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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$79K - $107K *

Drive innovative structural designs for solar infrastructure projects, collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams to ensure compliance with building codes and project specifications while providing e...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$150K - $186K *

Champion the design and implementation of scalable order management systems, driving technical excellence and collaboration across teams to enhance client trust and operational efficiency in a dynamic...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

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

$160K - $200K *

Join a team that's redefining operational efficiency by architecting robust internal tools and applying AI to real-world challenges. You'll lead technical direction, drive impactful decisions, and enh...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Legal & Accounting

$120K - $145K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of interconnect technology by designing innovative connector solutions. Leverage your engineering expertise to collaborate globally and meet the demands of leadin...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$149K - $223K *

Unlock potential by leading enterprise AI solutions, bridging sales and technical teams to deliver impactful transformations. Engage with customers to architect scalable solutions, ensuring operationa...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$93K - $124K *

Champion impactful software solutions by collaborating in agile teams to design, develop, and deliver high-performance applications that enhance connectivity and drive innovation in a rapidly evolving...

RemoteRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$125K - $225K *

Oversee complex industrial construction projects, ensuring safety, quality, and timely completion. Lead multidisciplinary teams, manage contractor performance, and coordinate with stakeholders to achi...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

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

$110K - $130K *

Empower your career by leading large-scale wireless infrastructure projects. Drive excellence in deployment, client relations, and cross-functional coordination while managing complex programs from co...

North Carolina, USRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$101K - $125K *

Drive the execution of immersive projects by providing technical oversight and support, ensuring seamless integration and coordination with partners globally while maintaining high standards of qualit...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$110K - $130K *

Elevate team performance by leading a Scrum team in developing and modernizing enterprise SaaS applications. Guide technical decisions, mentor engineers, and foster collaboration across departments to...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$113K - $142K *

Engineer innovative electrical designs for modular data centers, ensuring compliance and performance across international standards. Collaborate with teams to deliver hands-on solutions from concept t...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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

4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$135K - $160K *

Shape the future of homebuilding by leading a small team of engineers to develop innovative solutions. Balance technical ownership and people leadership while driving impactful projects from concept t...

United StatesRemote

Reposted yesterday

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

$144K - $288K *

Transform enterprise technology by leading modernization initiatives, enhancing engineering practices, and enabling responsible AI adoption across diverse platforms. Collaborate with stakeholders to d...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$126K - $210K *

Unlock potential by leading a dynamic engineering team to enhance specialty prescription processes. Drive strategic direction, foster collaboration, and ensure delivery excellence while managing multi...

Columbus, GARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$90K - $110K *

Contribute to seamless enterprise integrations by designing and developing Infor M3 solutions. Leverage your expertise in Infor OS, ION, and APIs to enhance data exchange across applications and suppo...

CanadaRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $140K *

Lead a dynamic software engineering team, ensuring quality delivery and operational excellence while fostering collaboration across business units and driving innovation in energy efficiency solutions...

Ithaca, NYRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$118K - $180K *

Join a dynamic team enhancing nuclear power plants through advanced engineering. Leverage your expertise in thermodynamics and fluid mechanics to drive power uprate projects, mentor junior staff, and...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$145K - $175K *

Lead the charge in engineering management, guiding a cross-functional team of 4-7 engineers. Drive execution, foster growth, and ensure quality while collaborating closely with product management to d...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $180K *

Join a high-growth infrastructure team to operate and scale Kubernetes platforms across multiple cloud providers, ensuring efficient GPU resource allocation and robust monitoring systems to support ma...

CanadaRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Accelerate progress at a high-growth infrastructure team managing Kubernetes platforms across multiple clouds. You'll enhance GPU resource efficiency and ensure system reliability while collaborating...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Empower your career by joining a dynamic infrastructure team managing Kubernetes platforms across multiple clouds. You'll develop systems that safeguard GPU resources, ensuring optimal performance and...

New York, NYRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$139K - $174K *

Engineer impactful electrical systems by leading projects, mentoring teams, and ensuring compliance with industry standards. Collaborate to foster innovation and quality in complex building designs, d...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$121K - $164K *

Champion a team of analysts to enhance enterprise infrastructure services, ensuring reliable support and operational excellence. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align priorities and drive c...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$150K - $180K *

Transform the future of machine learning by designing scalable architectures for production systems. Collaborate across teams to optimize data processing and model deployment, ensuring high performanc...

CanadaRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Staffing

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.