Principal Cybersecurity Engineer - US Federal

About the role

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. 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 Pragmatic Engineering: You avoid "complexity for complexity's sake." You prioritize reliable, scalable paths and have a natural allergy to manual, repetitive tasks. Radical Ownership: You don't wait for a ticket to address a critical gap. You investigate problems from first principles and proactively drive the solution. High-Agency Problem Solving: You thrive in the "gray area." Whether it's a zero-day K8s vulnerability or an undocumented API, you possess the intellectual agility to dive in, learn, and deliver. Customer-Centric Infrastructure: You treat internal teams as your customers. Your success is measured by how effectively your tools empower them, and you go deep to understand their goals before building. Basic Requirements AWS Mastery: Deep experience architecting and engineering across Compute, Storage, Networking, and Security. Container Orchestration: Heavy hands-on experience with Kubernetes (K8s) and Docker , specifically regarding lifecycle management and security hardening. Software Engineering: Advanced proficiency in Python . We value a developer-first approach to infrastructure; if you've mastered Python, we trust your ability to navigate any scri

Additional Information

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.

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