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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$110K - $130K *

Drive safety excellence by leading program development, compliance, and mentorship. Collaborate across teams to identify risks, conduct assessments, and enhance safety culture in diverse operational e...

Texas, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$88K - $105K *

Transform your career by providing mechanical engineering expertise for hypersonic weapons systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure operational readiness and lifecycle sustainment of...

Indiana, USRemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$145K - $170K *

Join a dynamic eCommerce team to enhance the online booking experience. Lead complex features in a Next.js and TypeScript application, impacting conversion and patient trust across multiple countries...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$110K - $130K *

Join a dynamic team as a Senior Project Manager, leading national infrastructure projects for financial services clients. Drive strategic objectives while managing multiple projects from initiation to...

Atlanta, GARemote

2 weeks ago

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

$110K - $130K *

Lead the charge in managing complex infrastructure projects for financial services clients. Oversee planning, execution, and completion of renovations and upgrades, ensuring alignment with strategic o...

Knoxville, TNRemote

2 weeks ago

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

$110K - $130K *

Transform project delivery by leading national infrastructure renovations for financial services clients. Manage multiple projects from initiation to completion, ensuring alignment with strategic obje...

Charlotte, NCRemote

2 weeks ago

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

$100K - $120K *

Accelerate your career by partnering with leaders to develop innovative solutions, guide engineering best practices, and ensure high-quality infrastructure. Collaborate with teams to achieve technical...

Mclean, VARemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$134K - $175K *

Innovate solutions in healthcare by building impactful full-stack applications. Collaborate cross-functionally to understand problems and deliver user-focused tools, embodying ownership from conceptio...

CanadaRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$120K - $150K *

Transform complex data center projects by leading design and construction efforts. Collaborate with diverse stakeholders to ensure successful project delivery while managing multiple initiatives acros...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

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

$145K - $180K *

Transform infrastructure operations by leading technical strategy and architecture. Collaborate with executives and teams to design secure, scalable solutions across data centers and cloud environment...

San Diego, CARemote

Yesterday

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Drive the evolution of our design system by building foundational infrastructure that empowers designers, engineers, and AI agents to create cohesive, high-quality experiences while leading a growing...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$100K - $131K *

Join a team that's redefining cultural resource management by leading complex projects, mentoring staff, and driving business growth while ensuring compliance with federal regulations and delivering h...

Sheridan, WYRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$120K - $145K *

Drive your career with a pivotal role managing technical partnerships, scoping integrations, and ensuring successful collaboration between engineering teams and partners. Shape strategic conversations...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$143K - $286K *

Innovate with us as a technical leader, driving scalable platform solutions and AI integration. Collaborate across teams to enhance reporting accuracy and deliver high-quality outputs that support str...

Sunnyvale, CARemote

2 weeks ago

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

$128K - $165K *

Lead reliability initiatives across complex systems, driving automation and observability. Collaborate with teams to enhance operational outcomes, manage incidents, and mentor engineers, ensuring comp...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$200K - $240K *

Drive strategic growth initiatives for Navy & Marine Corps, leading business development efforts and fostering partnerships to enhance tactical networking solutions across diverse operational domains...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$95K - $115K *

Drive impactful solutions as a Mission Engineer II, collaborating with public safety agencies to transform operational challenges into effective technical solutions using Axon tools and AI. Your exper...

Michigan, USRemote

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$114K - $191K *

Lead the charge in shaping high-impact SaaS solutions by driving technical strategy and empowering a high-performing engineering team. Collaborate across disciplines to foster innovation in a fast-pac...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$100K - $170K *

Transform your career by leading the development of AI-powered observability solutions that enhance operational efficiency and system resilience across multi-cloud environments. Drive innovation in au...

Illinois, USRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$156K - $262K *

Drive innovation by architecting and developing full stack web applications, mentoring engineers, and ensuring high-quality solutions that enhance user experiences and operational efficiency across di...

United StatesRemote

Today

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

$145K - $165K *

Lead the charge in enhancing marketing technology platforms to optimize customer engagement and journey orchestration. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver reliable solutions and improve...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$85K - $129K *

Lead the charge in substation design by preparing detailed drawings and overseeing project teams. Engage with clients and contractors to ensure compliance with standards while mentoring designers and...

CanadaRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$120K - $145K *

Champion the development of impactful software solutions, collaborating across teams to enhance educational tools. Take ownership of code quality and performance, while mentoring peers and leveraging...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Food & Beverages

$161K - $242K *

Lead the charge in driving the cardiology portfolio's growth and modernization. Own strategy, adoption, cloud migration, and pricing while collaborating across teams to enhance patient outcomes and op...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$104K - $153K *

Unlock your potential by leading the technical delivery of workforce applications. Collaborate with teams to enhance productivity through automation, AI, and integrations, ensuring secure and efficien...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks 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.