Principal Software Engineer Jobs

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.

What Does a Principal Software Engineer Do?

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.

Skills and Qualifications

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.

Career Opportunities and Compensation

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.

Find Your Next Principal Software Engineer Role

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.

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$218K - $256K *

Lead the front-end strategy for an advanced trading platform, driving performance improvements across web and mobile clients while mentoring engineers to excel in a fast-paced, innovative environment...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$150K - $180K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of AI by designing scalable platforms that enhance machine learning capabilities. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive innovation and operational exce...

Portland, MERemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Staffing

$150K - $180K *

Pioneer innovative solutions as a Senior Manager in Deployed Engineering, leading hands-on deployments and building a high-performing team. Collaborate closely with customers and internal teams to dri...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$163K - $224K *

Transform your career by automating and improving infrastructure systems, collaborating with engineering teams, and enhancing operational efficiency as part of a dynamic team focused on self-service s...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$97K - $122K *

Optimize legacy systems by implementing cloud-native architectures and AI-driven solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to reduce technical debt and enhance code quality, ensuring sustaina...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$137K - $182K *

Architect and drive AI-powered applications for drug development, focusing on protocol generation and clinical trials. Lead technical direction, mentor engineers, and ensure compliance while fostering...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$180K - $220K *

Transform the engineering landscape by shaping strategy, fostering collaboration, and leading a high-performing team through rapid change. Drive innovation in AI observability while ensuring alignment...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $150K *

Empower the development of key backend services and APIs, enhancing KeeperApp functionality. Leverage your expertise in Java and SQL to optimize performance while collaborating on innovative cybersecu...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$138K - $218K *

Unlock the potential of data by designing scalable architectures and solutions. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance system efficiency and drive strategic decisions while mentoring junio...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$113K - $169K *

Lead the charge in quality engineering by designing automation frameworks, mentoring teams, and driving innovative testing strategies to ensure high-performing software delivery across multiple Agile...

Atlanta, GARemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$200K - $270K *

Join a team pioneering AI/ML platform engineering, enhancing scalable infrastructure to empower scientific innovation. Shape the future of distributed systems and MLOps, collaborating across teams to...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$145K - $175K *

Empower progress at the forefront of semiconductor technology by managing process transfers and product qualifications with cross-functional teams to ensure exceptional yield and reliability standards...

California, MDRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$115K - $135K *

Engage with engineers and executives to create compelling technical content that showcases innovative CAD solutions. Deliver presentations, demos, and tutorials that highlight product features and the...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$135K - $160K *

Reimagine your career as a Staff Full-Stack Software Engineer, leading technical direction and mentoring teams while developing a cloud-based platform that empowers forensic investigators to uncover c...

CanadaRemote

2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$130K - $198K *

Lead the charge in building AI platform capabilities that power next-gen experiences, enabling teams to create scalable systems and multi-step workflows. Collaborate with engineers to develop reliable...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $180K *

Engineer cutting-edge AI evaluation strategies and infrastructure, ensuring quality and reliability across multi-tenant systems. Collaborate with senior teams to enhance product decisions through robu...

Georgia, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$126K - $173K *

Drive integration strategies to enhance silicon photonic fabrication, collaborating with foundries to evolve processes from development to production while ensuring robust performance and reproducibil...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$165K - $253K *

Lead the charge in managing a project team focused on high voltage substations, overseeing design, analysis, and implementation to modernize the electric grid while ensuring projects meet client speci...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   15+ years exp.  •   Technical Services

$100K - $200K *

Champion the future of eco-friendly tech by building solutions for wildfire resilience. Collaborate with diverse teams in a remote-first startup to improve decision-making tools for land managers and...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$110K - $130K *

Shape the future of cloud-native applications by designing and developing scalable solutions that enhance Workforce Management and Customer Experience. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliv...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Innovate and implement robust disaster recovery solutions for enterprise DevOps, ensuring critical infrastructure recoverability. Oversee Jenkins, Bitbucket, and JFrog Artifactory environments while e...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$181K - $213K *

Transform product-led growth by crafting data-driven strategies, enhancing customer experiences with AI, and driving account expansion through collaboration and experimentation across teams...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Lead innovative game engine development initiatives, enhancing performance and scalability through advanced coding practices while collaborating with industry leaders in a flexible, remote work enviro...

RemoteRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$195K - $270K *

Lead a high-performing team to optimize data lifecycle processes for ML models, driving improvements in data evaluation velocity and production readiness by integrating robust infrastructures and fost...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$128K - $157K *

Advance quality assurance by designing automated tests and frameworks, enhancing software reliability across multiple platforms. Collaborate with teams to identify gaps, improve practices, and ensure...

RemoteRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • What does a Principal Software Engineer do?question toggle

    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?question toggle

    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?question toggle

    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?question toggle

    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?question toggle

    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.