Workday Logo

Workday

Sr Software Engineer (Distributed Systems)

Posted 2 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
In-Office
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, IND
Senior level
In-Office
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, IND
Senior level
As a Sr Software Engineer, you'll build and enhance Workday's data cloud features, develop algorithms for efficient transactions and queries in a multi-tenanted environment, and work within a team focused on distributed systems and data management.
The summary above was generated by AI

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 Data Warehouse Core team is part of Workday's Data Platform Engineering organization, where our mission is to bring together Workday's data products and technologies to build the next-generation secure and at-scale data platform — enabling customers to build AI-native applications and agents.
Our team's focus is on enabling and supporting bi-directional zero copy of data, efficient storage, processing, and querying over tens of billions of rows within a tenant. We bring deep expertise in distributed systems, data processing frameworks, and database internals — the foundational building blocks that power Workday's data cloud. More specifically, the areas we work on include:
• Storage and management of structured Tables
• Table DML (e.g. batch updates) and DDL operations
• Data types, query languages and operators for data transformation
• Materialization of complex query plans (Views/Materialized Views) over large base data
• Scheduling and orchestration of long running batch jobs
What makes this team exciting is the scale and impact of the problems we solve. In the year ahead, we will be focused on Workday's data cloud projects, building the infrastructure that underpins how customers access, move, and analyze their data. If you are energized by designing systems that operate at massive scale and shaping the future of enterprise data, this is the team for you.

About the Role

As part of Workday’s Data Platform Engineering org, you will be responsible for building and enhancing Workday's data cloud features. You will work with a top-notch team to architect and build features in our distributed ingestion, transaction and query processing engines. You will be responsible for developing algorithms and techniques for supporting fast, efficient transactions and queries over large scale data, in a multi-tenanted cloud environment.

About You

You are an engineer who is passionate about software development and takes pride in your work.  You think and code in terms of well defined abstractions.  You enjoy coming up with novel solutions and can clearly articulate the value to stakeholders. You are excited about working as part of a team of engineers. You understand the importance of doing what is right for the customer.  You have a strong interest in learning about and developing data management and distributed data processing frameworks and algorithms.  You are a fast learner and enjoy learning new technical areas such as languages and frameworks. You can make all of this happen using Scala and Java, while getting exposure to Apache Spark and other related distributed computing frameworks.

Basic Qualifications

  • 7+ years using any of the following programming languages: Java, Scala, C++, Go, or Rust

  • 3+ years development experience in relevant domain areas (e.g. database internals, distributed system application, JVM performance tuning, Cloud/SaaS Services, etc.)

Other Qualifications

  • Background in data warehousing, database system internals and/or distributed systems ​

  • Expertise in distributed data processing engines or data management systems

  • A strong understanding of SQL

  • Knowledge of Apache Spark and Spark SQL internals

  • Expertise in one or more of: Kubernetes, Apache Iceberg, Trino

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.

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

Top Skills

Apache Iceberg
Spark
C++
Go
Java
Kubernetes
Rust
Scala
Trino

Similar Jobs

22 Days Ago
In-Office
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, IND
Senior level
Senior level
Cloud • Fintech • HR Tech
Design, implement, and scale Erlang/Riak-based distributed storage services. Improve persistence-layer systems, optimize performance, ensure reliability, observability, and resilience for large-scale, globally deployed databases.
Top Skills: CassandraElixirErlangHadoopHbaseKafkaLinuxOtpRiakService Oriented ArchitectureSpark
21 Hours Ago
In-Office
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, IND
Expert/Leader
Expert/Leader
Artificial Intelligence • Big Data • Healthtech • Information Technology • Machine Learning • Software • Analytics
Lead development teams in software solutions, focusing on Facets delivery, automation using AI tools, and managing EDI transactions while ensuring compliance with healthcare standards.
Top Skills: Ai ToolsAngularC#Ci/CdDot NetEdiFacetsGitMs Office SuiteMs ProjectSharepointSQLVisio
21 Hours Ago
Remote or Hybrid
India
Expert/Leader
Expert/Leader
Fintech • Professional Services • Consulting • Energy • Financial Services • Cybersecurity • Generative AI
Lead product transformation efforts, align initiatives with strategic goals, coach product teams in best practices, and enhance client experience and productivity.
Top Skills: Agile MethodologiesCross-Functional TeamsHypothesis-Driven DevelopmentOkrsProduct ManagementRapid Prototyping

What you need to know about the Chennai Tech Scene

To locals, it's no secret that South India is leading the charge in big data infrastructure. While the environmental impact of data centers has long been a concern, emerging hubs like Chennai are favored by companies seeking ready access to renewable energy resources, which provide more sustainable and cost-effective solutions. As a result, Chennai, along with neighboring Bengaluru and Hyderabad, is poised for significant growth, with a projected 65 percent increase in data center capacity over the next decade.

Sign up now Access later

Create Free Account

Please log in or sign up to report this job.

Create Free Account