This listing pays about $187,500 a year. Across 1,167 open senior software engineer listings that state pay, the middle half runs $166,000 to $222,000 and the median is $197,000. That is inside the middle half of those listings, 5% below the median.

Listed pay is what employers advertise, not what people are paid.

Senior Software Engineer salaries by state · Check your own pay

How AI is used in this kind of work

Among software developers, AI is already used for some of the tasks. Measured exposure for software developers: 29% (some).

Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.

Check how this applies to your own job

Skills this job asks for

Say which you have and which you want to build. We use it to match you to jobs like this one.

About the job

Here at Appian, our values of Intensity and Excellence define who we are. We set high standards and live up to them, ensuring that everything we do is done with care and quality. We approach every challenge with ambition and commitment, holding ourselves and each other accountable to achieve the best results. When you join Appian, you’ll be part of a passionate team dedicated to accomplishing hard things, together.

Senior Software Engineer

McLean,VA | Work Model: On-site

Architect and construct high-performance, resilient platform features that power mission-critical enterprise operations at unprecedented scale.

ABOUT THE TEAM

As a Senior Software Engineer on the Appian platform team, you will ensure our AI-Powered Process Automation platform remains fast, scalable, and capable of handling whatever complex workflows our global customers configure. Your team owns the full technical spectrum from the high-performance data layer through the cross-platform user interface to the design tools that enable rapid application creation. You will solve problems of scale and flexibility that most engineers never encounter, building enterprise-grade solutions that serve customers in ways you never imagined.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Appian is transforming how the world's largest organizations automate their most critical business processes, and our platform must evolve to meet exponentially growing demands for speed, scale, and intelligence. This role puts you at the heart of that evolution, where your architectural decisions and code directly impact Fortune 500 companies running their mission-critical operations on our platform. You will tackle technical challenges that push the boundaries of distributed systems, performance optimization, and enterprise resilience.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Architect and construct high-performance, resilient platform features, robust APIs, and shared frameworks to power mission-critical operations.

Leverage advanced knowledge of data structures and algorithms to optimize platform performance, reducing latency and improving throughput for mission-critical customer workflows

Design and implement robust REST APIs that power integrations across complex enterprise ecosystems, ensuring reliability and performance under high-volume production loads

Execute technical spikes to clear architectural runways, ensuring system stability, modularity, and seamless long-term scalability.

Partner with product and engineering teams to translate customer requirements into elegant technical solutions that balance flexibility with performance

Execute comprehensive code reviews and establish engineering best practices that elevate code quality and system reliability across the platform

Lead technical investigations into performance bottlenecks and scalability challenges, implementing solutions that future-proof the platform for exponential growth

Elevate engineering standards by leading rigorous code reviews, driving proactive, refactoring, and optimizing low-latency performance.

Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior and mid-level engineers, fostering engineering excellence and operational accountability.fostering engineering excellence and operational accountability.

Hands-on experience leveraging AI tools to enhance productivity and efficiency.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related technical field

6+ years of professional software development experience building enterprise-scale applications

Expert-level proficiency in Java programming and object-oriented design principles

Deep understanding of data structures, algorithms, and their practical application in solving complex performance challenges

Proven experience designing and implementing REST APIs for enterprise integrations

Strong foundation in software design patterns and architectural principles for scalable systems

Experience in CI/CD in Cloud environments, like AWS and continuous integration systems, like Jenkins

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience with AWS cloud services and distributed cloud-native architectures

Background in building high-throughput, low-latency systems serving large user bases

Familiarity with relational and NoSQL database optimization techniques

The base salary range represents a good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant work experience, qualifications, internal peer equity, and market and business conditions that exist when extending an offer. A discretionary bonus may be awarded in recognition of individual and company performance.

In addition, Appian provides generous benefits offerings that include a 401(k) plan with company match, flexible time off, paid parental leave, medical, dental, and vision plans, life insurance, disability insurance, wellness programs, flexible spending accounts, health savings account contributions, an employee referral bonus program, and learning and development resources. Certain positions may be eligible for equity awards.

Pay and benefits are subject to change at any time, consistent with the terms of any applicable compensation, commission, bonus, or benefit plans.

Base Salary Range $125,000 — $250,000 USD

Tools and Resources

Training and Development: During onboarding, we focus on equipping new hires with the skills and knowledge for success through department-specific training. Continuous learning is a central focus at Appian, with dedicated mentorship and the First-Friend program being widely utilized resources for new hires.

Growth Opportunities: Appian provides a diverse array of growth and development opportunities, including our leadership program tailored for new and aspiring managers, a comprehensive library of specialized department training through Appian University, skills based training, and tuition reimbursement for those aiming to advance their education. This commitment ensures that employees have access to a holistic range of development opportunities.

Community: We’ll immerse you into our community rooted in respect starting on day one. Appian fosters inclusivity through our 8 employee-led affinity groups . These groups help employees build stronger internal and external networks by planning social, educational, and outreach activities to connect with Appianites and larger initiatives throughout the company.

Benefits

Appian offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, wellbeing, and financial future. Benefits may include health coverage, Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with free mental health support, life and disability insurance, an Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), a retirement/pension plan, wellness dollars, tuition reimbursement, family-forming benefits and more. Benefits vary by country—please ask your Talent Acquisition contact for details specific to the location you are applying to.

About Appian

Appian provides AI automation for the most important business processes at the world’s largest organizations. Our platform is known for its unique power, reliability, and scale. We’ve been automating processes for more than 25 years and have proven expertise in enterprise operations. For more information, visit appian.com .

Follow Appian: LinkedIn , YouTube , Instagram , Facebook , and X .

Appian is an equal opportunity employer that strives to attract and retain the best talent. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Appian provides reasonable accommodations to applicants in accordance with all applicable laws. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at ReasonableAccommodations@appian.com . Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.

Appian's Applicant & Candidate Privacy Notice