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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$88K - $105K *

Lead estimating efforts by developing precise project estimates, analyzing impacts, and guiding teams. Leverage expertise in construction methods and cost structures to support project pursuits and dr...

RemoteRemote

6 days ago

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

$110K - $130K *

Advance our market strategy by leveraging technical expertise to identify and pursue opportunities in Distribution Planning, Design, and Grid Modernization, while building strong relationships with ut...

Austin, TXRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$144K - $209K *

Drive innovation by building scalable software solutions in a dynamic environment. Collaborate across teams to enhance user experiences and tackle complex challenges while leveraging cutting-edge tech...

United StatesRemote

5 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$125K - $148K *

Drive strategic partner acquisition by generating new business opportunities in workforce payments, focusing on payroll and pension. Collaborate cross-functionally to build a robust pipeline and lead...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$69K - $125K *

Transform the future of marine engineering by applying your expertise in mechanical systems design and analysis for naval platforms. Collaborate with teams to enhance ship design and lifecycle enginee...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$110K - $130K *

Lead the technical implementation of Synapse products, ensuring high-quality solutions and customer satisfaction. Collaborate with project teams, manage infrastructure deployment, and integrate health...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$104K - $130K *

Contribute to ICT design and project management for mission-critical data centers and smart buildings. Collaborate with technical teams, manage project scopes, and utilize advanced tools to enhance ef...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$158K - $248K *

Unlock potential by architecting scalable file management solutions, integrating distributed systems, and ensuring secure access for enterprise customers. Collaborate across teams to enhance data acce...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$150K - $180K *

Join us to build and automate large-scale GPU infrastructure for AI workloads. Leverage your expertise in SRE or Production Engineering to enhance operational tooling and ensure reliable service deliv...

CanadaRemote

Yesterday

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$110K - $130K *

Lead the charge in managing complex public safety projects, ensuring timely delivery and high customer satisfaction. Oversee a diverse portfolio while collaborating with cross-functional teams to driv...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$232K - $303K *

Transform the user experience by leading innovative projects that enhance product functionality and drive customer satisfaction across diverse teams and platforms...

Seattle, WARemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$101K - $135K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of healthcare technology by designing and enhancing our build and delivery infrastructure. Collaborate with architects and developers to implement best practices...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$139K - $250K *

Shape the future of cybersecurity by designing secure architectures and leading initiatives to protect systems and infrastructure. Drive improvements in security posture while collaborating with teams...

RemoteRemote

1 month ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$122K - $196K *

Transform your career by leading global capital projects and strategic initiatives. Oversee complex portfolios, drive execution, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to achieve business objecti...

RemoteRemote

2 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Business Services

$110K - $130K *

Unlock potential by designing and delivering scalable AI-powered integrations for nonprofits. Collaborate closely with clients to understand their needs, build solutions, and productize offerings that...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$145K - $175K *

Join a dynamic team as a Senior Data Architect, leading innovative data modeling and integration initiatives. Collaborate with AI Engineers to design scalable datasets and optimize data governance acr...

CanadaRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$135K - $160K *

Join a team that's redefining data architecture by leading innovative modeling and integration initiatives. Collaborate with AI Engineers to create scalable datasets and optimize performance in a mult...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Optimize design processes and lead a team of Design Leads to ensure high-quality project deliverables. Collaborate with project managers to balance resources, enforce design standards, and drive conti...

Dallas, TXRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$120K - $145K *

Pioneer the development of secure platform capabilities for enterprise clients, collaborating across teams to define product scope, manage complex requirements, and ensure successful delivery in highl...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$102K - $195K *

Shape the future of space exploration by developing innovative power architectures for spacecraft. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define requirements and optimize designs for various missi...

San Jose, CARemote

4 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$125K - $150K *

Lead the charge in transforming enterprise security implementations into measurable success. Drive customer outcomes, manage complex programs, and build trusted relationships with executives to ensure...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Engage in project management excellence by overseeing revenue control, fostering cross-departmental collaboration, and leading teams to deliver successful outcomes while ensuring client satisfaction a...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$168K - $270K *

Optimize the DSX OS portfolio by leading the development of a scoring platform that automates readiness tracking, enhances project onboarding, and ensures data integrity, driving open-source excellenc...

Santa Clara, CARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$125K - $150K *

Lead the enterprise project controls function, enhancing financial performance and establishing best practices across multiple firms. Collaborate with teams to ensure project health, profitability, an...

United StatesRemote

Reposted today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$95K - $154K *

Transform customer experiences by bridging engineering and support teams, driving technical issue resolution, and enhancing product deployment. Own the bug-resolution lifecycle while empowering teams...

California, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise 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.