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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Director, Software Engineering (Account Servicing & Finance)
$150K - $180K *
Unlock potential by leading software engineering teams to deliver scalable solutions. Drive strategic partnerships, enhance engineering practices, and foster a culture of innovation and accountability...
Yesterday
Lead Engineer, Merchandise Technology
$125K - $160K *
Shape the future of global merchandising technology by leading engineering efforts, driving modernization, and ensuring high-quality delivery across diverse platforms. Collaborate with teams to implem...
3 weeks ago
Engineering Manager, Knowledge Graph Platform
$217K - $303K *
Innovate with us to lead a high-performing engineering team, shaping a scalable AI-powered knowledge graph platform that enhances data quality and drives impactful user experiences across multiple app...
3 weeks ago
$149K - $235K *
Innovate high-quality AI experiences by collaborating across teams to enhance product quality and user trust. Drive adoption and growth through scalable solutions, while mentoring peers and improving...
4 days ago
$100K - $175K *
Drive innovative technology solutions by leading Agile project management efforts, fostering client relationships, and guiding teams through the complete solution delivery lifecycle to ensure successf...
Yesterday
$135K - $160K *
Transform healthcare technology by owning core products, driving architectural decisions, and ensuring high-quality code. Collaborate across teams to deliver impactful solutions that enhance patient c...
5 days ago
$110K - $130K *
Lead the development of accurate proposals and cost estimates for water and wastewater projects. Collaborate with engineering, sales, and finance teams to ensure timely delivery and customer satisfact...
Today
Senior Engagement Principal | Software Delivery
$212K - $222K *
Champion client success as you lead Aera solution deployments, building trusted relationships with executives to drive value and Decision Intelligence roadmaps while managing project delivery and fost...
Reposted 3 days ago
Manufacturing Solutions Engineer
$80K - $95K *
Support manufacturers by implementing solutions that enhance operational performance. Collaborate with teams to drive adoption and deliver measurable improvements, ensuring lasting value from the plat...
2 weeks ago
Account Executive - Engineering Firms (California)
$119K - $150K *
Advance your career by driving enterprise sales within civil engineering firms. Leverage your expertise to enhance workflows, secure contracts, and deliver impactful solutions, all while collaborating...
Reposted 5 days ago
Staff Software Engineer, Vanta for Government
$150K - $180K *
Elevate your engineering career by leading innovative projects and driving strategic technology direction in a rapidly growing organization. Collaborate across teams to champion excellence and mentor...
Reposted today
$103K - $160K *
Drive product development by leading a senior engineering pod to deliver high-quality software for city permitting and community operations, leveraging AI tools and coding agents to enhance efficiency...
3 weeks ago
Principal Software Development Engineer
$225K - $338K *
Transform the future of AI security by leading the development of high-performance, low-latency applications in a multi-tenant B2B SaaS environment, while mentoring junior developers and driving innov...
3 weeks ago
Principal Software Development Engineer
$225K - $338K *
Transform cloud infrastructure for a cutting-edge AI security platform. Architect scalable solutions, optimize CI/CD pipelines, and ensure system reliability while leveraging serverless technologies a...
3 weeks ago
Principal Software Development Engineer
$206K - $310K *
Join us to lead the development of high-performance, low-latency applications in a multi-tenant B2B SaaS environment, enhancing security and efficiency through innovative AI tools and collaborative ar...
3 weeks ago
Lead Software Engineer - Survivable Airborne Operations
$120K - $140K *
Lead the development of secure, automated recovery solutions for mission-critical systems. Collaborate with engineers and partners to transform concepts into working prototypes, ensuring rapid restora...
5 days ago
$110K - $130K *
Develop reliable backend systems and platforms that empower engineers. Own capabilities from design to production, enhance performance, and collaborate across teams to improve developer experience and...
Today
$120K - $145K *
Contribute to the development of a robust Kubernetes control plane, enhancing multi-cloud infrastructure and driving scalable architecture for enterprise-grade cloud services...
4 weeks ago
$114K - $165K *
Join our dynamic team to lead the development of high-performance backend solutions. Leverage your expertise in Java, microservices, and real-time data streaming to drive innovation and mentor a talen...
Reposted yesterday
Principal Software Engineer Search Platform
$150K - $180K *
Elevate our search capabilities by architecting high-scale solutions, leading multi-quarter transformations, and ensuring operational excellence across a global cloud infrastructure while mentoring em...
3 weeks ago
Managing Principal Consultant - Distribution
$125K - $150K *
Join a dynamic team to lead distribution consulting initiatives, drive operational excellence, and mentor engineers. Shape industry standards as the primary expert in distribution planning while foste...
1 week ago
$139K - $235K *
Lead the development of innovative CX solutions using AI tools, enhancing workflows and integrations across platforms. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver production-quality software an...
Today
Senior Software Engineer - Customer Portfolio Enablement
$116K - $145K *
Empower innovation by delivering resilient software solutions, driving data migration, and enhancing customer onboarding experiences. Collaborate in a dynamic team to build automation and support seam...
3 weeks ago
$90K - $110K *
Join a team that's dedicated to delivering successful large-scale projects. Oversee all phases from planning to execution, ensuring timely completion and budget adherence while fostering strong custom...
1 week ago
$110K - $150K *
Lead project portfolios from inception to completion, managing teams and client relationships. Drive financial outcomes and cultivate repeat business while ensuring project success in land development...
1 week ago
What is a Principal Engineer?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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.