Explore Lead Engineer Jobs

Lead Engineers guide technical teams, shape engineering decisions, and help turn complex requirements into reliable products and systems. Browse vetted Lead Engineer opportunities on Ladders, including roles paying $100,000 or more across software, hardware, infrastructure, and other engineering disciplines.

What Does a Lead Engineer Do?

A Lead Engineer combines deep technical expertise with team leadership. Responsibilities may include designing system architectures, reviewing code or technical work, setting engineering standards, mentoring team members, coordinating delivery, and partnering with product, design, and business stakeholders. The exact scope varies by company and specialty.

Qualifications for Lead Engineer Roles

Employers commonly seek substantial experience in a relevant engineering discipline, a record of delivering complex projects, and strong problem-solving and communication skills. Many roles require expertise in specific programming languages, platforms, tools, or engineering methods. People leadership may be part of the job, though some Lead Engineers lead through technical direction rather than direct management.

Lead Engineer Salary and Career Outlook

Compensation depends on industry, location, specialization, company size, and the role’s scope. Lead Engineer positions can offer competitive salaries, bonuses, and benefits, with many opportunities on Ladders paying $100,000 or more. Experienced professionals may progress into Staff or Principal Engineer, Engineering Manager, Director of Engineering, or other technical leadership roles.

Find Lead Engineer Jobs on Ladders

Search Lead Engineer openings to find roles aligned with your skills, experience, and career goals. Review job requirements and responsibilities, then tailor your résumé to highlight technical impact, project leadership, and measurable outcomes. Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying at least $100,000.

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$90K - $125K *

Innovate and design scalable, cloud-native APIs while enhancing legacy systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality software solutions, leveraging AI tools and modern techn...

Mesa, AZRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Transportation

$106K - $198K *

Create innovative data solutions by delivering full-stack capabilities across the data lifecycle. Collaborate with teams to design, implement, and optimize data processing pipelines that ensure accura...

Stratford, CTRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$160K - $170K *

Elevate data engineering excellence by designing and implementing complex data solutions, mentoring engineers, and collaborating across teams to drive impactful data initiatives and architectural inno...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$179K - $220K *

Empower HR leaders by shaping the future of employee listening. Lead product strategy from discovery to launch, creating impactful solutions that enhance engagement and drive actionable insights for o...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$135K - $180K *

Lead the charge in shaping the future of employee listening. Drive strategy, execution, and innovation in product management to enhance HR leaders' understanding and engagement with their teams, creat...

CanadaRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$90K - $110K *

Contribute to seamless enterprise integrations by designing and developing Infor M3 solutions. Leverage your expertise in Infor OS, ION, and APIs to enhance data exchange across applications and suppo...

CanadaRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $165K *

Lead advanced power system studies while mentoring engineers and driving innovative solutions for grid modernization and renewable energy integration. Collaborate with teams to ensure accuracy and hig...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$244K - $366K *

Drive enterprise scalability and performance as a senior technical leader. Collaborate across teams to enhance system reliability and readiness, ensuring impactful improvements for our largest custome...

Boston, MARemote

Yesterday

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$135K - $160K *

Lead the charge in transforming data accessibility for product teams and AI agents. Oversee a team of data engineers to build a robust platform that ensures secure, reliable data usage across the orga...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$230K - $285K *

Transform your career by leading engineering excellence for a cutting-edge CRM platform. Drive strategy, architecture, and team growth while ensuring quality and security in a collaborative environmen...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Business Services

$100K - $120K *

Contribute to the evolution of Support Operations by leading system implementations, optimizing workflows, and enhancing team collaboration. Own the configuration and administration of support systems...

RemoteRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $150K *

Drive the Salesforce Engineering Team to enhance our critical platform. Lead, mentor, and develop engineers while collaborating with business leaders to deliver scalable solutions and champion best pr...

Portland, ORRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$130K - $155K *

Champion the safety design and validation of our autonomous trucking system, ensuring rigorous functional safety standards are met across all engineering and operational teams. Drive impactful safety...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Transportation

$148K - $201K *

Empower application teams by integrating, securing, and deploying software in Kubernetes environments. Collaborate across platforms to enhance CI/CD processes and ensure reliable operations, driving i...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$95K - $115K *

Join a team that's redefining network solutions by designing, implementing, and supporting advanced LAN, WAN, and wireless systems. Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to enhance network strateg...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$120K - $145K *

Join a dynamic team to drive technical success and adoption across enterprise accounts. Leverage your expertise in project management and technical execution to enhance deployment health and fuel acco...

United StatesRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $180K *

Drive engineering excellence by leading autonomous teams to deliver high-quality software solutions for U.S. defense operators, integrating AI fluency into development practices while fostering a cult...

Itasca, ILRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$180K - $240K *

Drive cross-domain visibility and coordination in a dynamic engineering environment. As the sole TPM, you'll ensure programs are on track, dependencies are mapped, and automation enhances efficiency a...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$105K - $149K *

Lead the charge in delivering innovative data solutions by overseeing technical guidance, modernizing integrations, and mentoring developers to enhance business capabilities and drive efficiency acros...

New Jersey, USRemote

2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Transportation

$150K - $180K *

Optimize integration solutions by developing APIs and microservices, ensuring seamless connectivity across systems. Collaborate with stakeholders to translate requirements into functional designs whil...

Mclean, VARemote

4 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $225K *

Unlock innovation by building scalable, user-centric applications in TypeScript and React. Collaborate with engineering teams to enhance AI-driven solutions, ensuring top performance in ML observabili...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$159K - $254K *

Shape the future of pay solutions by driving innovative projects in back-end systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance functionality and reliability, ensuring accurate payroll for re...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $350K *

Elevate your career by driving the development of advanced AI models, overseeing pretraining processes, and optimizing training systems to ensure successful outcomes in a collaborative, innovative env...

San Francisco, CARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $150K *

Transform your career by leading the design and implementation of critical integrations that enhance system connectivity and performance. Collaborate across teams to deliver high-quality solutions tha...

Orlando, FLRemote

1 month ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$133K - $190K *

Drive innovation as you lead the design and deployment of scalable AI-native platforms, blending advanced technologies with enterprise systems. Collaborate across teams to ensure high performance and...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What is a Lead Engineer?question toggle

    A Lead Engineer is an experienced technical professional who guides engineering work, helps make design and implementation decisions, and often mentors or coordinates a team. The role may or may not include direct reports.

  • What does a Lead Engineer do?question toggle

    Common duties include defining technical approaches, designing systems, reviewing engineering work, resolving complex problems, mentoring colleagues, and coordinating with other teams to deliver projects.

  • What qualifications do Lead Engineer jobs require?question toggle

    Requirements vary by specialty, but employers often look for significant relevant engineering experience, strong technical skills, a history of successful project delivery, and effective communication. Some positions also require people-management experience.

  • How much do Lead Engineers earn?question toggle

    Pay varies by location, industry, specialization, and seniority. Ladders features vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more, including Lead Engineer opportunities.

  • What is the difference between a Lead Engineer and an Engineering Manager?question toggle

    A Lead Engineer typically focuses on technical direction and engineering execution, while an Engineering Manager often emphasizes team operations, staffing, and performance. In some organizations, responsibilities overlap.

  • How can I find Lead Engineer jobs paying $100,000 or more?question toggle

    Browse Lead Engineer listings on Ladders, review each role’s compensation and requirements, and highlight relevant technical achievements and leadership experience in your application.