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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
$96K - $115K *
Lead the charge in designing and developing aerospace wire harnesses, ensuring compliance with industry standards while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to deliver innovative solutions...
Reposted yesterday
$87K - $135K *
Drive your career forward by leading systems engineering for a cloud-based enterprise system. Engage in architecture development, integration, and modernization efforts while ensuring security and ope...
2 weeks ago
$173K - $220K *
Drive the security of AI infrastructure and cloud applications by implementing and enhancing DevSecOps practices. Collaborate with teams to integrate security into development workflows, ensuring robu...
Yesterday
Senior Platform Engineer, MarTech
$145K - $165K *
Lead the charge in enhancing marketing technology platforms to optimize customer engagement and journey orchestration. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver reliable solutions and improve...
3 weeks ago
$150K - $170K *
Innovate with AI to enhance HR software. Design and develop scalable web services, lead initiatives, and mentor engineers while focusing on user experience and collaboration in a dynamic environment...
1 week ago
Director of Engineering, Webapp & AI Attack
$290K - $340K *
Lead and inspire engineering teams to develop cutting-edge web and AI security solutions. Drive strategy, execution, and organizational health while fostering a culture of innovation and accountabilit...
1 week ago
$120K - $216K *
Champion the development of high-performance REST APIs, leading architectural decisions and mentoring engineers. Collaborate across teams to enhance system performance and establish best practices in...
3 weeks ago
Director of Construction Delivery
$220K - $340K *
Champion construction delivery excellence across global data center sites, managing GC performance and budgets of $25M+. Lead strategy, negotiate contracts, and represent construction risks to executi...
3 weeks ago
$90K - $110K *
Join a dynamic team as you drive growth by designing tailored software solutions for schools. Leverage your technical expertise to engage clients, deliver impactful demos, and collaborate with cross-f...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$120K - $145K *
Lead a dynamic team of software engineers to enhance data import systems, ensuring efficient document processing and integration. Drive technical direction, improve engineering practices, and foster a...
4 weeks ago
$117K - $157K *
Join a team that's transforming enterprise AI solutions through innovative design and deployment. Leverage your expertise to build secure, scalable AI platforms that enhance business processes and dri...
2 weeks ago
Staff Backend Engineer - Submission Processing
$222K - $314K *
Drive innovation by designing and implementing LLM-based systems that tackle complex problems in data processing, empowering the team with your technical direction and expertise while overseeing impac...
Reposted 5 days ago
Senior People Business Partner, Engineering
$115K - $194K *
Unlock your potential as a strategic partner to senior Engineering leaders, driving organizational change and fostering a high-performance culture across global teams in a fast-paced tech environment...
2 weeks ago
$150K - $180K *
Unlock your potential as a Senior Applied AI Engineer, leading teams to design and deliver impactful AI solutions. Drive technical excellence and mentor engineers while shaping the future of AI system...
6 days ago
Product Owner / Senior Product Owner - Engineering Tools
$78K - $98K *
Shape the future of AEC workflows by leading product ownership and Agile delivery for an Engineering Tools team. Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to prioritize needs, validate outcomes...
2 weeks ago
Senior DevOps Engineer (Active Secret Clearance)
$185K - $230K *
Advance your career by ensuring seamless performance of AI systems in diverse environments. Collaborate with customers and teams, automating and maintaining infrastructure for reliability across uncla...
Reposted 5 days ago
$105K - $150K *
Transform your career by joining a dynamic team focused on enhancing security compliance for cloud services. Leverage your expertise in IT security to assess architectures, guide vendors, and ensure a...
6 days ago
$139K - $174K *
Engineer impactful electrical systems by leading projects, mentoring teams, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Collaborate to foster innovation and quality in complex building designs, d...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$171K - $190K *
Unlock potential by leading the design and implementation of scalable data platforms. Drive innovation in cloud data architecture and pipeline automation, collaborating across teams to deliver impactf...
3 weeks ago
Principal Systems Engineer - AV Sensor Design
$238K - $365K *
Join a team that's redefining lidar technology for autonomy products. Lead the technical strategy, collaborate with experts, and drive innovations from concept to production, ensuring performance and...
2 weeks ago
Senior Microsoft Platform Software Engineer
$120K - $145K *
Elevate software development by integrating AI-powered coding practices into enterprise solutions. Collaborate with teams to enhance productivity, code quality, and testing through innovative AI tools...
2 weeks ago
$95K - $115K *
Shape the future of financial operations by owning and modernizing financial systems, automating processes, and collaborating with engineering to streamline integrations for enhanced efficiency and re...
Reposted 1 week ago
$160K - $190K *
Lead the charge in defining and executing enterprise AI architecture strategy, ensuring scalable, ethical AI integration across platforms. Drive innovation through Generative and Agentic AI, aligning...
2 weeks ago
$90K - $105K *
Join a team that's dedicated to enhancing system reliability and performance for critical defense projects. Leverage your engineering expertise to implement best practices and drive data-driven improv...
3 weeks ago
Senior Data Engineer - Finance
$152K - $205K *
Join a team that's dedicated to data reliability and transparency. As a Senior Data Engineer, you'll design and manage data pipelines and models that support finance, compliance, and product teams, en...
Yesterday
What is a Lead Engineer?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
Browse Lead Engineer listings on Ladders, review each role’s compensation and requirements, and highlight relevant technical achievements and leadership experience in your application.