What is a Software Engineer?

As a Software Engineer at Workiva, you are building the backbone of the world’s leading connected reporting and compliance platform. Workiva’s mission centers on simplifying complex work for thousands of organizations, including a vast majority of the Fortune 500. This role is not just about writing code; it is about creating resilient, scalable systems that handle critical financial and audit data (GRC—Governance, Risk, and Compliance) with absolute precision.

You will join teams focused on enabling product delivery, enhancing user experience, or fortifying the backend infrastructure that powers the Wdesk platform. Whether you are working on frontend architecture using React and TypeScript, or backend services dealing with distributed systems, your contributions directly impact how companies report their most sensitive data to regulatory bodies like the SEC. The work requires a balance of technical excellence, security awareness (SOC II), and a user-centric mindset.

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparation for Workiva requires a blend of standard technical rigor and a deep understanding of their collaborative culture. You should approach this process ready to demonstrate not just how you code, but how you work with others to solve ambiguous problems.

Role-Related Knowledge You must demonstrate proficiency in the specific stack relevant to the team (often Java, Go, or Python for backend; React/TypeScript for frontend). Beyond syntax, interviewers look for an understanding of distributed systems principles, data structures, and the ability to write clean, maintainable code that can withstand the scrutiny of a financial audit environment.

Problem-Solving Ability Workiva values engineers who can navigate "real-world" constraints. While you may encounter algorithmic puzzles, the focus is often on logic and debugging. You are evaluated on your ability to take a broken or incomplete solution (e.g., a game or a billing script) and refactor it into working, production-ready code.

Collaboration and Culture This is a critical evaluation pillar. The Workiva culture is frequently described as "friendly" and "welcoming." Interviewers assess whether you are humble, open to feedback, and capable of pair programming effectively. They want to see that you can discuss your thought process out loud and treat the interview as a partnership rather than an interrogation.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process at Workiva is generally structured to assess both technical competence and cultural alignment, though the specific format can vary slightly by team and seniority. Candidates often report a process that feels welcoming and professional, though you should be prepared for varying paces—some candidates move through quickly, while others experience longer timelines depending on the role's seniority.

Typically, the journey begins with a recruiter screen to verify your background and interest. This is followed by a series of video interviews. For technical roles, you will likely face a mix of behavioral rounds with hiring managers and technical rounds with peer engineers. The technical portion often involves pair programming or live coding exercises. Unlike some companies that focus strictly on whiteboard algorithms, Workiva frequently utilizes practical scenarios—such as debugging existing code or solving logic puzzles—to see how you operate in a hands-on environment.

The timeline above represents the typical flow for a Software Engineer. Note that the Technical Assessment and Onsite/Video Loop often blend together; you might have a dedicated coding round followed immediately by a system design or values discussion. Be prepared for the "Onsite" to be a virtual loop consisting of 2–3 separate sessions back-to-back or spread over a few days.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Your interviews will focus on a few specific areas designed to predict your success on the job. Based on recent candidate experiences, here is what you should prepare for:

Practical Coding & Logic

Workiva’s coding interviews often deviate from standard "invert a binary tree" questions. Instead, you may be asked to fix or implement logic for games or practical utilities. The goal is to see if you can write logical, bug-free code under time constraints.

Be ready to go over:

• Logic Puzzles: Implementing rules for games (e.g., Hangman, Sudoku) or validating game states.
• String & Array Manipulation: Parsing strings, validating formats (like IP addresses), or processing lists of data.
• Debugging: You might be given a piece of code that "almost" works and asked to identify bugs, fix them, and explain your reasoning.
• Advanced concepts: For senior roles, expect questions on concurrency, API design, or optimizing for time/space complexity in a practical context.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Here is a broken implementation of a Hangman game. Fix the code so it functions correctly."
• "Write a function to validate a Sudoku board state."
• "Process a string of data based on the position of a specific number within that string."

System Design & Architecture

For senior and staff-level positions, you will be evaluated on your ability to design scalable systems. This is particularly relevant for the GRC Enablement and infrastructure teams.

Be ready to go over:

• Scalability: How to handle increased load and data volume.
• Data Partitioning: Strategies for splitting data (e.g., sharding based on end-users) while maintaining security compliance (SOC II).
• Cloud Infrastructure: Experience with AWS services, billing logic, or monitoring errors.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How would you architect a system to handle billing problems in AWS?"
• "Design a data storage solution that complies with strict security audits for different user groups."

Behavioral & Values

Workiva places immense weight on culture. They look for "genuine" people who fit their values. This is not a "check-the-box" round; it is often the deciding factor.

Be ready to go over:

• Collaboration: Stories about how you worked with product managers, designers, or difficult stakeholders.
• Conflict Resolution: How you handle disagreements on technical direction.
• Mentorship: For senior roles, how you guide junior engineers and foster a growth mindset.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a team member. How did you resolve it?"
• "Describe a project you are proud of and your specific contribution to it."

The word cloud above highlights the most frequently occurring themes in Workiva interviews. Notice the prominence of Behavioral and Culture alongside technical terms like LeetCode and System Design. This indicates that while technical skills are the baseline, your personality and ability to communicate are equally scrutinized.

