University Talent Acquisition Specialist

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.

University talent is a foundational cornerstone of Appian's growth strategy. The team builds deep, impactful relationships with top-tier academic institutions in a fast-paced, high-performing, collaborative environment. They shape the future culture of Appian by identifying and attracting the next generation of innovators through full-lifecycle university recruiting programs that fuel our AI-Powered Process Automation platform.

This role is based at our ​h​eadquarters in ​McLean, Virginia. Appian was built on a culture of in-person collaboration, which we believe is a key driver of our mission to be the best. Employees hired for this position are expected to be in the office 5 days a week to foster that culture and ensure we continue to thrive through shared ideas and teamwork. We believe being in the office provides more opportunities to come together and celebrate working with the exceptional people across Appian.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Appian is scaling rapidly as enterprises worldwide adopt AI-Powered Process Automation to transform their operations. This role exists to secure exceptional early career talent who will drive our next phase of innovation and market leadership. You will have the autonomy to build strategic university partnerships, shape our employer brand on campuses, and directly influence the future of our engineering, product, and business teams.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Lead full-cycle campus recruiting from sourcing through offer acceptance, ensuring a seamless and compelling candidate experience that converts top university talent

• Cultivate and execute strategic partnerships with university career centers, academic departments, faculty advisors, and student organizations to build a robust talent pipeline

• Partner with hiring managers and business leaders to understand team needs, competitive positioning, and business strategy, serving as a trusted advisor on university talent acquisition

• Optimize interview processes and candidate assessment frameworks to identify high-potential early career talent who align with Appian's culture and technical requirements

• Build and amplify Appian's employer brand on target campuses through events, information sessions, hackathons, and digital engagement strategies

• Leverage multi-platform sourcing strategies including LinkedIn, Handshake, campus job boards, and referral networks to identify passive and active candidates

• Negotiate and close offers with top candidates, articulating Appian's compelling value proposition and career growth opportunities

• Track and analyze recruitment metrics including pipeline health, conversion rates, and time-to-fill to drive continuous improvement and data-informed decisions

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelors degree in Human Resources, Business, Communications, or related field

• 1+ years of hands-on recruiting experience managing the full candidate lifecycle including sourcing, interviewing, negotiating, and closing

• Proven ability to source candidates across multiple platforms and channels with demonstrated success in converting passive talent

• Strong stakeholder partnership skills with experience advising hiring managers and business leaders on talent strategy

• Demonstrated expertise in employer branding and building campus presence at universities

• Experience optimizing interview processes and candidate assessment methodologies

• Understanding of business strategy, competitive market dynamics, and how talent acquisition drives organizational success

• Availability to travel up to 20% during peak recruiting seasons for campus visits and events

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Technical recruiting experience or background hiring for software engineering, computer science, or technology teams

• Data-driven approach with experience using recruitment metrics, funnel analytics, and KPIs to optimize outcomes

• Hands-on experience with Greenhouse applicant tracking system and Workday HRIS

• We value experience with enterprise platforms such as Salesforce or ServiceNow, as these skills translate well into our Enterprise-Grade Orchestration environment.

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

$50,000—$125,000 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.

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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.

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