Principal, Software Engineer (Distributed Systems)
Core
Design, build, and operate large-scale distributed messaging, streaming, and caching platforms (Kafka, Redis, RabbitMQ) supporting Workday's core HCM, Fins, and AI/ML products.
Role type
Principal Software Engineer (Distributed Systems)
Builds
Async messaging, streaming, and NoSQL platforms; client libraries and SDKs; automation for cluster deployment and operation.
Domain
Enterprise SaaS / Distributed Systems / Cloud Infrastructure
Deliverable
production ML models | product features | infrastructure
Required skills
Distributed systems architecture, Kafka/Redis/RabbitMQ, Kubernetes, Go/Java/Python, High Availability design, Cloud-native controllers, CI/CD pipelines, System security principles, Technical writing
Preferred skills
Algorithmic thinking (CAP theorem, consensus protocols), Chaos engineering, Large-scale data processing frameworks (Spark/Flink), OOD principles
Technologies
Kafka, Redis, RabbitMQ, Kubernetes, OpenStack, Chef, Helm, ArgoCD, AWS, GCP, Git, Jenkins, Harness, Strimzi
Responsibilities
Design and develop core software modules for streaming, messaging, and caching; Build observability modules and automation for dashboard lifecycle management; Build, deploy, and operate infrastructure components in production environments; Manage and optimize distributed services in AWS, GCP, and Private cloud environments; Participate in on-call rotation to support distributed systems platforms; Evaluate and implement new open-source and cloud-native tools.
Seniority
Principal, hands-on IC with strategic architectural leadership