Key Responsibilities

As a Software Engineer at Workiva, your day-to-day work revolves around building and maintaining the high-assurance systems that power the platform. You will likely be assigned to a cross-functional team where you will partner closely with product managers and designers to deliver cohesive user experiences.

You will be responsible for designing and evolving scalable architecture. For frontend roles, this means shaping design patterns in React and creating shared frameworks that other teams can use. For backend roles, this involves building resilient APIs and microservices. You are expected to write clear documentation and testing strategies to ensure reliability.

Beyond coding, a significant part of your role involves enablement and mentorship. You will help drive technical standards across the organization, conduct code reviews, and help junior engineers grow. You will also navigate complex constraints related to data security and compliance, ensuring that the software you build meets rigorous industry standards.

Role Requirements & Qualifications

To be competitive for this role, you need to demonstrate a mix of modern technical skills and professional maturity.

Must-have skills:

• Core Engineering: Strong proficiency in a modern language (Java, Go, Python, or TypeScript/JavaScript depending on the specific team).
• Modern Frontend (for FE roles): Deep expertise in React and TypeScript, including component architecture and state management.
• Computer Science Fundamentals: Solid grasp of data structures, algorithms, and distributed system principles.
• Communication: Excellent technical storytelling skills; ability to articulate complex concepts to diverse audiences.

Nice-to-have skills:

• Domain Experience: Background in financial reporting, GRC, or fintech.
• Cloud Native: Experience with AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, or microservices architecture.
• Security Awareness: Understanding of SOC II, data privacy, and secure coding practices.
• Mentorship: Proven track record of leading technical direction and mentoring others.

Common Interview Questions

The following questions are drawn from recent candidate experiences. While you won't face this exact list, they represent the types of challenges Workiva uses to evaluate candidates.

Coding & Technical Logic

These questions test your ability to translate logic into code. Note the focus on "game" logic and practical parsing.

• "Fix the bugs in this implementation of a Hangman game within 10 minutes."
• "Write a program to solve or validate a Sudoku puzzle."
• "Given a string of numbers, process the data based on the index position of specific digits."
• "How would you troubleshoot and fix a billing calculation error in a cloud environment?"
• "Perform a pair programming exercise in JavaScript involving array manipulation."

Behavioral & Situational

These questions assess your alignment with Workiva's collaborative culture.

• "Tell me about a time you had to learn a new technology quickly."
• "Describe a situation where you disagreed with a manager or lead. What happened?"
• "How do you handle tight deadlines when the requirements are unclear?"
• "Why do you want to work for Workiva specifically?"
• "Walk us through your resume and explain the technical challenges in your last project."

These questions are based on real interview experiences from candidates who interviewed at this company. You can practice answering them interactively on Dataford to better prepare for your interview.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How difficult are the technical questions? Most candidates describe the difficulty as Easy to Medium. You generally won't face "Hard" dynamic programming problems. The challenge lies in the application of logic—fixing broken code or writing clean, readable solutions under a time limit (sometimes as short as 10-30 minutes for a specific task).

Q: Is the interview process remote? Yes, the vast majority of the process is conducted virtually via video calls. However, Workiva does have offices (e.g., Ames, IA; Denver, CO) and some candidates, particularly for university recruiting, may meet teams at career fairs.

Q: How long does the process take? This varies significantly. Some candidates complete the process in a few weeks, while senior roles can sometimes stretch over several months. There have been reports of automation delays in scheduling, so patience is key.

Q: Do I need financial background? No, it is not a strict requirement, but it is a "nice-to-have." Showing an interest in the domain (financial reporting, compliance) will set you apart, but strong engineering fundamentals are the primary requirement.

Other General Tips

Code Out Loud During pair programming or debugging rounds, do not code in silence. Explain what you are reading, what bugs you suspect, and how you plan to fix them. Interviewers have explicitly mentioned that "collaboration" is a grading criteria during these technical tasks.

Ask Clarifying Questions Even if a task seems simple (like "fix this code"), ask questions about the expected input, edge cases, and the ultimate goal. Some candidates have been penalized for jumping straight to a solution without engaging the interviewer first.

Know the Product Workiva is a market leader in a niche space. Spend 15 minutes reading about Wdesk and GRC. Understanding that their customers are stressed-out finance teams facing strict deadlines will help you frame your answers around reliability and user experience.

Prepare for "Resume Review" Several candidates mentioned that a significant portion of the interview was a deep dive into their resume. Be prepared to defend every technology and project listed on your CV with specific examples of what you did versus what the team did.

Summary & Next Steps

Workiva offers a unique opportunity to work on high-stakes software in a culture that is widely regarded as supportive and friendly. The role of a Software Engineer here is pivotal—you are building the tools that ensure accuracy for the world's largest companies. The interview process reflects this by testing not just your coding ability, but your reliability, communication, and collaborative spirit.

To succeed, focus your preparation on practical coding logic (think games and data parsing) rather than memorizing obscure algorithms. Be ready to debug live code, discuss your past projects in depth, and demonstrate a genuine interest in the people you are interviewing with. If you approach the process with curiosity and technical competence, you will be well-positioned for an offer.

The salary data above reflects the base pay range for this position. Workiva is known for a comprehensive compensation package that also includes Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) and an annual discretionary bonus, making the total compensation significantly higher than the base salary alone. Actual offers will depend on your location and experience level.