How to apply for Senior Staff Software Engineer

About Workiva

Workiva is at the forefront of ESG reporting, helping organizations streamline climate impact and compliance. Their focus on integrating AI into engineering workflows makes them a pioneer in modernizing enterprise software. If you're passionate about sustainability and cutting-edge tech, Workiva offers a unique blend of impact and innovation.

About the role

As a Senior Staff Software Engineer, you'll lead complex, cross-team initiatives that shape Workiva's platform strategy. You'll drive AI integration into engineering tools, reducing manual effort and raising the technical ceiling. This role is pivotal in modernizing the platform and enabling product evolution.

A typical day

Your day might start with a sync with engineering leads to align on a cross-team platform initiative. You'll then spend time designing an AI-powered automation tool, reviewing code or architecture proposals, and documenting decisions. Afternoons could involve pair programming with AI or mentoring teams on distributed systems best practices.

Who Workiva is looking for

• Has 6+ years building and scaling enterprise software systems, with a strong background in distributed systems and platform architecture.
• Leads technical strategy across teams, creating durable artifacts like runbooks and decision logs.
• Has hands-on experience with agentic AI development, shipping real work with AI as a primary collaborator.
• Thrives in remote, collaborative environments and can drive alignment across multiple engineering teams.

Tips for this application

• Highlight specific examples of leading cross-team technical strategy and architecture decisions.
• Showcase hands-on AI projects where you used AI as a development collaborator, not just a user.
• Mention experience with platform modernization or scaling enterprise SaaS products.
• Tailor your resume to emphasize distributed systems and automation in engineering workflows.
• Include links to decision logs or runbooks you've created to demonstrate your documentation skills.

What to cover in your cover letter

['Emphasize your experience leading large-scale platform initiatives and technical direction across teams.', 'Describe a specific project where you integrated AI into engineering workflows or tools.', "Show alignment with Workiva's mission of transparent ESG reporting and climate impact.", 'Highlight your ability to create durable artifacts that drive alignment and reduce manual effort.']

Research before applying

• Read Workiva's latest ESG reports and understand their platform's role in climate compliance.
• Explore Workiva's engineering blog or any public talks about their platform architecture.
• Research their AI integration initiatives, such as how they embed AI into their products or internal tools.
• Look into their remote culture and how they foster collaboration across distributed teams.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Walk me through a time you led a cross-team initiative that required platform modernization. How did you ensure alignment?
• Describe your experience with agentic AI development. How have you used AI as a collaborator in shipping real work?
• How do you approach raising the technical ceiling of a team? Give an example of a runbook or decision log you created.
• Discuss a complex distributed systems challenge you solved. What trade-offs did you consider?
• How would you design an AI-powered tool to reduce manual effort in engineering workflows?

Common mistakes to avoid

• Don't focus solely on AI without demonstrating enterprise-scale distributed systems experience.
• Avoid generic answers about leadership; provide specific examples of cross-team technical direction.
• Don't neglect the importance of documentation—mention runbooks and decision logs explicitly.