Principal Engineer Jobs

Discover Principal Engineer opportunities at companies seeking experienced technical leaders. Principal Engineers shape architecture, guide complex engineering work, and help teams deliver reliable, scalable products and systems. Browse vetted roles on Ladders, where listed jobs pay $100,000 or more.

What Does a Principal Engineer Do?

A Principal Engineer is a senior individual contributor who influences technical direction across teams or an organization. Depending on the employer and discipline, the role may involve setting architecture standards, evaluating technologies, solving high-impact engineering problems, mentoring engineers, and partnering with product and business leaders. Principal Engineers often lead through expertise and influence rather than direct people management.

Skills and Qualifications

Employers commonly seek deep experience in a relevant engineering specialty, a record of delivering complex projects, and strong system-design and problem-solving skills. Communication, technical judgment, collaboration, and the ability to align stakeholders around a sound approach are also important. Requirements vary by industry and role; some positions emphasize software architecture, while others focus on infrastructure, hardware, data, security, or other engineering domains.

Principal Engineer Salary and Career Outlook

Compensation depends on factors such as location, industry, scope, and experience. Ladders focuses on vetted professional opportunities paying $100,000 or more, helping experienced candidates explore senior engineering roles. Review each listing for details about compensation, responsibilities, and qualifications.

Find Principal Engineer Jobs on Ladders

Search Principal Engineer jobs to compare opportunities and identify roles that match your expertise and career goals. Explore openings across companies and engineering disciplines, and use each job description to assess technical scope, team influence, and the experience required.

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$200K - $250K *

Join us to architect and lead the development of scalable fintech solutions. As a technical leader, you'll drive innovation, mentor teams, and ensure architectural integrity while shaping the future o...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$200K - $250K *

Transform the architectural vision of a fintech platform by leading the design and implementation of scalable systems. Drive technical excellence and mentor teams to innovate and enhance the financial...

Ontario, CARemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$131K - $243K *

Unlock potential by leading cross-functional teams to deliver integrated solutions. Collaborate with stakeholders to define requirements, create specifications, and support the deployment of innovativ...

Littleton, CORemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$120K - $195K *

Join a team that's at the forefront of PCIe technology, enhancing high-speed communication between hardware components. Collaborate with engineers to optimize performance and reliability in cutting-ed...

Vancouver, BCRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$135K - $160K *

Lead the charge in developing a cutting-edge AI product, managing a high-performing team of engineers while ensuring quality, reliability, and speed in delivery. Collaborate closely with Product and D...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$94K - $175K *

Transform engineering projects by integrating multi-disciplinary teams, enhancing depot support, and driving strategic improvements. Collaborate with leadership and product teams to ensure compliance...

RemoteRemote

5 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$131K - $243K *

Elevate your career by leading cross-functional teams to deliver integrated solutions. Collaborate with stakeholders to define requirements, support agile processes, and drive successful project outco...

Littleton, CORemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$80K - $120K *

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design and develop user-centric web applications, integrating AI-driven insights for high-stakes decision-making workflows while ensuring performance and sec...

Virginia, USRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $160K *

Join our dynamic team to design and develop cutting-edge AI platforms, enhancing decision-making workflows through innovative web applications and robust backend services. Collaborate across the full...

Virginia, USRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Join a dynamic team to design and develop a next-gen AI platform, focusing on intelligent agent frameworks and modern web applications. Collaborate across the full stack to enhance decision-making wor...

Virginia, USRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Help us drive engineering coordination across multiple capital projects, ensuring timely execution and alignment with project priorities. This role requires strong organizational skills and the abilit...

Mackenzie, BCRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$232K - $341K *

Unlock potential by leading the technical strategy for enterprise architecture, focusing on AI integration and cloud migration. Collaborate with engineers to solve complex challenges and drive innovat...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$145K - $160K *

Drive innovation by building scalable data integration solutions, collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance healthcare technology. Ensure data quality and security while optimizing performa...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$120K - $165K *

Unlock potential by leading hydro turbine design and engineering projects, optimizing asset performance, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enh...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$145K - $185K *

Grow your career with a leading specialty contractor managing complex heavy civil projects. Collaborate with diverse teams to ensure safety, quality, and client satisfaction while driving project succ...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

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

$125K - $150K *

Champion innovative automation solutions in warehouse management. Lead complex integrations and guide engineering teams to enhance material handling processes. Collaborate on the Global Automation Roa...

Nashville, TNRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$110K - $130K *

Lead the charge in delivering high-impact consulting solutions for clients in the Energy & Utilities sector. Manage engagements, build relationships, and mentor teams to drive client success and strat...

Ann Arbor, MIRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$107K - $202K *

Unlock your potential by leading complex marine and waterfront engineering projects, guiding teams through design phases, and ensuring technical excellence for public and private sector clients across...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$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

$240K - $290K *

Elevate your career by leading a dynamic engineering team focused on production and infrastructure. Drive performance, foster collaboration, and deliver innovative solutions while managing diverse tec...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise 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

6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$229K - $258K *

Lead the charge in shaping product security strategy, driving cross-functional initiatives, and embedding security by design into engineering workflows. Collaborate with teams to enhance vulnerability...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Join a team that's redefining product security by leading cross-functional initiatives, embedding security into engineering workflows, and shaping strategies that enhance risk management across major...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$265K - $314K *

Drive innovation in mental healthcare by leading engineering teams to enhance patient referral channels. Collaborate with product managers and health systems to build scalable solutions that transform...

RemoteRemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$94K - $176K *

Drive innovation in document processing by leading high-impact projects, shaping architecture, and optimizing performance in a queue-driven pipeline. Collaborate across teams to enhance AI products an...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Media

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What is a Principal Engineer?question toggle

    A Principal Engineer is a senior technical individual contributor who helps set engineering direction, addresses complex problems, and influences architecture and practices across teams or an organization.

  • What does a Principal Engineer do?question toggle

    Responsibilities vary, but may include designing systems, establishing technical standards, guiding high-impact projects, mentoring engineers, and collaborating with product and business stakeholders.

  • How is a Principal Engineer different from an Engineering Manager?question toggle

    A Principal Engineer typically leads through technical expertise and influence, while an Engineering Manager generally focuses on people management, team operations, and delivery. Some organizations combine or vary these responsibilities.

  • What qualifications are commonly required for Principal Engineer jobs?question toggle

    Employers often look for extensive experience in a relevant engineering discipline, a history of delivering complex projects, strong system-design skills, and effective communication and collaboration.

  • How much do Principal Engineers earn?question toggle

    Pay varies by location, industry, specialization, and role scope. Ladders features vetted professional job listings paying $100,000 or more; check individual listings for compensation details.