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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$89K - $125K *

Partner with us to integrate new firms into our IT environment, managing Microsoft 365 migrations and Active Directory consolidations while collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$130K - $170K *

Champion innovative solutions by designing and implementing core platform features, driving the transition to microservices, and collaborating across teams to enhance scalability and flexibility in Io...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$135K - $160K *

Innovate LLM-powered systems and workflows, enhancing claims automation and customer guidance. Lead end-to-end product delivery, ensuring security and quality while collaborating with cross-functional...

Chicago, ILRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$140K - $185K *

Unlock potential by leading the architecture and development of scalable core platform systems that process transactions and integrate with financial institutions globally. Drive innovation and mentor...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$140K - $180K *

Join a team that's dedicated to developing scalable software solutions, designing responsive UIs, and optimizing backend services. Collaborate across functions to drive innovation and champion best pr...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$120K - $160K *

Empower our Managed Services tooling ecosystem by designing integrations and automations. You'll lead the configuration of Jira Service Management, optimize alerting, and ensure seamless connectivity...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$140K - $160K *

Lead the development of a robust web application by designing, coding, and testing software while mentoring junior engineers. Collaborate on process improvements and ensure compliance with industry re...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$157K - $224K *

Champion the evolution of developer tooling and CI/CD pipelines, leading a global team to enhance operational efficiency and drive platform modernization for a multi-tenant SaaS environment, ensuring...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$90K - $115K *

Elevate team performance and delivery by leading a technical group, setting clear expectations, providing mentorship, and managing project needs while ensuring quality and employee development in a dy...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$92K - $116K *

Empower progress at the core of payment processing by developing and deploying production code. Collaborate with senior engineers to enhance transaction routing systems and gain hands-on experience in...

RemoteRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$132K - $238K *

Drive the development and optimization of advanced control systems for critical infrastructure, ensuring performance and reliability across automation platforms. Lead design, testing, and integration...

Austin, TXRemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$150K - $160K *

Design innovative solutions for a secure online proctored testing platform, guiding engineering teams in modernizing architecture and ensuring scalable, reliable delivery while enhancing candidate and...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$200K *

Unlock potential by leading complex tunnel and trenchless projects. Leverage your 15+ years of expertise in design and construction management to drive successful outcomes and enhance client relations...

Riverside, CARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Business Services

$125K - $150K *

Join a dynamic team to enhance application security across web apps, APIs, and cloud services. Collaborate with development squads to prioritize vulnerabilities and implement proactive remediation str...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$120K - $145K *

Transform application security practices by enhancing web, API, and cloud service protections. Collaborate with development teams to remediate vulnerabilities and integrate security into CI/CD workflo...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$135K - $160K *

Transform your career by leading platform engineering initiatives that enhance developer experience and operational excellence. Drive technical ownership across the software lifecycle, shaping the pla...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$145K - $222K *

Lead and mentor a team in tackling complex electrical engineering projects, ensuring successful delivery and client satisfaction while coordinating multi-discipline efforts in the nuclear power sector...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$100K - $120K *

Optimize your career as an Infor M3 Technical Consultant, leveraging 3-5 years of expertise in integrations and development. Collaborate with teams to design and support seamless enterprise solutions...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $150K *

Champion data innovation by leading a skilled engineering team to enhance our enterprise data platform. Drive architectural excellence and streamline processes across Azure and Microsoft Fabric, ensur...

Pennsylvania, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Staffing

$161K - $230K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of energy by providing expert consulting on gas pipelines and FERC regulations. Lead client engagements, manage deliverables, and drive business development while...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$132K - $173K *

Architect AI-driven solutions that enhance business processes and decision-making. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design, develop, and deploy scalable applications, ensuring compliance wit...

Kentucky, USRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$128K - $160K *

Lead the charge in implementing software solutions, guiding clients through complex configurations and best practices. Manage multiple large-scale projects while mentoring teams and ensuring client sa...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$171K - $248K *

Lead a dynamic engineering team to enhance infrastructure and networking, driving user-focused product development while fostering collaboration and operational excellence across the organization...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$80K - $110K *

Shape the future of electric power generation by designing innovative instrumentation and control systems. Collaborate with diverse teams to deliver advanced solutions and lead projects that enhance e...

Warrenville, ILRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$180K - $200K *

Champion innovation by developing scalable backend solutions and troubleshooting complex issues within our Cyber-Physical Systems platform. Collaborate with global teams to enhance performance and ens...

New York, NYRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 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.