Sr Cybersecurity Engineer - US Federal

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

We aren’t looking for someone to monitor dashboards or hunt for alerts—we need the engineer who builds the "observatory" itself. As a member of our Platform Security Engineering team, you will be responsible for the architecture, engineering, and maintenance of the systems that protect the Workday product.
Operating entirely within AWS, you will treat "Security as Code," ensuring our Vulnerability Management, SIEM, and SOAR tools are robust, scalable, and automated. You are the primary engineering partner to our SOC, building the high-fidelity tools they rely on to keep our customers safe.

About the Role

This role will support one or more direct or indirect contracts with the U.S. Federal Government which, due to federal government security requirements, mandates that all Workday personnel working on the contracts be United States citizens (naturalized or native).

• Design and maintain the lifecycle of our core security stack (Vulnerability Management, SIEM, and SOAR) in a native AWS environment.

• Secure, manage, and monitor Kubernetes clusters and containerized workloads. You’ll ensure our tooling scales alongside our containerized infrastructure.

• Use tools like Terraform, CloudFormation, or CDK to deploy and manage security infrastructure, ensuring our environments are version-controlled and immutable.

• Leverage Python to bridge the gaps between commercial tools. When a tool hits its limit, you build the integration or custom logic to fix it.

• Actively use AI tools and LLMs as a "force multiplier" to accelerate development, optimize code, and automate repetitive tasks.

• Transform complex security telemetry into actionable, visual insights. You’ll build dashboards that show our partners exactly where we stand and where the gaps remain.

• Work to integrate security tooling into the developer workflow, ensuring our engineering is as agile as the product it protects.

About You

This role may require a security clearance at the TS/SCI w/CI Poly level. Applicants must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance. An active TS/SCI w/CI Poly is preferred.
You are a highly organized, technically fluent program leader who thrives in complex, fast-paced environments, managing ambiguity, aligning stakeholders, and driving execution. You balance technical understanding with program management expertise to anticipate risks and maintain momentum. You break down complex problems into actionable plans and possess a proactive, ownership-driven, and results-focused mindset.
May be required to be on site at client locations in the DC, MD, and VA (DMV) area

• You don’t over-engineer for the sake of complexity. You choose the most reliable, scalable path to get the job done and hate manual repetition.

• You don’t wait for a ticket to fix a glaring gap. You see a problem, research it from first principles, and propose the solution.

• You excel in the "gray area." If you’re dropped into a problem set you’ve never seen before. Whether it's a new K8s vulnerability or a custom API, you have the intellectual agility to figure it out and deliver.

• You treat the organizational partners as your customer. Your success is defined by how well your tools empower them. You take the time to understand their goals so you can better serve them.

Basic Requirements

• Deep experience engineering within AWS (Compute, Storage, Networking, and Security services).

• Strong hands-on experience with Kubernetes (K8s) and Docker. You understand how to secure containerized environments and manage their lifecycle.

• Advanced skills in Python. We believe if you can master Python, you can handle any Bash or scripting requirements that come your way.

• Proven experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) (e.g., Terraform).

• You must be comfortable and proficient in using AI tools to complement your daily functions.

• Ability to synthesize data and present it visually to stakeholders.

Other Requirements

• Experience building or maintaining GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, or Jenkins pipelines.

• Specific experience with Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (EKS).

• Experience securing large-scale, customer-facing SaaS products.

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.VA.Reston

 

Primary Location Base Pay Range: $159,600 USD - $239,400 USD

 

Additional US Location(s) Base Pay Range: $144,400 USD - $258,000 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.

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.

At Workday, we are committed to providing an accessible and inclusive hiring experience where all candidates can fully demonstrate their skills. If you require assistance or an accommodation at any point, please email [email protected].

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