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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$135K - $160K *

Transform product security by leading strategy, conducting threat modeling, and collaborating across teams to ensure secure design and compliance. Drive innovation in security practices while mentorin...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$124K - $238K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of spacecraft systems engineering. Leverage your expertise to lead cross-functional teams in developing complex spacecraft designs, ensuring compliance, and drivi...

Palo Alto, CARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$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...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$130K - $155K *

Elevate your career by collaborating across engineering teams to launch cutting-edge GPU-accelerated server platforms. Drive innovation in Deep Learning and AI environments while optimizing production...

RemoteRemote

3 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$92K - $110K *

Drive successful project delivery by integrating engineering, program management, and controls. Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure alignment, mitigate risks, and uphold design integrity across d...

Franklin, TNRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$125K - $150K *

Manage complex cybersecurity verification programs across large-scale data center projects. Lead coordination among diverse teams, ensuring operational readiness and technical integration throughout c...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$90K - $110K *

Innovate structural designs for light gauge and cold-formed steel systems, ensuring compliance with California codes. Collaborate across teams to enhance manufacturability and efficiency in modular an...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$110K - $130K *

Engage with clients to enhance financial processes using Infor M3. Lead implementations, provide expert advice, and deliver training while ensuring system integrity and continuous improvement in finan...

Belleville, ONRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$138K - $165K *

Elevate your career by leading complex product initiatives across technical domains. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive strategic direction into actionable plans, ensuring measurable out...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$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 6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$99K - $130K *

Drive technical excellence by evaluating customer silicon devices and translating complex requirements into manufacturable solutions. Collaborate across teams to ensure product feasibility and success...

CanadaRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$248K - $310K *

Drive the evolution of a cutting-edge integration platform, leading a high-performing engineering team while collaborating with cross-functional leaders to enhance third-party supply connectivity and...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$110K - $130K *

Drive innovative software solutions by designing, developing, and testing systems-level software. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to meet operational specifications and enhance SAP functionali...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Staffing

$110K - $130K *

Elevate customer success by leading the migration to a next-gen platform. Drive adoption, ensure seamless onboarding, and collaborate cross-functionally to enhance product value and performance for in...

Miami, FLRemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Join a team that's transforming customer experiences by leading the migration to a next-gen platform. Drive adoption, ensure seamless onboarding, and collaborate cross-functionally to deliver exceptio...

Raleigh, NCRemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$180K - $240K *

Elevate your career by designing and building robust distributed systems. Lead architectural decisions, ensure reliability, and mentor engineers while tackling complex challenges in regulated environm...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$125K - $225K *

Create innovative data solutions by designing scalable pipelines and AI tools. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance data quality and security, driving impactful analytics and machine lea...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

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

$90K - $110K *

Lead the charge in transforming concepts into buildable systems by leveraging your expertise in applications engineering. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver precise layouts, cost-effec...

Louisville, KYRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$117K - $143K *

Join a team that's redefining quality engineering by leading the transition to automation. Drive strategy, mentor a global QA team, and enhance testing frameworks to ensure high-quality software deliv...

CanadaRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Elevate your career by leading SCADA design and engineering for high-voltage electrical power systems. Collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team to optimize substation projects, ensuring efficient ex...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$185K - $215K *

Discover the opportunity to integrate cutting-edge AI technologies into innovative observability solutions, collaborating with a skilled team to deliver exceptional customer experiences and drive mean...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $160K *

The Integration Engineer will develop APIs and integration capabilities to connect data, services, and systems within a DevSecOps practice. This role involves understanding stakeholder needs, ensuring...

Mclean, VARemote

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$135K - $160K *

Innovate within a dynamic team to develop and enhance a robust platform for agents and workflows, driving productivity and collaboration across engineering and business functions while ensuring qualit...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $160K *

The Integration Engineer will develop APIs and integration capabilities to connect data, services, and systems within a DevSecOps practice. This role involves understanding stakeholder needs, ensuring...

Mclean, VARemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$172K - $215K *

Advance your career by leading software development initiatives, driving architecture design, and optimizing performance in a collaborative environment. Engage with cross-functional teams to deliver s...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

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.