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 - $205K *

Drive the development of safety-critical autonomous systems, ensuring robust safety performance through hazard analysis and collaboration with cross-functional teams. Contribute to innovative solution...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$110K - $130K *

Partner with us to lead and manage complex projects, ensuring client satisfaction and timely delivery through effective coordination across multiple teams and departments. Drive project success from i...

San Marcos, TXRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$150K - $280K *

Drive system architecture definition and refine requirements in a collaborative, agile environment. Engage with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment with customer needs and technical solutions...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$130K - $176K *

Lead complex water resources projects, integrating technical and commercial strategies while guiding multidisciplinary teams through planning, execution, and client engagement to ensure successful del...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$110K - $130K *

Elevate your career by supporting turbine and generator outage activities. Collaborate with engineers and leverage your expertise in QA/QC and troubleshooting to ensure optimal performance for power p...

Wilmington, DERemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$120K - $145K *

Oversee global EPC proposal processes for Battery Energy Storage Systems, collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative, customer-centric solutions while driving continuous improveme...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$111K - $150K *

Drive innovative civil engineering solutions for utility-scale solar projects. Lead design teams, mentor engineers, and ensure high-quality project execution while collaborating with clients and stake...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$140K - $240K *

Shape the future of customer experiences by leading software architecture and development across multiple product teams. Collaborate closely with UX and engineering to deliver innovative, AI-driven so...

RemoteRemote

6 days ago

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

$135K - $145K *

Deliver seamless integration and Tier 3 support for secure mobile infrastructure. Collaborate with enterprise stakeholders to ensure compliance, performance, and customer satisfaction while managing c...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$149K - $256K *

Lead the technical strategy for complex global opportunities, collaborating with sales teams to develop tailored solutions. Drive technical discovery, architecture design, and customer engagement to e...

California, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $145K *

Lead the charge in designing scalable system architectures, optimizing technical solutions, and championing enterprise standards. Collaborate with stakeholders to deliver innovative technology solutio...

Indianapolis, INRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$168K - $181K *

Lead the charge in developing innovative AWS cloud solutions for scoring capabilities. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance system reliability and efficiency, while mentoring junior engi...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

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

$166K - $238K *

Lead a dynamic team of engineers in cloud operations, driving reliability and automation. Collaborate across departments to optimize performance and enhance mission-critical services for government cl...

Minneapolis, MNRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$135K - $160K *

Drive the development of advanced machine learning systems for autonomous trucks, leading a team in perception capabilities. Oversee the complete lifecycle from data requirements to deployment, ensuri...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$180K - $212K *

Pioneer innovative IAM strategies to enhance security across cloud and on-premise infrastructures. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement robust identity governance and access management...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$130K - $154K *

Lead complex projects to enhance organizational efficiency, manage timelines, and coordinate cross-functional teams. Drive strategic goals while ensuring compliance and fostering strong stakeholder re...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$185K - $210K *

Lead the charge in transforming TMC implementations by defining processes, configuring platforms, and training teams to ensure seamless transitions and rapid go-lives across multiple projects simultan...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $170K *

Join a team that's dedicated to delivering high-quality HVAC projects. Oversee technical coordination, manage project milestones, and ensure seamless communication among stakeholders while driving pro...

Kentucky, USRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$150K - $180K *

Drive engineering excellence by leading autonomous teams to deliver high-quality software solutions for U.S. defense operators, integrating AI fluency into development practices while fostering a cult...

Itasca, ILRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Engage in the design and management of enterprise endpoint technologies, ensuring security and efficiency across over 1,000 devices. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance endpoint perform...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

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

$150K - $240K *

Develop innovative PCB layouts and improve product designs by collaborating with cross-functional teams. Ensure high quality and compliance throughout the engineering and manufacturing process, while...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$85K - $120K *

Elevate your career by developing innovative water treatment solutions. Collaborate with teams to create technical proposals, manage projects, and ensure customer satisfaction while adhering to safety...

Wisconsin, USRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$100K - $120K *

Help us drive growth by identifying and closing automation opportunities. Collaborate with technical teams to deliver tailored solutions, build lasting customer relationships, and exceed sales targets...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$140K - $160K *

Join a dynamic team to execute complex physical electrical designs for medium- and high-voltage substations and utility-scale projects, ensuring quality and compliance from concept through constructio...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$110K - $183K *

Innovate the future of healthcare technology by developing scalable applications that streamline specialty prescriptions. Collaborate with a skilled team to enhance user experience and drive efficienc...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

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.