Principal Workday Engineer

Here at Appian, we’re passionate about technology. We design, build, and operate platforms that scale with the business and enable teams to do their best work. Joining Appian’s Business Technology organization means owning mission-critical enterprise systems with a strong emphasis on engineering rigor, security, and long-term platform health.

As a Principal Workday Engineer, you will be the senior technical authority for Appian’s Workday ecosystem. This role owns the architecture, configuration strategy, integrations, security model, and data integrity of Workday across the enterprise. You will work hands-on in the system while also setting technical direction, standards, and best practices for how Workday is designed, extended, and supported.

This role requires deep functional and technical Workday expertise, strong engineering fundamentals, and the ability to translate complex business requirements into scalable, maintainable solutions.

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.

Key Responsibilities

Workday Architecture, Configuration, and Ownership

• Serve as the principal functional and technical expert for Workday, owning one or more core modules including Core HCM, Benefits, Compensation, Absence, Payroll, Security, and Reporting.
• Define and maintain the overall Workday architecture, configuration strategy, and design standards to ensure scalability, security, and long-term maintainability.
• Configure, test, and deploy complex Workday business processes, security frameworks, tenant configurations, and enhancements based on documented technical requirements.
• Provide Tier 2/3 support for Workday, leading root-cause analysis and resolution of complex system issues.
• Own and prioritize system change requests, balancing business needs, technical risk, and platform stability.

Optimization and Platform Strategy

• Partner closely with HR, Finance, Payroll, and IT stakeholders to evaluate existing processes and identify opportunities for optimization, automation, and simplification within Workday.
• Lead planning, impact analysis, testing, and deployment of Workday bi-annual releases and major feature rollouts.
• Translate functional business requirements into clear, technical system designs and implementation plans.
• Proactively identify gaps, risks, and improvement opportunities within the Workday ecosystem and drive solutions forward.

Reporting, Security, and Data Integrity

• Design and maintain complex standard and custom reports and dashboards using Workday Report Writer, calculated fields, and advanced reporting techniques.
• Ensure data accuracy and integrity through audits, mass data loads (EIBs), validation processes, and ongoing quality controls.
• Own the Workday security model, including roles, domains, and permissions, ensuring compliance with internal controls and regulatory requirements.
• Act as a trusted advisor on Workday data governance and access strategy.
  
  

Integrations and Systems Collaboration

• Partner with IT and Engineering teams on Workday integrations, including EIBs, payroll integrations, and downstream system dependencies.
• Provide technical oversight and troubleshooting support for integrations and data flows across HR and enterprise systems.
• Contribute to integration strategy and ensure alignment with enterprise architecture standards.

Project Leadership and Enablement

• Lead Workday-related initiatives across the full system lifecycle: requirements gathering, design, configuration, testing (unit and UAT), deployment, and post-launch support.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, configuration standards, and operating procedures.
• Provide training, guidance, and mentorship to HRIS team members and stakeholders, elevating overall Workday capability across the organization.

Basic Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive experience supporting, configuring, and architecting enterprise HR systems, with deep hands-on expertise in Workday HCM.
• Bachelor’s degree required in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Extensive experience configuring and supporting one or more Workday modules such as Core HCM, Benefits, Compensation, Payroll, Absence, Security, or Reporting.
• Strong expertise in Workday business process frameworks, security architecture, and reporting (including calculated fields).
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical initiatives and influence platform strategy at an enterprise level.
• Proven experience operating in ambiguous, fast-paced environments while maintaining high technical standards.
• Exceptional analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills with strong attention to detail.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Workday Pro certification in one or more HCM modules.
• Experience with Workday Integrations, including EIBs and Studio.
• Familiarity with HR compliance and regulatory requirements (e.g., SOX, GDPR).
• Experience supporting or integrating additional enterprise systems alongside Workday.