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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Senior Principal IT Systems Integration
$180K - $220K *
Help us streamline the integration of tactical and non-tactical systems into the Navy Shore Datacenter. Collaborate with engineering teams and Mission Owners to ensure seamless onboarding and complian...
4 days ago
Senior Backend Software Engineer
$144K - $189K *
Join a team that's driving complex projects from design to launch, tackling architecture challenges and mentoring engineers. Collaborate across teams to implement scalable solutions while ensuring cod...
2 weeks ago
$200K *
Shape the future of underground engineering by leading tunnel and trenchless projects. Leverage your extensive experience to manage teams, develop proposals, and enhance client relationships while ens...
2 weeks ago
Senior Constructability Manager
$150K - $185K *
Join a dynamic team to evaluate and enhance data center construction feasibility. Leverage your expertise to assess sites, identify risks, and influence project decisions, ensuring efficient and safe...
2 weeks ago
$100K - $160K *
Join a team that's committed to transforming project delivery through agile methodologies. Collaborate with stakeholders and guide software development from concept to completion, ensuring value and s...
Reposted yesterday
$100K - $160K *
Unlock potential by fostering collaboration between business needs and technical solutions, spearheading Agile initiatives to enhance project delivery and efficiency while providing insights across va...
Reposted 3 days ago
$100K - $160K *
Join as a Senior Business Analyst, bridging mission needs with mechanical innovation. Lead user requirements management, support change initiatives, and enhance business processes while collaborating...
1 week ago
$100K - $160K *
Join a team that's transforming business needs into innovative Salesforce solutions. As a Senior Business Analyst, you'll lead user requirements management, enhance processes, and drive strategic plan...
2 weeks ago
Fire Protection & Plumbing Engineer III
$104K - $130K *
Engage with our engineering team to enhance your expertise in fire protection and plumbing design for commercial projects. Collaborate closely with project management, produce construction documents...
4 weeks ago
Fire Protection & Plumbing Engineer III
$126K - $162K *
Engineer innovative fire protection and plumbing solutions for commercial projects. Collaborate with design and project management teams to produce high-quality construction documents and lead complex...
4 weeks ago
$120K - $145K *
Join a dynamic team to design and optimize data pipelines, ensuring quality and security for analytics and AI capabilities. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver innovative data solutions...
Reposted today
Engineer - Thermal-Hydraulic Methods Development
$79K - $137K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of reactor physics through innovative computational methods and thermal-hydraulic modeling. Contribute to technical development, regulatory compliance, and custom...
1 week ago
$120K - $155K *
Unlock potential by leading the design and development of scalable, cloud-native APIs. Drive innovation in a green field project while ensuring system reliability and operational health with a focus o...
1 week ago
Senior Staff Forward Deployed Engineer
$152K - $205K *
Lead the charge in architecting AI-driven solutions for enterprise clients, transforming complex data governance challenges into actionable insights. Collaborate with stakeholders to shape product evo...
3 weeks ago
System Engineer (Token Factory)
$125K - $150K *
Grow your career with a leading AI inference platform, optimizing GPU performance and collaborating with teams to enhance execution. Drive innovation in low-level coding and hardware integration for c...
2 weeks ago
$100K - $185K *
Unlock business growth by leading technical scoping, managing client relations, and guiding consultants. This hybrid role integrates project management with hands-on consulting to ensure accurate prop...
Reposted 4 weeks ago
Engineer III (Electrical Design Engineer)
$95K - $115K *
Partner with us to enhance project operations and drive continuous improvement. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to streamline processes and ensure timely delivery of integrated customer soluti...
4 weeks ago
$120K - $145K *
Join a team that's dedicated to safeguarding sensitive health information while enhancing security across cloud and application environments. As a Senior Security Engineer, you'll design and implement...
5 days ago
Product Engineering Lead, Keet (100% Remote, Worldwide)
$150K - $180K *
Accelerate progress at our innovative messaging platform by leading engineering teams to deliver high-quality features. Collaborate closely with product managers to shape the future of communication w...
2 days ago
Director, Security Engineering
$150K - $180K *
Empower your career by leading security engineering initiatives across product, cloud, and AI domains. Drive security architecture, vulnerability management, and team growth while ensuring robust secu...
Today
Principal Consultant - Utility Prudence Expert
$200K - $240K *
Champion the future of energy by providing expert consulting on utility prudence, managing client engagements, and delivering impactful testimony on modernization and rate cases. Collaborate with team...
1 week ago
Staff Software Engineer, AI Systems
$188K - $265K *
Accelerate progress at the forefront of AI infrastructure by leading technical direction, ensuring platform architecture meets company ambitions, and fostering collaboration across engineering teams f...
Reposted 5 days ago
Solutions Architect, Public Sector
$185K - $240K *
Unlock the potential of AI solutions for U.S. Government clients by leading technical engagements, translating complex challenges into actionable strategies, and delivering impactful demonstrations th...
4 days ago
$83K - $133K *
Lead customer engagement and technical design for critical power projects, ensuring quality and compliance. Collaborate across teams to resolve issues and manage multiple projects, driving successful...
2 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer, Backend (Reliability Platform)
$153K - $213K *
Join a dynamic team to design and build a robust reliability platform, integrating traditional systems engineering with AI-assisted development. Drive quality and innovation while fostering collaborat...
Reposted today
What is a Principal Engineer?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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.