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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$130K - $195K *

Join a dynamic AI Automation team to design and deliver production-grade AI agents and workflows, enhancing operational efficiency across the organization while solving complex business challenges wit...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$130K - $170K *

Transform backend services and APIs for high-volume interactions, ensuring reliability and performance. Drive platform evolution through hands-on design and implementation, collaborating with cross-fu...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$130K - $160K *

Lead the charge in shaping a robust security function, managing a team while enhancing AWS infrastructure, compliance, and application security within a remote-first culture and fast-paced environment...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$153K - $214K *

Drive the evolution of our SaaS platform as a Senior Developer focused on enhancing IT insights and governance, collaborating in a dynamic team to build scalable solutions that tackle modern challenge...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$88K - $154K *

Explore a pivotal role in advancing nuclear engineering through research and collaboration. Lead innovative projects, enhance safety protocols, and drive improvements in fuel cycle technology while ma...

United StatesRemote

1 month ago

  •   15+ years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

$110K - $130K *

Build and enhance web applications using ColdFusion, ensuring optimal performance and documentation. Collaborate on new projects while managing server administration and supporting operational tasks i...

Sterling, VARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Engineer and enhance the 1035YellowPages platform as a senior developer, responsible for full-stack development and client integration. Lead efforts in code ownership, debugging, and support while lev...

United StatesRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Optimize client compliance engagements by leading cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment with SOC 2, ISO 27001, and NIST CSF standards while driving operational excellence and fostering strong rel...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$163K - $224K *

Advance innovative backend systems for a cutting-edge experimentation platform, driving impactful decisions through large-scale data solutions in a collaborative team environment, while designing and...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$163K - $255K *

Champion the evolution of autonomous laboratories by leading product strategy, engaging with customers, and translating their needs into innovative solutions that integrate technology, workflows, and...

Illinois, USRemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$170K - $234K *

Drive the architecture and development of audio signal processing technology, leading complex engineering efforts and ensuring high-quality, reusable DSP components across multiple product lines...

Framingham, MARemote

2 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$120K - $145K *

Lead backend development and API architecture, ensuring security, performance, and data integrity while collaborating with cross-functional teams and vendors to deliver robust solutions...

Albany, NYRemote

Today

  •   15+ years exp.  •   Information Technology

$135K - $160K *

Engineer resilient backend solutions for privileged account discovery, enhancing security while navigating complex, customer-deployed environments. Collaborate on data-processing workflows using cutti...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Drive product strategy and execution by collaborating cross-functionally to deliver innovative solutions that enhance customer experiences and align with business goals in the automotive industry...

Quebec, CARemote

1 month ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $145K *

Optimize product strategies to enhance customer experiences and drive business goals. Collaborate across teams to implement impactful solutions that align with market demands, leveraging expertise in...

Quebec, CARemote

1 month ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$105K - $165K *

Innovate by leading the development of cutting-edge harness engineering solutions. Create controls that enhance the AI coding process, ensuring quality and efficiency in production through hands-on de...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$95K - $115K *

Lead the execution of VDC deliverables, ensuring quality standards while coordinating across various project phases. Collaborate with teams to enhance workflows and deliver optimal results in BIM, con...

Henderson, NVRemote

1 month ago

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

$115K - $130K *

Contribute to the development and optimization of robust applications using JAVA, SQL, and JavaScript, ensuring efficient data management and exceptional client support within a dynamic team environme...

Washington, USRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Business Services

$135K - $180K *

Lead the charge in managing complex projects with cross-functional teams to ensure client success and delivery excellence through strategic oversight, financial control, and collaborative governance...

Chicago, ILRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$170K - $230K *

Engineer scalable AI platforms to identify and address vulnerabilities in production code. Collaborate closely with security and product teams to enhance application security through automated workflo...

Florida, USRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$120K - $145K *

Innovate your career by designing and developing safety-critical firmware for vehicle control systems. Collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to enhance performance and ensure compliance with forma...

Toronto, ONRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$388K - $500K+*

Drive impactful solutions for one of the largest CDNs by managing and optimizing our Open Connect platform through scalable microservices and data models, while collaborating with multidisciplinary te...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$120K - $145K *

Shape the future of dental practice management by leading software development and strategy while optimizing user experiences and ensuring compliance as we expand into new markets, collaborating with...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$152K - $190K *

Develop high-performance networking solutions using Rust for a secure client connector. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance code quality and implement impactful features while addressin...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$174K - $218K *

Reimagine healthcare by shaping partnerships that drive innovative virtual-first care solutions. As a Senior Product Manager, you will bridge product and commercial teams, enhancing member engagement...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

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.