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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$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

$159K *

Lead the charge in developing innovative software solutions for complex payment systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize code, mentor junior engineers, and ensure high-quality prod...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$120K - $145K *

Take ownership of automating workflows across teams by building AI agents using Claude and Microsoft Copilot. Collaborate with various departments to identify automation opportunities, ensuring securi...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$163K - $204K *

Lead the charge in building and owning critical financial systems, ensuring reliable money movement and asset flow. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver production-ready solutions while...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Business Services

$110K - $130K *

Innovate the future of power systems by designing automated tools for transmission planning. Collaborate with engineers to enhance workflows, ensuring reliable results that utilities and developers tr...

Austin, TXRemote

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$120K - $145K *

Champion the development of scalable cloud solutions, driving innovation with Microsoft Copilot and Azure. Lead integration across M365 tools, enhance AI capabilities, and collaborate with cross-funct...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Transform order management processes by leading cross-functional teams in large-scale commerce projects. Drive system design and integration across regions, ensuring seamless order lifecycle and fulfi...

Georgia, USRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Shape the future of quality assurance by leading automated testing initiatives for cloud-based ERP systems, ensuring seamless integration and performance across various business processes and upgrades...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$164K - $246K *

Elevate your career by architecting scalable ML infrastructure that powers model training and serving. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance workflows and drive innovation in machine lear...

New York, NYRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$181K - $241K *

Drive cost transparency and governance across our cloud and AI infrastructure. Lead automation and process design for a multi-cloud environment, influencing overall cost strategy while ensuring operat...

CanadaRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$120K - $145K *

Shape the future of integrations by leading the product roadmap, enhancing API standards, and driving a scalable platform. Collaborate across teams to deliver an exceptional developer experience while...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$180K - $220K *

Inspire global engineering teams to excel in delivering scalable, cloud-native solutions. Lead architectural strategy and foster a high-performance culture while driving AI-driven development practice...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$120K - $145K *

Join a team that's redefining product management by leading cross-product initiatives and shared services. Collaborate with diverse teams to drive innovation, enhance platform capabilities, and delive...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $120K *

Elevate customer success by implementing privacy-first healthcare marketing solutions. As an Implementation Engineer, you'll guide clients through technical setups, ensuring optimal performance and co...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$168K - $285K *

Shape the future of competitive strategy in AI and agentic software development. Drive market differentiation, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and establish a compelling narrative that enhanc...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $150K *

Engineer innovative embedded systems solutions, driving design and optimization from concept to production. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure reliability and performance in the power i...

Markham, ONRemote

3 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Business Services

$146K - $192K *

Drive project success by providing engineering support and technical evaluations for electric power generation projects. Collaborate with clients on design reviews, economic analysis, and risk assessm...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$100K - $170K *

Unlock potential by providing architectural engineering support for DOJ/BOP facilities. Collaborate on technical analyses, document reviews, and design recommendations to enhance decision-making and p...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$170K - $200K *

Lead technical direction for a healthcare data team, driving architectural decisions and cross-team initiatives to enhance compliance and operational efficiency. Elevate team performance while solving...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$126K - $162K *

Lead the charge in advanced ICT design for mission-critical data centers. Collaborate with stakeholders to oversee complex projects, manage resources, and drive innovation through technology adoption...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Technical Services

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.