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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1
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$120K - $150K *

Innovate as you guide Fortune 500 clients in leveraging AI solutions. Collaborate with sales teams, deliver dynamic presentations, and serve as trusted technical advisor to modernize legacy systems an...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$236K - $309K *

Join a team that's driving AI innovation by developing cutting-edge machine learning algorithms and frameworks that enable seamless integration across products and services, ensuring collaboration and...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Solve security challenges by owning and enhancing our security program. Lead CorpSec, SecOps, and compliance efforts while building a robust security culture in a fast-paced, remote environment...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$95K - $185K *

Deliver impactful solutions as a technical leader to drive system resilience, architect observability, and empower engineers, while establishing strong SLO-driven processes across diverse cloud enviro...

RemoteRemote

4 weeks ago

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

$250K - $300K *

Accelerate progress at a forward-thinking company by leading a dynamic engineering team, fostering a culture of excellence while delivering innovative product features and driving technical growth. Co...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$466K - $500K+*

Accelerate progress at the forefront of ML infrastructure, collaborating with cross-functional teams to design and implement user-centric solutions that enhance model development and deployment for di...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$118K - $216K *

Unlock growth through AI-native engineering expertise to design and ship monetization experiments. Lead the enhancement of mobile user experiences for a vast user base by collaborating across teams an...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$189K - $298K *

Drive enterprise transformation by turning market insights into product strategies, collaborating across teams to ensure competitive differentiation, compliance, and customer success for sustained com...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$139K - $235K *

Champion the backend usage billing pipeline, driving product direction and ensuring seamless integration for credit-based offerings while enhancing scalability and reliability across platforms...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$140K - $185K *

Elevate your career by managing a dynamic data engineering team, shaping scalable data pipelines, and driving innovative data solutions to enhance enterprise data strategies and execution efficiency a...

United StatesRemote

Reposted yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$250K - $413K *

Engineer innovative TV app features that enhance user experiences. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to shape the future of entertainment, impacting millions globally through cutting-edge techno...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Hospitality & Recreation

$128K - $170K *

Advance your career by designing and delivering scalable software solutions. Collaborate with teams to address challenges while enhancing product quality and performance in the healthcare supply chain...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$80K - $155K *

Join a team that's redefining energy solutions by designing innovative fluid and power systems. As a Process Engineer, you'll drive the development and optimization of cutting-edge technologies in a f...

RemoteRemote

6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$150K - $180K *

Invent and lead the future of enterprise architecture and engineering, driving technical decisions and team management in a dynamic environment. Transform complex systems into scalable, secure solutio...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$107K - $150K *

Drive the design and delivery of advanced AI solutions, mentoring engineers and ensuring client satisfaction. Collaborate with stakeholders to translate requirements into scalable architectures, leadi...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$124K - $232K *

Empower your career with a pivotal role in developing innovative learning solutions for Global Operations, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and collaboration to enhance training effectiveness and...

RemoteRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Pharmaceuticals & Biotech

$232K - $303K *

Transform the user experience by leading innovative projects that enhance product functionality and drive customer satisfaction across diverse teams and platforms...

Seattle, WARemote

Yesterday

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$153K - $213K *

Lead the charge in enhancing user experiences across mobile and web platforms. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver impactful projects, ensuring timely execution and operational excellen...

CanadaRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$110K - $130K *

Transform healthcare by engineering seamless data integrations between complex EHR systems and our innovative platform. Empower clinicians with actionable insights to enhance patient care and outcomes...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$122K - $218K *

Transform R&D Enablement by defining strategies and creating scalable learning products that enhance team capabilities, drive performance, and leverage emerging technologies to support technical teams...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$220K - $265K *

Lead the charge in building a high-performing mobile engineering team, driving technical execution and culture. Oversee multi-persona mobile experiences, architecture, and release operations, shaping...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$143K - $286K *

Join a dynamic team as you lead engineering efforts in backend technologies and AI-native applications, driving innovation and operational excellence while mentoring top talent and fostering a culture...

Sunnyvale, CARemote

2 days ago

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

$143K - $286K *

Drive platform-level execution of software and AI/ML systems, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities. Lead cross-functional teams, mentor engineers, and champion DevOps practices to enhance inno...

Sunnyvale, CARemote

6 days ago

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

$150K - $200K *

Lead the charge in shaping the technical strategy for cloud services, driving complex initiatives that enhance reliability, scalability, and security across multiple systems while collaborating with c...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Lead the delivery of complex projects across multifaceted industries by managing teams, budgets, and schedules while ensuring quality, safety, and client satisfaction in regulated environments...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Real Estate & Construction

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.