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.
$138K - $186K *
Unlock your potential as a principal technical leader for enterprise Unix and Linux platforms, driving architecture, automation, and lifecycle management to deliver resilient infrastructure for critic...
4 weeks ago
$150K - $180K *
Transform cloud infrastructure by leading strategy, team development, and automation. Drive security, reliability, and cost management while collaborating across functions to enhance operational excel...
1 week ago
$104K - $166K *
Unlock your potential as you build and enhance a cutting-edge data platform, driving innovation in federal background investigations. Collaborate in a high-trust, remote environment while ensuring dat...
Yesterday
Director, Research and Development
$125K - $135K *
Lead the technology strategy for a dynamic software development team, overseeing modernization efforts and AI integration across multiple product lines. Foster innovation, accountability, and continuo...
2 weeks ago
Project Manager - Power Solutions
$165K - $185K *
Grow your career with us by leading complex electrical power solutions projects. Collaborate with diverse teams to deliver innovative solutions for mission-critical facilities, ensuring projects meet...
3 weeks ago
Senior Mechanical Engineer - Kiewit Power Engineering
$110K - $130K *
Lead the charge in innovative mechanical design for large-scale power plants, driving projects from concept to completion. Collaborate with a dynamic team to enhance energy solutions and ensure projec...
4 days ago
$105K - $202K *
Create innovative AI-powered healthcare products by transforming complex workflows into intuitive applications. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver impactful user experiences and own fe...
3 weeks ago
Senior Principal AI Engineer- AI Center of Excellence
$212K - $339K *
Shape the future of AI infrastructure by architecting secure, scalable platforms for LLM training and production. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to solve complex challenges and drive innovati...
Reposted 1 week ago
Senior Manager, Data Engineering
$135K - $160K *
Lead the charge in transforming data accessibility for product teams and AI agents. Oversee a team of data engineers to build a robust platform that ensures secure, reliable data usage across the orga...
6 days ago
Staff Product Manager, Agentic Planning
$168K - $285K *
Elevate the future of software planning by leading a team that integrates human and AI collaboration. Shape product direction, connect work to business priorities, and drive strategic decisions in a d...
1 week ago
Civil Engineering Project Manager
$92K - $130K *
Empower communities by leading diverse municipal projects, managing budgets, and fostering client relationships. Collaborate with teams to innovate solutions that enhance infrastructure across Maine a...
Today
AI Infrastructure Engineer [Senior]
$150K - $180K *
Transform AI infrastructure by designing and maintaining production-grade systems across multiple cloud providers. Engage in hands-on architecture decisions, ensuring reliability, security, and automa...
5 days ago
$95K - $115K *
Shape the future of financial operations by owning and modernizing financial systems, automating processes, and collaborating with engineering to streamline integrations for enhanced efficiency and re...
Reposted 6 days ago
Implementation Project Manager
$90K - $110K *
Drive seamless client implementations by managing complex, multi-service projects. Collaborate with internal teams and stakeholders to ensure successful delivery and exceptional client experiences thr...
4 weeks ago
Senior Substation Relay + Control Engineer
$105K - $150K *
Elevate the future of high-voltage systems by leading design and delivery of protection and control solutions for substations, mentoring junior engineers, and ensuring compliance with industry standar...
1 week ago
Engineering Product Manager - Mobility
$179K - $254K *
Join a team that's driving the future of mobility and IoT! Oversee product lifecycles, collaborate with executives, and navigate complex networks to align cutting-edge solutions with customer needs an...
Reposted 1 week ago
$110K - $130K *
Design implementation-ready technical solutions by engaging clients, analyzing requirements, and ensuring alignment with architecture standards. Collaborate with teams to drive projects from discovery...
Yesterday
Principal Product Manager, Agentic AI
$280K - $300K *
Pioneer innovative AI solutions in workforce management, leading product development from concept to deployment. Collaborate with engineers and executives to create impactful agentic products that enh...
2 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer, Enterprise AI
$199K - $210K *
Unlock potential by joining a dynamic team to design and develop scalable AI solutions. Collaborate across disciplines to transform complex challenges into impactful products, driving innovation and e...
4 days ago
Senior Software Engineer, Enterprise AI
$168K - $177K *
Join us to build scalable AI-powered solutions that transform grocery technology. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver impactful products while navigating complex challenges in a dynamic...
4 days ago
Technical Leader, SIte Reliability Engineer
$214K - $309K *
Optimize our Kubernetes platform as you lead initiatives that enhance reliability and scalability across cloud and on-premises settings. Collaborate with teams to achieve critical goals while mentorin...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer, Firewall
$225K - $265K *
Unlock your potential as a technical leader, driving innovative solutions in Web Application Firewall integration. Collaborate across teams to enhance security and deliver impactful customer outcomes...
4 days ago
$130K - $160K *
Join a team that's driving innovative launch campaigns, managing complex schedules, and enhancing internal processes. This role requires a proactive leader to oversee launch operations and foster rela...
4 weeks ago
Senior Principle, Transportation Optimization
$170K - $220K *
Champion transportation optimization by leading strategic initiatives that enhance service, cost efficiency, and network performance across global operations. Drive innovation in operating models and...
2 weeks ago
$103K - $181K *
Join us to lead high-impact programs and projects, driving strategic initiatives and enhancing performance through data analysis and cross-functional collaboration. Your expertise will guide teams and...
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.