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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$115K - $150K *

Lead the charge in a hands-on data engineering role focused on Snowflake. Own technical solutions from discovery to production, guiding teams and clients through complex data challenges while optimizi...

Minneapolis, MNRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Business Services

$150K - $180K *

Empower an engineering team to enhance the software development lifecycle. Lead initiatives in developer experience, cloud services, and operational reliability, driving collaboration and innovation w...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$220K - $260K *

Innovate secure identity management practices by defining and developing authentication, authorization, and delegation systems for agentic AI applications. This role requires a strategic leader with a...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$140K - $250K *

Elevate your career by shaping innovative gameplay systems across diverse genres. Join a dynamic team focused on prototyping and refining engaging experiences for Netflix Games, leveraging cutting-edg...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$137K - $231K *

Empower your career by shaping design systems that enhance user experience. Collaborate with teams to build high-quality, interactive UI across platforms, ensuring accessibility and performance while...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$151K - $195K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of design engineering by developing innovative systems that enhance user experience across web and mobile platforms. Your expertise will drive quality and perform...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$140K - $173K *

Accelerate progress at the forefront of software engineering by leading the design and implementation of innovative platforms, driving full-stack development, and mentoring teams to achieve technical...

Portland, MERemote

6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$175K - $195K *

Join us to drive end-to-end software delivery for money movement systems, ensuring security and maintainability. You'll own complex features, mentor engineers, and influence design decisions in a coll...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $150K *

Architect robust AI infrastructure to detect and mitigate emerging threats. Drive innovation in data ingestion and model tuning while managing complex pipelines in a high-stakes environment that evolv...

RemoteRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$168K - $177K *

Empower advertisers by leading high-impact projects that enhance campaign management, optimize platform health, and drive revenue growth through innovative backend services and APIs. Collaborate acros...

CanadaRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$120K - $135K *

Unlock innovative solutions as a Senior Software Engineer, driving modernization efforts for naval systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance performance, develop applications, and en...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$150K - $180K *

Transform the geocoding platform by enhancing data quality and search systems. Leverage ML and LLMs to optimize query understanding and automate data pipelines, impacting over 1 billion API calls dail...

New York, NYRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Business Services

$231K - $304K *

Champion groundbreaking FPGA software advancements through innovative algorithm design and technical leadership, enhancing implementation methodologies and driving superior performance in complex semi...

Colorado Springs, CORemote

3 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$200K - $232K *

Shape the future of learning through ownership of our innovative learner platform. Drive engagement and retention using AI to enhance the educational journey of diverse learners while collaborating cl...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Education, Government & Non-Profit

$160K - $200K *

Design and build innovative web applications and APIs, taking ownership of projects from architecture to deployment. Collaborate with a dynamic team to leverage AI tools and deliver impactful solution...

New York, NYRemote

6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$125K - $150K *

Empower your career by leading post-sale experiences for top Enterprise clients. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive customer success and digital transformation in Life Sciences, ensuring...

San Francisco, CARemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$140K - $180K *

Champion innovation by developing full-stack web applications using TypeScript. Collaborate in a dynamic, remote-first team to deliver engaging user experiences, streamline operations, and lead techni...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$125K - $150K *

Unlock potential by leading our platform engineering efforts, enhancing infrastructure, security, and CI/CD processes. Drive innovation and reliability as you build scalable solutions that empower pro...

CanadaRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Transportation

$120K - $145K *

Pioneer cross-functional programs, managing teams to deliver crucial initiatives. Drive alignment across departments, enhance operational excellence, and elevate program delivery practices while track...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$78K - $98K *

Shape the future of AEC workflows by leading product ownership and Agile delivery for an Engineering Tools team. Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to prioritize needs, validate outcomes...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$100K - $185K *

Empower clients by leveraging deep ONESOURCE Direct Tax expertise to design innovative solutions using AI and automation tools. Engage directly with customers, manage projects, and drive efficiency wh...

RemoteRemote

5 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Media

$120K - $145K *

Unlock potential by leading innovative software development with PHP, driving improvements in coding practices, and integrating AI tools to enhance team efficiency and product quality. Collaborate wit...

Texas, USRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$225K - $270K *

Lead the charge in Workforce Transformation by measuring AI’s impact, redesigning roles, and shaping skills for the future. Collaborate with cross-functional leaders to anticipate workforce needs and...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$179K - $220K *

Unlock potential by leading the Lattice MCP server strategy and integrations that enhance performance data interoperability within popular AI tools and external platforms, driving customer engagement...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Business Services

$120K - $145K *

Unlock potential by developing complex software applications and leading projects. This role influences policies and supports junior engineers, driving innovation and efficiency in business processes...

Alabama, USRemote

1 month ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

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.