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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$95K - $115K *

Drive impactful solutions as a Mission Engineer II, collaborating with public safety agencies to transform operational challenges into effective technical solutions using Axon tools and AI. Your exper...

Michigan, USRemote

4 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$130K - $160K *

Unlock potential by leading mobile app development, shaping user experiences, and driving technical direction in a fast-paced environment. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver intuitive...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$122K - $183K *

Transform the aerospace certification landscape by leading process development, ensuring compliance with DO-178C standards, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality softwa...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Drive the creative vision as a Senior Manager of Visual Design, leading a talented team to elevate our brand's visual identity across multiple channels while ensuring high-quality execution and innova...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$80K - $95K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of geotechnical engineering by overseeing project analysis and design. Contribute your expertise to investigations, data evaluation, and mentoring while ensuring...

Canonsburg, PARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $120K *

Transform your career by leading proposal strategies and managing a dynamic team. Drive compliance and quality in project proposals while collaborating with stakeholders to ensure timely and effective...

Vancouver, WARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$173K - $190K *

Join a team that's pioneering advanced embedded security technologies to protect U.S. defense systems. Lead ASIC verification efforts, ensuring compliance with stringent cybersecurity requirements whi...

RemoteRemote

2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$80K - $95K *

Lead the charge in strategic growth and relationship development for a portfolio of EPE clients. Drive business development, uncover opportunities, and enhance client engagement to expand EPE’s footpr...

Austin, TXRemote

1 month ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$95K - $115K *

Lead and transform large-scale retrofit and modernization projects, ensuring timely delivery, budget adherence, and high customer satisfaction while coordinating cross-functional teams and managing st...

Louisville, KYRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$130K - $155K *

Unlock potential by driving innovative AI solutions through hands-on engineering and client collaboration. Transform complex business challenges into reliable, production-ready software while enhancin...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$155K - $233K *

Shape the future of our infrastructure by architecting and building a hybrid Kubernetes platform. Lead hands-on initiatives across AWS, ensuring reliability and efficiency while collaborating with cro...

Washington, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$126K - $164K *

Unlock potential by leading technical initiatives and mentoring developers in Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality features while enhancing deploy...

RemoteRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$140K - $241K *

Lead the charge in advancing robotic-enabled joint solutions by guiding technical direction, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and ensuring successful commercialization of innovative medical d...

Boston, MARemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$110K - $130K *

Inspire and elevate design excellence as you lead a talented team, setting and maintaining visual standards, driving innovative campaigns, and partnering cross-functionally to advance Dandy's brand an...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$150K - $180K *

Engineer cutting-edge AI evaluation strategies and infrastructure, ensuring quality and reliability across multi-tenant systems. Collaborate with senior teams to enhance product decisions through robu...

Georgia, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$229K - $260K *

Transform the integration landscape by architecting robust connections between NodeZero and key security platforms, ensuring reliability and observability while mentoring engineers and driving technic...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Drive innovation by designing and optimizing scalable data solutions for enterprise investment data management, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance analytics and reporting capabilitie...

RemoteRemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$192K - $336K *

Champion multiple Expert Service engagements, ensuring timely, budget-friendly delivery while driving effective decision-making and risk management. Lead and mentor teams, aligning project objectives...

Santa Clara, CARemote

1 month ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$124K - $138K *

Transform mission-critical outcomes as a Senior Systems Engineer with expertise in MBSE and digital engineering. Drive program milestones, mentor junior engineers, and lead complex systems engineering...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$118K - $180K *

Grow your career with a dynamic team focused on designing innovative HVAC systems. Engage in challenging projects, collaborate with experts, and contribute to the development of cutting-edge solutions...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$200K - $250K *

Unlock potential by designing and deploying AI-driven solutions while leading execution teams and interfacing with customers. Drive innovation and deliver impactful results across complex projects in...

Austin, TXRemote

Reposted 5 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$64K - $102K *

Elevate network performance by deploying and optimizing voice solutions, ensuring 99.999% uptime. Collaborate on network planning and security, while providing expert support and documentation for com...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$95K - $115K *

Lead the charge in architectural excellence by mentoring a dynamic team, ensuring project success from design to documentation while navigating complex challenges and fostering client relationships...

San Francisco, CARemote

Reposted today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$110K - $130K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of power systems engineering. As a key member, you'll design and develop scalable analysis modules, driving innovation in distribution system analysis and optimiz...

Austin, TXRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$152K - $200K *

Drive the creation of a cutting-edge AI decisioning platform by leading a new engineering team. Collaborate with stakeholders to transition from prototype to production, ensuring high-quality, scalabl...

Toronto, ONRemote

Reposted 5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Media

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.