Associate Product Owner (2026 Graduates)

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. As an Associate Product Owner, you will kickstart your career at the intersection of business strategy and software engineering. You will be embedded within a high-performing technical team, and your mission is to support the development of high-impact internal applications built on the Appian platform. This is a "learn-by-doing" role where you will help transform complex business problems into elegant technical solutions, ensuring our internal teams have the tools they need to succeed. 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 Assist the Senior Product Owner in maintaining the team-level roadmap and communicating progress to stakeholders. Help manage the Jira backlog by drafting User Stories and Tasks with clear Acceptance Criteria. Participate in design sessions and UX reviews; help create basic mockups or flowcharts to visualize how features should work. Attend daily stand-ups and sprint ceremonies, helping the team stay organized and unblocked during two-week iterations. Cultivate a deep understanding of internal users by gathering feedback and analyzing how they use our applications. Coordinate User Acceptance Testing (UAT) sessions, document bugs, and assist in the final validation of features before they go live. Help draft "how-to" guides and release notes to ensure users are excited and prepared for new features. What You’ll Bring An ability to take a big problem and break it down into logical, smaller steps. A genuine interest in how software is built and a desire to become an expert in the Appian platform. Comfort with fast-paced environments and a willingness to pivot priorities as business needs change. While you don't need to code, you should be comfortable discussing technical concepts with engineers. Basic Qualifications Recent or upcoming graduate with a Bachelor’s degree (Technical or Business concentrations preferred, e.g., MIS, CS, Business Analytics, or Engineering). Previous internship experience in a corporate environment, ideally within a tech, product, or project management capacity. Exceptional written and verbal skills; you can explain a "why" just as well as a "how." Exposure to (or a quick ability to learn) Jira, Confluence, or similar project management tools. Familiarity with Agile or Scrum methodologies is a plus. 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 co