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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$100K - $195K *

Take ownership of designing automated systems and robotic equipment for remote operations in radiological environments. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure effective integration and perf...

Oak Ridge, TNRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$130K - $155K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of data services by designing and implementing robust integration solutions. Leverage your expertise in Ruby on Rails and REST APIs to drive innovative projects a...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$128K - $160K *

Lead the charge in delivering innovative AI and automation solutions, translating complex business needs into technical designs. Collaborate across teams to enhance productivity and drive continuous i...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$97K - $146K *

Elevate your design career by enriching our design system and creating AI-powered templates. Lead brand initiatives, manage creative requests, and produce engaging materials across various channels to...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$115K - $172K *

Shape the future of healthcare by leading complex data ingestion initiatives. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive program delivery, manage risks, and ensure operational excellence while t...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Hospitals & Medical Centers

$120K - $145K *

Accelerate your career by designing and optimizing secure, scalable cloud infrastructure. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance operational efficiency and ensure high availability for glo...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Media

$122K - $153K *

Champion technical solutions by advising C-Suite leaders, driving sales support, and customizing product demos. Utilize financial software expertise to enhance client relationships and streamline sale...

New York, NYRemote

Reposted today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$250K - $280K *

Empower the development of AI observability capabilities, architecting data models and infrastructure while collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance user workflows and insights into AI sys...

CanadaRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$183K - $206K *

Transform AI observability by developing end-to-end capabilities, architecting data models, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to enhance user workflows and insights into agent performance...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$93K - $137K *

Innovate across capital projects and chemical operations, delivering practical mechanical engineering solutions while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to ensure effective project execution a...

RemoteRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$70K - $100K *

Take ownership of the Virtual Care Platform by developing and maintaining features in a Python/Django codebase, enhancing internal tools, and ensuring production reliability while collaborating with s...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$188K - $235K *

Develop AI-powered systems from concept to production, collaborating with clients to identify needs, prototype solutions, and ensure quality. Engage closely with users to iterate and enhance product f...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$110K - $130K *

Drive optimization solutions for workforce planning in a large-scale contact center. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement advanced algorithms that enhance scheduling, staff...

Toronto, ONRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$90K - $110K *

Help us drive project success by managing AV integration projects from inception to completion, ensuring timely delivery, budget adherence, and client satisfaction while fostering collaboration within...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Media

$115K - $219K *

Transform the Unity Editor by developing cross-platform API abstractions using modern C++. Collaborate with seasoned engineers to enhance user experiences across Windows, macOS, and Linux while mainta...

RemoteRemote

5 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$111K - $150K *

Elevate your career by leading innovative structural engineering solutions for utility-scale renewable energy projects. Collaborate with diverse teams to drive design excellence and mentor emerging ta...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$180K - $240K *

Build innovative software solutions for federal partners, focusing on full-stack development, user experience, and secure integrations. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver impactful app...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$95K - $115K *

Join a team that's redefining power plant performance analysis. Lead thermal modeling, collaborate with vendors, and execute field tests to ensure optimal plant efficiency and reliability. Your expert...

Lenexa, KSRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$120K - $145K *

Drive mobile engineering excellence by leading app development, mentoring engineers, and integrating AI solutions to enhance user experiences across iOS and Android platforms while collaborating with...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$170K - $190K *

Engage in transforming healthcare by designing and deploying AI solutions that enhance clinician efficiency and patient outcomes. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate advanced automati...

San Francisco, CARemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$197K - $257K *

Champion the transformation of connected content into actionable knowledge within Confluence. Drive strategy, ensure quality, and enhance user experience by managing content organization and freshness...

San Francisco, CARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Lead complex, cross-functional marketing initiatives from planning to execution, driving accountability and collaboration across teams while enhancing project management processes and methodologies fo...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$115K - $135K *

Engage with engineers and executives to create compelling technical content that showcases innovative CAD solutions. Deliver presentations, demos, and tutorials that highlight product features and the...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$120K - $145K *

Take ownership of automating workflows across teams by building AI agents using Claude and Microsoft Copilot. Collaborate with various departments to identify automation opportunities, ensuring securi...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Drive strategic leadership in electrical engineering, overseeing project execution and team development while ensuring quality and compliance across multidisciplinary projects. Foster collaboration an...

Atlanta, GARemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 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.