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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$122K *

Elevate your career by managing global projects in Neuroscience, ensuring compliance, budget adherence, and successful collaboration across cross-functional teams to drive milestone achievement and en...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$137K - $245K *

Shape the future of physical operations by driving AI-powered product innovation. Collaborate across teams to identify customer needs, prototype solutions, and deliver impactful products that enhance...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$137K - $245K *

Lead the charge in driving strategic initiatives and product innovation within the Telematics Business Unit, enhancing core offerings and exploring new market opportunities through hands-on collaborat...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$113K - $188K *

Contribute to the development of embedded software for nuclear systems. Lead a team ensuring design compliance, execute project plans, and enhance operational efficiency. Drive collaboration across di...

RemoteRemote

Reposted today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Business Services

$193K - $309K *

Innovate scalable software solutions for payroll onboarding, enhancing functionality and reliability. Collaborate with diverse teams, mentor peers, and drive improvements in engineering productivity w...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $180K *

Develop and optimize scalable web applications using TypeScript, Java, and Node.js. Collaborate with teams to deliver innovative AI-powered solutions while ensuring code quality and performance in a d...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$142K - $234K *

Transform the OCI registry landscape by designing and developing innovative features for quay.io. Collaborate with teams to enhance service experiences while leveraging cutting-edge AI tools for scala...

Raleigh, NCRemote

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$105K - $145K *

Elevate your career by designing and executing overhead transmission line projects. Collaborate across disciplines, mentor junior engineers, and ensure project quality and safety while engaging with c...

Pasadena, CARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$149K - $198K *

Elevate user experience by architecting and implementing visualization solutions. Collaborate across teams to enhance automated testing and drive best practices in performance and scalability, deliver...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Transportation

$135K - $203K *

Join a team that's redefining Unity platform support for Android ecosystems. Collaborate on optimizing performance across devices, enabling seamless deployment for developers while enhancing user expe...

RemoteRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$200K - $350K *

Engineer innovative evals for an AI coding agent, leveraging user data to enhance performance. Collaborate with engineering teams to optimize accuracy, speed, and cost-effectiveness while ensuring use...

San Francisco, CARemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$80K - $95K *

Optimize project financial performance by managing accounting processes, ensuring compliance, and collaborating with project teams to enhance profitability and cash flow. Drive timely reporting and su...

Miami, FLRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$110K - $130K *

Transform enterprise network architecture by leading LAN migration projects, ensuring seamless transitions to Cisco SDA fabric. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to execute plans, manage changes...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Transform complex cloud and data center solutions by leading implementations, ensuring technical readiness, and delivering exceptional customer support throughout the project lifecycle. Drive innovati...

Savannah, GARemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Shape the future of innovative SaaS solutions by driving full stack development, integrating cutting-edge technologies, and delivering exceptional applications with a focus on scalability and performa...

Toronto, ONRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$91K - $146K *

Shape the future of turbine automation in a dynamic team, driving tailored solutions while ensuring project quality, safety standards, and customer engagement. Leverage your expertise to transform des...

Pennsylvania, USRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$154K - $208K *

Unlock your potential as you shape the architecture for consumer-facing platforms, driving innovation in AI and DTC technology. Collaborate across teams to establish standards and governance, ensuring...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$100K - $110K *

Drive successful project delivery by leading cross-functional teams, managing timelines, budgets, and stakeholder engagement. Ensure alignment with business objectives and quality standards throughout...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

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

$240K - $379K *

Champion system-level solutions by leading cross-functional teams in diagnosing and resolving complex issues in data center platforms, ensuring optimal performance across hardware and firmware domains...

Santa Clara, CARemote

Yesterday

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$135K - $160K *

Drive new business growth by leveraging industry expertise and relationships. Collaborate with senior executives to position as a trusted partner, focusing on digital transformation and consultative e...

New York, NYRemote

5 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Champion partner growth by leading a high-performing team focused on pre-sales excellence, solution strategy, and AI adoption. Drive business development and co-innovation while ensuring technical dis...

New York, NYRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$107K - $204K *

Champion the development and integration of advanced manufacturing equipment and automation solutions, driving innovation and efficiency across multiple sites while collaborating with vendors and ensu...

Florida, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$108K - $130K *

Unlock the potential of our data governance program by managing the MDM platform, ensuring data integrity, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive actionable insights across our expandi...

Jacksonville, FLRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$104K - $130K *

Unlock potential by joining a dynamic team focused on advanced electrical design for mission-critical facilities. Collaborate with experts, lead projects, and enhance your skills in a supportive remot...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$120K - $150K *

Empower our Digital team as a Senior Software Engineer, driving full stack development and modernization initiatives. Collaborate closely to enhance our Digital Banking platform, architecting new APIs...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

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.