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.

Remote
caret down
Compensation
caret down
Position Level
caret down
Time Posted
caret down
Industries
caret down
More
1
caret down

Sort By: Relevance

$135K - $160K *

Lead a dynamic engineering team to innovate and deliver backend solutions, enhancing our technology's reach. Engage hands-on in coding and architecture while mentoring others, ensuring high-quality so...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 5 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Transportation

$115K - $164K *

Elevate your software engineering career as you lead projects, enhance CI/CD workflows, and mentor team members, ensuring high quality and reliability in our autonomous driving technology initiatives...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$130K - $219K *

Engage with customers to identify key challenges and drive product innovation. Collaborate across hardware, software, and AI teams to deliver impactful solutions that enhance physical operations and g...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$186K - $218K *

Shape the future of financial clarity by delivering core Portfolio experiences. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to transform complex data into user-friendly interfaces, ensuring performance an...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$95K - $115K *

Elevate project delivery by leading cross-functional teams in Interactive Response Technology, ensuring client satisfaction and timely execution while managing risks and fostering continuous improveme...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$175K - $210K *

Transform infrastructure engineering by leading a global team to develop and implement design standards for AI factories, ensuring consistency and efficiency across projects while driving innovation a...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$117K - $195K *

Join a team that's developing cutting-edge avionics architectures for diverse missions. Leverage your expertise in command and data handling to optimize system performance and ensure seamless integrat...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$130K - $160K *

Elevate cloud security and reliability by leading DevOps practices across teams. You'll optimize AWS and GCP environments, enhance CI/CD pipelines, and ensure cost-effective engineering tools, driving...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Legal & Accounting

$130K - $150K *

Empower our cybersecurity initiatives by providing strategic leadership and ensuring compliance with DoD standards. Drive enterprise-level security architecture and risk management across multiple Tas...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$100K - $120K *

Transform the client experience by building data platforms, AI apps, and workflows. Collaborate closely on real-world projects, making key decisions and enhancing your engineering skills in a dynamic...

United StatesRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$194K - $285K *

Lead the end-to-end application lifecycle by shaping product strategy and improving customer workflows, ensuring reliable and secure software deployment across diverse environments while collaborating...

Milpitas, CARemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$135K - $160K *

Oversee quality engineering initiatives by enhancing validation practices, establishing scalable strategies, and improving release evidence in collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure robus...

San Francisco, CARemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $145K *

Lead the charge in delivering complex renewable energy projects, ensuring safety, quality, and budget adherence. Collaborate with diverse stakeholders to drive project success from development through...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$150K - $180K *

Innovate enterprise-grade AI systems by defining and executing technical strategies for machine learning operations and intelligent platforms, ensuring scalable and secure AI services across cloud arc...

Hartford, CTRemote

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Staffing

$120K - $145K *

Build innovative backend solutions that enhance customer satisfaction and drive product success. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate customer needs into scalable features while ensuri...

Toronto, ONRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$272K - $431K *

Drive your career with a Principal Software Engineer role focused on architecting core platform systems for Physical AI, enhancing Autonomous Driving and Robotics through innovative data architecture...

Santa Clara, CARemote

2 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$120K - $145K *

Accelerate your career by designing and optimizing secure, scalable cloud infrastructure. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance operational efficiency and ensure high availability for glo...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Media

$107K - $161K *

Innovate in R&D as a Senior Systems Engineer, bridging early-stage tech and production. Drive feasibility studies, prototype emerging features, and collaborate with partners to advance next-gen archit...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$84K - $129K *

Drive the design and development of high-voltage transmission lines, overseeing project teams and ensuring compliance with engineering standards while collaborating with clients and vendors to deliver...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$153K - $213K *

Lead a dynamic team to innovate capacity modeling solutions, ensuring optimal resource allocation during peak traffic events. Collaborate across functions to enhance system performance and drive quali...

CanadaRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$190K - $250K *

Drive the strategic direction of intent and prediction systems, leading a specialized engineering team to integrate machine learning with robotics. Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure safety, tec...

Ann Arbor, MIRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Transportation

$140K - $190K *

Join our team to lead quality engineering transformations across multiple platform portfolios, championing automation and innovation while developing exceptional engineering talent to elevate quality...

Virginia, USRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$130K - $155K *

Elevate your career by designing and developing high-scale Identity Resolution systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create reliable, secure, and high-performance solutions that link and...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $120K *

Elevate your engineering career by leading innovative conveyor and sortation projects. Drive technical solutions from concept to execution, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance operati...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$120K - $145K *

Pioneer the future of technical content as you drive strategy and execution for Render's content factory, ensuring accuracy and relevance for AI agents and developers. Collaborate closely with teams t...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise 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.