform App life cycle is the core of Workday's Developer Platform, providing the infrastructure to manage the full lifecycle of applications. This platform governs the promotion, deployment, installation, version management, and compiler orchestration of Extend apps. Built on AWS, our services are designed with core components focused on scalability, resilience, and robustness.

About the Role

As a Senior Software Engineer, you will play a key role in designing and scaling Workday's Developer core services platform. We are looking for a product‑mindful engineer with a strong sense of end‑to‑end ownership – someone who can wear multiple hats, thrive in ambiguous environments, and act as an owner to drive core platform initiatives from conception to completion. You will lead the architecture of critical distributed subsystems, drive technical execution within the team, and collaborate closely with cross‑functional partners to deliver robust solutions.

What You’ll Do

• Design, build, and evolve secure, scalable microservices and intuitive frontend experiences that power mission‑critical product features with strong performance and reliability.
• Own major platform initiatives end‑to‑end, translating ambiguous technical and product concepts into clean, functional software with clear accountability.
• Champion best practices in domain‑driven design, API contract management, testing, observability, and architectural modernization to reduce technical debt and elevate code quality.
• Leverage AI‑assisted engineering tools and autonomous coding agents (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code) as an expert power‑user to accelerate delivery and raise baseline quality.
• Lead and unblock a small, high‑velocity team (1–3 developers), providing technical guidance, mentorship, and constructive code reviews to foster a culture of continuous learning.

About You

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8+ years of software engineering with a strong focus on backend microservice architectures and distributed systems.
• 5+ years of experience in each of the following:
  • Programming: Java, Kotlin, or Go.
  • Cloud Platforms: AWS (preferred), GCP, or Azure, including expertise with S3, Lambda, EC2, CloudFront, SQS, SNS, DynamoDB, and MySQL.
  • Containerization/Orchestration: Docker and Kubernetes.
• 2+ years of full‑stack experience building modern frontend UIs (e.g., React, Angular, or Vue).
• 1+ year of experience with:
  • Modern architectural standards (e.g., Model Context Protocol/MCP).
  • Expert‑level AI‑augmented development (e.g., Cursor, Claude Code, GitHub Copilot), with a demonstrated ability to direct, prompt, audit, and validate agentic‑generated code.

Other Qualifications

• Deep backend proficiency in Java or Kotlin, with a strong command of design patterns, distributed systems, and high‑availability architecture.
• Expert API development and contract management skills, including familiarity with modern protocols (e.g., MCP) to support a spec‑driven development approach.
• Strong full‑stack competency with modern frontend frameworks (React/TypeScript), algorithmic thinking, and a track record of translating complex requirements into scalable code.
• Service ownership mindset: end‑to‑end accountability for operational health, test automation, CI/CD pipelines, and cloud‑native observability.
• Hands‑on experience integrating AI capabilities into software products and using AI‑augmented workflows to accelerate delivery.
• Proven ability to lead cloud infrastructure cost optimization initiatives across large‑scale AWS/GCP deployments, balancing performance with financial scalability.
• Strong collaborator and communicator – able to partner with PMs, designers, and engineers to break down features into sprint tasks and clearly articulate technical tradeoffs to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Experience with Developer Platforms, DevTools, or core engineering platforms is a plus.

Workday Pay Transparency Statement

• Primary Location: USA.GA.Atlanta
• Primary Location Base Pay Range: $168,500 USD – $252,700 USD
• Additional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $160,100 USD – $285,100 USD

Our Approach to Flexible Work

With Flex Work, we're combining the best of both worlds: in‑person time and remote. We spend at least half (50%) of our time each quarter in the office or in the field with our customers, prospects, and partners.

Workday is an Equal Opportunity Employer including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.