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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$125K - $225K *

Elevate project success by leading multidisciplinary teams in nuclear design and program management, ensuring safety, quality, and compliance across all phases of construction and operations for compl...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$140K - $195K *

Elevate your career by leading diverse teams in project controls, fostering client relationships, and driving strategic initiatives in the pharma/life sciences sector. Leverage your expertise to achie...

RemoteRemote

2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$130K - $150K *

Innovate by designing and automating workflows that enhance revenue operations, streamline GTM processes, and eliminate manual tasks. Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to optimize lead management a...

CanadaRemote

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $140K *

Drive efficiency by automating GTM processes, enhancing lead management, and integrating systems. Collaborate with Sales and Marketing to eliminate manual tasks and improve data accuracy, ensuring a s...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$130K - $140K *

Contribute to the development of a modern platform by building features, connecting systems, and improving data usability. Engage with stakeholders and troubleshoot to deliver reliable software as par...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Staffing

$130K - $150K *

Lead the charge in driving program delivery and portfolio management for a dynamic Security team, ensuring effective execution of enterprise initiatives while fostering cross-functional collaboration...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $145K *

Strategize initiatives to enhance workforce alignment and Agile practices, driving high performance in IT services for federal clients while fostering a collaborative culture and supporting strategic...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$135K - $160K *

Lead the development and operation of a cutting-edge Security Observability & Data Platform, enhancing endpoint security, threat detection, and incident response while driving innovation in security s...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$79K - $133K *

Elevate progress at the forefront of ArcGIS Hub by transforming customer workflows, communicating priorities, and enhancing geospatial collaboration through innovative product management...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$190K - $267K *

Shape the future of app advertising by enhancing backend systems for conversion signals. Drive MMP integrations, SKAN processing, and App CAPI to ensure reliable app installs and in-app events for adv...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Media

$113K - $170K *

Lead the charge in transforming customer integrations by driving technical discovery, scoping complex implementations, and ensuring successful onboarding for high-stakes accounts. Collaborate closely...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$320K - $405K *

Design and oversee the electrical architecture for cutting-edge data centers, ensuring robust power distribution and integration of advanced technologies. Collaborate with partners to enhance prefabri...

United StatesRemote

4 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Lead Oracle Cloud EPM projects, ensuring timely delivery and high quality. Collaborate with stakeholders and manage resources to achieve project objectives, fostering team success and effective commun...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $145K *

Transform complex data systems by designing and implementing scalable solutions that enhance analytics and drive business intelligence in a collaborative, Agile environment focused on healthcare compl...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$80K - $95K *

Lead the charge in overseeing rebar project execution from setup to completion, ensuring effective contract management, coordination, and communication with customers and project teams to deliver succ...

Fort Pierce, FLRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$200K - $350K *

Transform complex AI research into scalable, reliable systems. Collaborate across teams to architect and enhance backend services, ensuring robust infrastructure for model training and data collection...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$132K - $251K *

Optimize cost modeling and benchmarking for complex assemblies, driving transparency in supplier negotiations across various defense products. Lead should cost assessments and develop models to enhanc...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$96K - $124K *

Join a team that's committed to resolving complex technical issues for customers. You'll drive personalized support, streamline problem resolution, and improve service processes, all in a fast-paced...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$121K - $208K *

Transform operational efficiencies by designing and deploying high-performance integration solutions. Collaborate with stakeholders to enhance user experiences and ensure data integrity across multi-t...

New York, NYRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$60K - $211K *

Advance security engineering by defining strategies, solving complex challenges, and building scalable solutions. Collaborate with leaders to enhance security across enterprise environments while ment...

RemoteRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$103K - $153K *

Deliver a robust frontend architecture for a mature web UI, enhancing performance and usability. Collaborate with UX designers and set coding standards while ensuring security and analytics integratio...

CanadaRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Champion user-centric design and development by leading UI/UX strategies and building intuitive applications within a low-code environment. Collaborate with stakeholders to enhance digital experiences...

Albuquerque, NMRemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$110K - $130K *

Drive client satisfaction as a Senior Project Manager, overseeing eDiscovery projects, managing budgets, and consulting on best practices. Lead teams, enhance workflows, and ensure timely delivery whi...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Legal & Accounting

$150K - $180K *

Innovate enterprise-grade AI systems by defining and executing technical strategies for machine learning operations and intelligent platforms, ensuring scalable and secure AI services across cloud arc...

Hartford, CTRemote

Reposted 2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Staffing

$110K - $130K *

Innovate healthcare delivery by developing AI solutions that enhance operations and resident experiences. Collaborate with teams to automate processes and improve clinical decision-making in senior ca...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks 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.