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.

Remote
caret down
Compensation
caret down
Position Level
caret down
Time Posted
caret down
Industries
caret down
More
1
caret down

Sort By: Relevance

$110K - $130K *

Partner with us to lead multiple real estate projects in financial services, managing planning, execution, and closeout with a focus on MEP systems and automation. Your strategic insight will drive su...

Detroit, MIRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

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

$125K - $150K *

Pioneer the success of large-scale construction projects, ensuring timely delivery and quality standards. Lead diverse teams, manage client relationships, and drive strategic planning while overseeing...

Texas, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$228K - $285K *

Pioneer advancements in AI inference platforms, driving strategy and execution across cross-functional teams to enhance scalability and reliability for enterprise customers. Lead product initiatives f...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$88K - $121K *

Manage logistics for a complex federal program, ensuring timely, secure delivery of assets. Lead project activities, coordinate with stakeholders, and maintain compliance while building strategic rela...

Virginia, USRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$88K - $105K *

Lead the charge in ensuring quality and compliance for mechanical and electrical systems. Collaborate across teams to uphold standards, conduct inspections, and drive continuous improvement in mission...

Texas, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$95K - $115K *

Lead the charge in managing enterprise restaurant technology deployment projects, ensuring successful delivery through effective cross-functional collaboration and communication with stakeholders, whi...

Texas, USRemote

4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$150K - $185K *

Lead the development of innovative AI products that empower job seekers with evidence-based coaching and actionable insights, while collaborating closely with cross-functional teams to shape impactful...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$84K - $105K *

Drive project success by managing client relationships and leading implementation strategies. Collaborate with teams to assess needs, develop plans, and ensure timely delivery while navigating challen...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$84K - $105K *

Deliver exceptional client engagement by managing project success, assessing needs, and developing strategic plans. Lead cross-functional teams to ensure timely and budget-compliant implementations wh...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$101K - $206K *

Join a team that's redefining AI product development by leading high-performing engineering teams. Drive innovation and collaboration across functions to deliver scalable AI solutions, while fostering...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$252K - $300K *

Unlock potential by leading the technical strategy for Data Labs, guiding engineering teams to innovate AI training solutions, and shaping the future of model evaluation and deployment in a rapidly ev...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$140K - $180K *

Innovate with us as you lead technical delivery for enterprise data integration and migration projects, focusing on Higher Education and Salesforce ecosystems. Drive solution architecture, manage team...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$161K - $299K *

Transform the future of C4I systems as a Systems Engineering Manager, leading design initiatives and managing a team to ensure alignment with customer requirements. Drive modernization efforts through...

Colorado, USRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$74K - $130K *

Drive financial excellence by managing program life cycles, collaborating across departments, and ensuring accurate projections and reporting to meet business objectives and mitigate risks...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

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

$75K - $110K *

Unlock potential by leading enterprise network transformations with SASE and SD-WAN solutions. Mentor engineers, manage complex projects, and deliver exceptional managed services while ensuring client...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$105K - $128K *

Empower your career by supporting a vital contact center platform. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize integrations and enhance customer experiences across voice, SMS, and email channe...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$171K - $300K *

Lead the charge in scaling AI adoption through strategic engineering, tackling complex deployments, and mentoring talent. Shape the future of the GAIL program by enhancing tooling, standards, and cust...

San Diego, CARemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$80K - $95K *

Lead the charge in managing projects from initiation to completion, ensuring alignment with business objectives. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver results on time while effectively co...

Arkansas, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $120K *

Elevate preconstruction processes by leading project planning, coordination, and execution. Collaborate with stakeholders to ensure alignment on scope, budget, and timelines while managing cost estima...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$215K - $307K *

Lead the charge in designing and evolving global cloud infrastructure, leveraging deep Azure expertise to build secure, scalable systems that enhance enterprise SaaS platforms and improve developer ex...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$164K - $246K *

Elevate your career by architecting scalable ML infrastructure that powers model training and serving. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance workflows and drive innovation in machine lear...

New York, NYRemote

3 weeks ago

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

$126K - $171K *

Lead the charge in delivering innovative project management solutions for large law firms. Drive implementations, manage resources, and ensure client satisfaction while navigating complex challenges a...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Legal & Accounting

$170K - $260K *

Transform aircraft capabilities by integrating weapons and payloads. Collaborate with design teams to create innovative solutions, ensuring compliance with military standards while supporting testing...

Seattle, WARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$157K - $192K *

Develop and enhance a cloud-native agent harness, ensuring secure, reliable, and efficient operations. Collaborate with a dynamic team to deliver features, fix bugs, and innovate using AI throughout t...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$100K - $120K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of 3D modeling and virtual simulation. Lead daily operations, provide technical direction, and ensure project success while collaborating with Government stakehol...

Leavenworth, KSRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

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.