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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$170K - $243K *

Unlock potential by leading AI infrastructure planning and network architecture. Collaborate with clients to design scalable solutions for high-performance computing and AI workloads, ensuring optimal...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$120K - $195K *

Drive innovation by developing and maintaining Linux kernel features, collaborating with hardware teams, and contributing to the upstream community. Own projects from definition to deployment while me...

Vancouver, BCRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$120K - $145K *

Drive enterprise consulting services by leading product implementations, conducting business process analyses, and delivering tailored solutions that align with customer goals while ensuring exception...

Charlotte, NCRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$265K - $279K *

Empower your career by leading the Enterprise Fulfillment engineering team, setting technical vision, owning engineering roadmaps, and fostering a culture of excellence with 10+ engineers while collab...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$140K - $160K *

Unlock potential by driving the evolution of AWS environments and CI/CD pipelines, enhancing observability and security, while collaborating with engineers to optimize platform reliability and perform...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Unlock potential by designing and implementing enterprise identity solutions, ensuring secure access across cloud and hybrid environments while collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance IAM...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$157K - $300K *

Drive the evolution of scalable data platforms, enhancing reliability and performance across distributed systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver robust solutions that support Unity...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$87K - $160K *

Unlock potential by leading strategic PLM engagements, transforming systems, and guiding clients through complex landscapes. Collaborate across teams to design scalable architectures that align with e...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$120K - $145K *

Empower innovation by leading the development of production Generative AI solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design, build, and optimize workflows, ensuring operational excellence a...

Florida, USRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$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...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$90K - $102K *

Contribute to the development and maintenance of secure, scalable solutions in Microsoft 365 and Azure. Collaborate with teams to enhance automation, identity security, and API integrations, ensuring...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$148K - $193K *

Lead strategic initiatives in fire protection and plumbing engineering, collaborating with senior management to enhance operations, drive client engagement, and implement technology solutions for impr...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$145K - $185K *

Champion complex heavy civil construction projects from planning to execution, collaborating with field leadership, clients, and subcontractors to ensure safety, quality, and successful project delive...

RemoteRemote

6 days ago

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

$200K - $250K *

Innovate and shape the technical strategy for a cutting-edge exchange platform. Lead high-impact initiatives, mentor engineers, and drive architectural decisions in a regulated environment to enhance...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$144K - $165K *

Unlock potential by owning data architecture and reliability across domains. Collaborate with an AI-first team to design robust data pipelines, enhance analytics, and drive impactful solutions in a dy...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$120K - $133K *

Unlock the potential of global clinical trials by leading feasibility projects, analyzing data, and developing strategies. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver insights and drive operati...

Durham, NCRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$120K - $150K *

Join a team that's redefining energy solutions. As a Senior Electrical Engineer, you'll lead design and execution of cutting-edge Solar and Battery Storage projects while mentoring peers and driving t...

Bedminster, NJRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$110K - $145K *

Shape the future of healthcare technology by designing and implementing innovative care management tools. Collaborate with teams to create reliable software solutions while mentoring others and advanc...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$110K - $130K *

Transform complex software systems for DoD operations by designing, developing, and maintaining secure solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams and lead small projects to ensure timely deliv...

Johnstown, PARemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$186K - $236K *

Lead the design and development of scalable payment solutions, shaping the future of money movement for small businesses. Collaborate cross-functionally to deliver resilient engineering solutions whil...

Washington, DCRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$95K - $105K *

Contribute to the development and support of advanced missile systems as a systems engineer. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance the capabilities of critical defense technologies while...

Pittsfield, MARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$100K - $120K *

Elevate customer success by implementing privacy-first healthcare marketing solutions. As an Implementation Engineer, you'll guide clients through technical setups, ensuring optimal performance and co...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$80K - $150K *

Unlock secure customer experiences by designing and implementing identity solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance authentication processes, ensuring seamless onboarding and login...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$125K - $135K *

Join a dynamic team as you drive Agile Release Train initiatives, coordinate diverse product teams, and ensure effective delivery in a complex environment. Your leadership will enhance collaboration a...

United StatesRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$150K - $180K *

Engage in leading a diverse technical team to drive innovative engineering solutions, ensuring alignment with business objectives while fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous learning, and t...

Warren, MIRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

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.