Appian Architect

Akima, LLC•North Bethesda, MD

2d•Remote

About The Position

As an Appian Architect, you will be a critical technical leader responsible for the end-to-end design, development, and delivery of enterprise-grade Appian applications. You will serve as the technical authority on the Appian platform, providing architectural guidance, defining best practices, and ensuring the scalability, security, and performance of our solutions. This role requires a blend of deep technical expertise in Appian, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise IT — combined with strong leadership skills and the ability to collaborate across a broad ecosystem of specialized infrastructure and security teams. You must be equally comfortable whiteboarding an Appian process model architecture and sitting in a technical working group with Firewall, PKI, or Security teams to resolve integration blockers.

Requirements

10+ years of hands-on experience in Appian, with at least 5+ years in a lead architect or solution architect role.
Demonstrated experience collaborating with specialized infrastructure teams (firewall, PKI/certificate, security/compliance, and ICAM/PIV teams) in an enterprise or federal setting.
Deep, hands-on knowledge of the Appian platform, including Process Models, SAIL, Records, Reports, Integrations, and Security.
Appian Certified Lead Consultant, Appian Certified Application Architect, or a similar high-level Appian certification is highly preferred.
Strong understanding of software architecture and design patterns.
Proficiency in designing complex integrations using Appian's connected systems and smart services.
Solid knowledge of relational databases and SQL.
Experience with development methodologies such as Agile and Scrum.
Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
Strong leadership, mentoring, and team-building abilities.
Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
Must be a U.S. Citizen or Green Card holder and be able to obtain a Public Trust clearance.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Appian Cloud administration and DevOps practices (CI/CD pipelines).
Knowledge of other low-code/no-code platforms.
Experience with Java programming for custom plug-in development.
Familiarity with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP).

Responsibilities

Lead the development of technical blueprints and architectural roadmaps for Appian solutions. Ensure designs align with business goals, industry best practices, and enterprise-wide architectural standards.
Act as the primary technical point of contact for Appian projects. Provide guidance and oversight to development teams, conducting code reviews and ensuring adherence to design and quality standards.
A core responsibility of this role is the ability to work effectively and professionally with the agency's specialized infrastructure teams, including: Firewall & Network Team, Trusted Certificate / PKI, Identity, Credential, and Access Management, and DevOps Pipeline Support.
Work closely with business analysts and stakeholders to translate complex business requirements into elegant and scalable technical solutions using the Appian platform.
Design and implement robust integration strategies between Appian and other enterprise systems, including databases, web services (REST/SOAP), and legacy applications.
Proactively identify and address performance bottlenecks and architectural inefficiencies. Optimize Appian applications for speed, security, and reliability in a high-demand environment.
Mentor and guide junior and mid-level Appian developers. Establish and enforce development standards, governance policies, and a Center of Excellence (CoE) for the Appian practice.
Stay up-to-date with the latest Appian features, product roadmap, and low-code trends. Drive innovation by recommending new technologies and approaches to improve our Appian offerings.
Present technical solutions and strategies to senior leadership and clients, articulating the value, risks, and benefits of different architectural decisions.