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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$159K - $164K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of enterprise applications by designing and maintaining robust web solutions in Azure Government Cloud, leveraging full-stack technologies to enhance user experie...

Arlington, VARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$76K - $142K *

Manage construction projects across varying locations, ensuring adherence to deadlines, budgets, and technical requirements. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to achieve project goals while nav...

United StatesRemote

Reposted yesterday

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

$102K - $120K *

Lead high-impact proposal efforts globally, managing complex RFIs and RFPs. Drive collaboration, ensure quality, and optimize strategies for proposal submissions in a fast-paced, deadline-focused envi...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Pioneer the administration and development of core business systems, focusing on ServiceNow. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create scalable solutions that enhance operations, service, and...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $145K *

Drive your career with impactful Terafina implementation projects, collaborating with cross-functional teams to customize solutions, manage integrations, and support clients through all project phases...

Georgia, USRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$290K - $340K *

Lead and inspire engineering teams to develop cutting-edge web and AI security solutions. Drive strategy, execution, and organizational health while fostering a culture of innovation and accountabilit...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Elevate enterprise AI initiatives by partnering with clients to drive strategic solutions. Leverage your expertise to engage senior leaders, design impactful demos, and accelerate deal cycles, ensurin...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$82K - $172K *

Innovate your career as you design and maintain mission-critical software for defense financial systems. Lead a growing team, integrate AI capabilities, and ensure compliance in both classified and un...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Lead strategic product initiatives in advanced surgical technologies, driving development and commercialization efforts. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance orthopedic outcomes and proc...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$88K - $105K *

Lead investigations into pipeline incidents, ensuring safety and compliance. Collaborate with federal and state agencies to analyze failures and share insights, enhancing national pipeline safety thro...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$253K - $298K *

Lead transformative initiatives by leveraging AI and engineering excellence to redefine compliance operations. This role focuses on building high-performing teams and designing scalable solutions that...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$118K - $147K *

Drive high-stakes architectural design for complex technology projects, ensuring innovative solutions from concept through execution while collaborating with leading global firms in a multidisciplinar...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   15+ years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$86K - $135K *

Lead the charge in optimizing pre-construction workflows for hydrogen systems. Collaborate with diverse stakeholders to ensure timely project execution and regulatory compliance, driving efficiency an...

Johnstown, NYRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$110K - $130K *

Elevate our software engineering capabilities by designing and building modern, cloud-native data pipelines. Collaborate with diverse teams to ensure seamless project delivery and advocate for best pr...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $152K *

Transform underground transmission line engineering by designing systems up to 500kV. Lead project teams, conduct cost analyses, and ensure compliance with industry standards while collaborating with...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$100K - $120K *

Unlock your potential as a Project Manager, leading complex, cross-functional projects. Oversee multiple initiatives, ensuring timely delivery and budget adherence while mentoring team members and enh...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$171K - $209K *

Shape the future of technology solutions by leading architecture design, ensuring compliance, and driving innovation across cloud and infrastructure. Collaborate with teams to enhance application mana...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$130K - $155K *

Lead the development of innovative Generative AI solutions, overseeing end-to-end processes from design to deployment. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance enterprise systems and ensure...

Florida, USRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$100K - $120K *

Lead the charge in optimizing project management processes for a VHA client team. Utilize your expertise to enhance strategic planning, decision-making, and execution while collaborating with senior s...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$119K - $202K *

Lead the charge in developing innovative software solutions that enhance our proprietary technology platform. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality applications while optimiz...

Eden Prairie, MNRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Transportation

$102K - $231K *

Lead the charge in developing innovative software solutions that enhance customer experiences. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality applications while optimizing performance...

Minnesota, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Transportation

$250K - $400K *

Shape the future of AI by partnering with customers to design and deliver innovative data solutions. Collaborate with a senior team to tackle complex challenges and transform vague requests into actio...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$160K - $187K *

Transform the Time & Attendance engineering team by leading technical delivery, fostering collaboration, and driving platform modernization to enhance healthcare workforce solutions and ensure data ac...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $175K *

Join us to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams in delivering complex IT modernization projects for the U.S. Department of State, ensuring technical excellence and alignment with mission objective...

Washington DC, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$102K - $136K *

Join a team that's transforming healthcare by developing essential tooling and AI capabilities for engineers. This role spans software development, architecture, and collaboration in an Agile environm...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

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.