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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$123K - $217K *

Drive your career with impactful cross-functional programs, leading initiatives from planning to launch. Collaborate with diverse teams to navigate complexity, ensuring successful delivery and continu...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$220K - $250K *

Drive the product roadmap for Unify Release Orchestration, enhancing developer experience while coordinating releases across multiple services, engaging customers, and leading initiatives for AI-nativ...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$138K - $165K *

Transform your career by leading full-chip physical verification efforts. Drive quality and accountability while collaborating cross-functionally to ensure successful tapeout readiness and clean IP de...

Irvine, CARemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$195K - $225K *

Drive security innovation by shaping technical strategies and frameworks that protect sensitive data and systems. Collaborate across teams to embed security practices, mentor engineers, and ensure com...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Hospitals & Medical Centers

$144K - $211K *

Lead the charge in managing complex Industrial Controls workstreams, ensuring seamless execution of NPI programs. Collaborate across teams to deliver innovative automation solutions on time and within...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$95K - $115K *

Elevate your career by leading technology-driven manufacturing projects. Drive complex initiatives from concept to delivery, ensuring quality and profitability while collaborating with cross-functiona...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$118K - $180K *

Join a team that's modernizing nuclear power plants with cutting-edge control technologies. Lead and support diverse projects, ensuring effective execution and client satisfaction while collaborating...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$120K - $145K *

Champion a high-performing engineering team, guiding their growth while actively contributing to software development. Collaborate across functions to align goals and foster an inclusive culture, driv...

Columbus, OHRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $159K *

Make your mark at the forefront of innovation as a Senior Technical Project Manager, overseeing proposal development, facilitating cross-functional collaboration, and ensuring successful project execu...

Delaware, USRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$157K - $184K *

Empower secure software delivery by designing and maintaining robust CI/CD pipelines, enhancing cloud-native product security, and implementing best practices in software supply chain security. Collab...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$88K - $105K *

Champion innovative energy solutions by developing Energy Conservation Measures and Facility Improvement Measures. Collaborate with teams to analyze utility consumption, create project timelines, and...

Texas, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$135K - $160K *

Shape the future of autonomous driving by leading trajectory generation and controls. Collaborate across teams to deliver safe, optimized solutions while enhancing vehicle performance through innovati...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Transportation

$135K - $210K *

Lead the charge in solving complex carrier connectivity challenges in commercial insurance. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to streamline workflows and enhance product delivery, ensuring seaml...

RemoteRemote

2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $150K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of AI engineering by leading a dynamic group of engineers and Technical Leads. Drive workforce strategy, enhance team capabilities, and ensure sustainable deliver...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$100K - $120K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of rail vehicles by designing innovative structures and components. Leverage your expertise in 3D CAD and materials to create efficient, compliant designs that en...

Montreal, QCRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Transportation

$120K - $145K *

Unlock potential by leading pre-sales technical strategies that align solutions with client needs, driving revenue growth and retention through collaboration with sales teams and delivering tailored p...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$95K - $115K *

Elevate your career by driving the design and deployment of AVEVA MES projects. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure quality solutions, mentor junior engineers, and enhance user adoption...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$110K - $130K *

Engineer innovative software solutions to enhance the Iris platform, collaborating with a dynamic team to tackle complex challenges and deliver high-quality products while ensuring compliance and effi...

Washington, DCRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$128K - $214K *

Empower cross-functional teams to deliver complex technical programs, ensuring alignment with business goals. Lead planning, execution, and stakeholder communication while fostering a collaborative en...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$82K - $105K *

Transform complex network infrastructures by designing, deploying, and managing solutions for diverse clients. Leverage your expertise to troubleshoot issues, enhance security, and ensure high availab...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$135K - $160K *

Elevate security practices by building and managing a comprehensive security program. Collaborate with engineers to identify vulnerabilities, implement automated checks, and ensure robust protection a...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $175K *

Elevate your career by leading innovative solar and energy storage projects. Drive technical excellence, mentor teams, and collaborate with stakeholders to shape sustainable energy solutions across No...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Business Services

$102K - $170K *

Elevate your career by leading innovative data engineering solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define scalable architectures and drive AI initiatives, ensuring alignment with enterpr...

New Brunswick, NJRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$102K - $170K *

Unlock innovative data solutions by leading integration strategies and architectural decisions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver scalable, secure data and AI solutions while driving...

New Brunswick, NJRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$99K - $158K *

Join a team that's leading innovation in print and packaging processes. Drive complex projects, enhance workflows, and ensure top-tier color management across multiple business units while collaborati...

Chicago, ILRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Media

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.