Explore Principal Software Engineer jobs for experienced technologists ready to shape architecture, guide engineering teams, and solve complex technical challenges. Ladders features vetted professional opportunities with salaries of $100,000 or more, helping you find senior roles that match your expertise and career goals.
Principal Software Engineers provide technical leadership across products, platforms, or engineering organizations. They design scalable systems, establish engineering standards, evaluate architectural tradeoffs, and partner with product, security, and operations teams. Depending on the organization, the role may involve mentoring engineers and influencing roadmaps without direct people-management responsibilities.
Employers commonly seek deep software development experience, strong system design and architecture skills, and expertise in one or more programming languages or technology domains. Successful candidates communicate clearly, make sound decisions amid ambiguity, and build alignment across teams. Experience with cloud infrastructure, distributed systems, reliability, security, or data platforms may be valuable depending on the role.
Principal-level positions are available across industries, including technology, finance, healthcare, retail, and business services. Compensation varies by employer, location, scope, and specialization. Browse Ladders for vetted opportunities paying $100,000 or more, and review each listing for its stated salary range, responsibilities, and requirements.
Use Ladders to discover senior engineering opportunities aligned with your experience. Compare roles by industry, location, and technical focus, then tailor your application to highlight measurable impact, architectural leadership, and the systems you have helped deliver.
Staff Software Engineer, AI Agent
$100K - $350K *
Innovate and take ownership of cutting-edge AI coding solutions, enhancing efficiency and accuracy. Collaborate on system design and product features while leveraging advanced engineering practices to...
2 weeks ago
Senior Backend Software Engineer, DX
$180K - $235K *
Lead the charge in developing robust backend applications, driving complex projects from design to launch. Collaborate across teams, mentor junior engineers, and tackle architectural challenges to enh...
5 days ago
Senior Fullstack Engineer, Core Products
$124K - $134K *
Innovate and optimize our core fintech systems, leveraging AI-driven technologies while owning end-to-end product development. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure impactful user experien...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$170K - $250K *
Lead the charge in building high-throughput systems as you manage a team of engineers. Drive technical excellence and team growth while collaborating across functions to deliver innovative solutions i...
Today
Senior Software Engineer, Risk Management
$135K - $160K *
Drive innovation in vendor risk management by developing full-stack solutions to enhance enterprise security. Collaborate across teams to build seamless experiences and shape how businesses manage thi...
Reposted 4 weeks ago
Software Systems Engineer Principal
$160K - $200K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of program management by leveraging your software systems engineering expertise and product ownership skills to drive innovative solutions in a cloud-native envir...
Today
Software Systems Engineer Principal
$120K - $145K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of program management solutions. Leverage your software systems engineering expertise and product ownership skills to drive innovation and deliver high-quality, c...
Yesterday
$100K - $130K *
Drive your career forward by contributing to product-focused software development. Engage in coding, debugging, and optimizing performance while collaborating on projects that enhance the software sta...
3 weeks ago
$230K - $245K *
Champion innovation by leading a dynamic engineering team to automate financial data extraction, enhancing model accuracy and efficiency for clients. Drive impactful solutions that empower analysts to...
1 week ago
Site Reliability Engineering Team Lead (Principal SRE)
$150K - $180K *
Unlock potential by leading our Site Reliability Engineering team, ensuring the reliability and performance of our cloud-native platform. Drive technical excellence, cultivate a high-performance cultu...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Senior Manager - Software Engineering (REF# ME0826)
$170K - $180K *
Lead the charge in overseeing complex software development initiatives, driving Agile sprint teams, and ensuring seamless integration of web services and databases to meet organizational goals while e...
3 weeks ago
Sr. Software Engineer, Fullstack - Remote
$120K - $190K *
Drive the design and delivery of scalable cloud services, championing quality and collaboration while mentoring engineers and ensuring robust system performance and reliability across the full stack...
Reposted 4 weeks ago
SailPoint Engineering lead, IAM
$140K - $180K *
Transform identity governance at scale by leading the SailPoint ISC platform. Drive strategy, architecture, and compliance across global operations while collaborating with cross-functional teams to e...
6 days ago
$120K - $150K *
Elevate product innovation by leading cross-functional teams to develop AI tools and workflows. Drive project momentum through hands-on prototyping and clear communication, ensuring alignment between...
2 weeks ago
$100K - $120K *
Innovate with a dynamic team of engineers to shape architecture and drive product expansion as you build reliable software solutions for healthcare, fostering a collaborative environment that promotes...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$95K - $115K *
Empower innovation as you design complex electrical systems, lead projects, mentor teams, and ensure high-quality deliverables. Collaborate closely with multi-disciplinary teams, utilizing advanced BI...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
Senior Engineering Manager, MSSP
$260K - $280K *
Innovate and lead the growth of a dynamic MSP/MSSP engineering team by driving scalable platform capabilities, ensuring operational excellence, and fostering a culture of quality and collaboration wit...
4 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer, Full Stack
$100K - $300K *
Join a dynamic team as a senior full-stack software engineer, driving innovation in AI software development. Build and own features across our platform, enhancing user experience and scalability for t...
2 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer, Web Application Services
$155K - $190K *
Empower the evolution of web-based services by architecting solutions that enhance user experiences and drive growth, leading cross-functional collaboration while mentoring engineers and establishing...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer, Web Application Services
$180K - $215K *
Drive innovative web services through technical leadership and collaboration. Shape the architecture of scalable products, mentor engineers, and tackle challenging problems to enhance user experiences...
3 weeks ago
Senior Engineering Manager, Data Platform
$225K - $265K *
Unlock potential by leading a transformative data engineering team focused on building robust, high-performance data platforms. Drive innovation, foster a culture of learning, and ensure impactful out...
Reposted 1 week ago
$120K - $145K *
Transform cloud infrastructure for higher education products by designing, building, and operating AWS and Azure environments. Collaborate with teams to enhance reliability, automate processes, and me...
2 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer, Developer Infrastructure (Test Infrastructure)
$218K - $256K *
Drive innovation in test infrastructure, enhancing efficiency and reliability for all engineering teams. Lead initiatives to modernize test execution, minimize feedback loops, and ensure trust in resu...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$120K - $145K *
Elevate your career as a Senior Data Engineer, leading the design and architecture of our data warehouse. Collaborate closely with engineers, enforce data quality standards, and innovate with AI to en...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$130K - $180K *
Innovate your career by leading product strategy and execution in AI-driven simulation and autonomy. Collaborate with customers and technical teams to transform complex needs into impactful product so...
1 week ago
What does a Principal Software Engineer do?
A Principal Software Engineer leads technical direction across significant systems or teams, making architecture decisions, solving complex engineering problems, and helping establish standards. The role is often an individual-contributor position, though responsibilities differ by company.
What qualifications are needed for Principal Software Engineer jobs?
Employers typically look for extensive software engineering experience, advanced system design skills, proficiency in relevant technologies, and a record of delivering reliable, scalable systems. Communication, mentoring, and cross-functional influence are also commonly important.
How much do Principal Software Engineers earn?
Pay varies based on location, industry, employer, specialization, and role scope. Ladders focuses on vetted professional jobs paying $100,000 or more; check individual listings for compensation details.
Are Principal Software Engineer roles management positions?
Not necessarily. Many Principal Software Engineers are senior individual contributors who influence technical strategy and mentor colleagues without managing direct reports. Some companies combine technical leadership with management duties.
Where can I find Principal Software Engineer jobs paying $100,000 or more?
Browse Principal Software Engineer listings on Ladders to explore vetted opportunities with salaries of $100,000 or more and compare roles by their requirements, responsibilities, and location.