Application Guide

How to Apply for Staff Software Engineer, Growth

at Workiva

🏢 About Workiva

Workiva is at the forefront of integrated ESG reporting, helping organizations transparently manage their climate impact and compliance. Their focus on AI-powered product innovation and a remote-first culture makes them an exciting place for engineers who want to drive meaningful change in sustainability tech.

About This Role

As a Staff Software Engineer on the Growth team, you'll lead 0→1 development of AI-powered product concepts, owning architecture and scaling emerging products. This role is impactful because you'll define patterns for rapid iteration, mentor engineers, and directly shape products that address critical ESG challenges.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with a standup to align with your cross-functional team, followed by deep work on prototyping a new AI feature. You'll likely mentor a junior engineer through a design review, then collaborate with product managers to iterate on a feature based on user feedback, ending the day by documenting architecture decisions.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Workiva Is Looking For

  • Experienced in building and shipping AI-powered features (LLM integrations, copilots, agent-based workflows) in customer-facing applications, with a portfolio of work they can discuss.
  • Comfortable with ambiguity and driving 0→1 product development, able to take a concept from prototype to production with minimal guidance.
  • Strong technical foundation in TypeScript, Java/Kotlin, or Go, plus relational databases like Postgres, with a track record of delivering complex systems.
  • A technical force multiplier who enjoys mentoring engineers, unblocking teams, and driving alignment across cross-functional teams.

📝 Tips for Applying to Workiva

1

Highlight specific AI-powered features you've shipped, including the impact on users and how you handled iteration from prototype to production.

2

Quantify your experience with 0→1 development: mention the number of products you've taken from concept to launch and the scale they reached.

3

Showcase your mentoring and cross-functional collaboration with concrete examples, such as leading architecture reviews or unblocking teams.

4

Tailor your resume to emphasize experience with TypeScript, Java/Kotlin, or Go, and Postgres, as these are explicitly mentioned.

5

Mention any experience with ESG or sustainability tech, even if tangential, to demonstrate alignment with Workiva's mission.

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your passion for building AI-powered products from scratch and your experience driving 0→1 innovation.', 'How your technical leadership (mentoring, defining patterns) has accelerated team velocity and product quality.', 'Your ability to thrive in ambiguity and make decisions that balance speed and quality.', "Why Workiva's mission in ESG reporting resonates with you and how your skills can contribute to transparent climate impact."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Read about Workiva's ESG reporting platform and how they differentiate from competitors like Salesforce or SAP.
  • → Look into their recent AI initiatives or product announcements, especially around copilots or agent-based workflows.
  • → Understand their company culture and remote work policies by reading employee reviews on Glassdoor or Blind.
  • → Review their engineering blog or GitHub to see their tech stack and engineering practices.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk me through a time you built an AI-powered feature from concept to production. How did you handle ambiguity and iteration?
2 How would you design a system for rapid prototyping of AI features while ensuring production quality?
3 Describe a situation where you mentored other engineers. How did you measure the impact?
4 How do you approach architecture decisions for a new product that may need to scale quickly?
5 What's your experience with LLM integrations? Can you discuss a specific integration, including challenges and solutions?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't focus solely on your AI experience without demonstrating how you've handled the full product lifecycle from 0→1.
  • Avoid being too generic about mentoring; provide specific examples of how you've unblocked teams or defined patterns.
  • Don't overlook the importance of database skills; be ready to discuss your experience with Postgres or similar relational databases.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Workiva!

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