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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
$148K - $215K *
Reimagine the future of financial engagement by leading innovative software development. Engage in full-stack responsibilities, collaborating across teams to enhance product experiences for educationa...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
Manager, Software Engineering - Engineering Tools
$120K - $148K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of AEC software by leading engineering talent and enhancing workflows. Drive innovation in Autodesk Revit add-ins and tools while fostering a collaborative enviro...
6 days ago
$103K - $160K *
Drive product development by leading a senior engineering pod to deliver high-quality software for city permitting and community operations, leveraging AI tools and coding agents to enhance efficiency...
2 weeks ago
$127K - $191K *
Create robust, scalable solutions that enhance user experiences for bank administrators and customers. Lead the charge in system design and architecture while guiding and mentoring peers to elevate co...
4 weeks ago
$131K - $222K *
Shape the future of logistics by developing intelligent planning platforms that optimize freight movement. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create scalable solutions that enhance supply chai...
3 days ago
Staff Software Engineer, Consumer 360
$154K - $227K *
Join a dynamic team as a technical leader, driving scalable software solutions and mentoring engineers. Collaborate across teams to enhance engineering practices and deliver innovative AI-driven appli...
Today
Principal Engineer, Solutions Architecture - Networking
$142K - $203K *
Design and optimize AI-ready networking infrastructures to support high-performance computing and data-intensive workloads. Collaborate with customers to assess, plan, and implement scalable solutions...
Reposted 3 days ago
Senior Full Stack Software Engineer
$150K - $300K *
Transform the future of cloud-native applications by designing and developing scalable web solutions. Leverage your expertise in full stack development and cloud technologies to drive innovation and o...
Yesterday
$202K - $318K *
Accelerate progress at our AI-driven platform by leading a high-performing engineering team. Oversee technical direction, manage people, and ensure quality to deliver impactful agent experiences acros...
3 weeks ago
Software Engineer (Technical Leadership) - Central Growth
$175K - $210K *
Innovate and lead the technical vision for large-scale product systems, driving cross-functional initiatives and engineering excellence while mentoring teams to enhance growth and impact across multip...
1 week ago
$120K - $145K *
Pioneer innovative solutions as a Senior Software Engineer, collaborating with a seasoned team to tackle complex challenges. Drive product development in a fully remote environment, focusing on user n...
Reposted 6 days ago
Senior Manager, Software Engineering - AI
$190K - $215K *
Transform cloud-based engineering strategies as you lead teams in creating innovative AI-powered automation solutions, ensuring quality and scalability while promoting a dynamic and collaborative cult...
Reposted 3 days ago
Staff Software Engineer, Enterprise
$135K - $160K *
Innovate by leading the development of scalable features for our Sports & Entertainment platform. Collaborate across teams to enhance customer experiences and drive Toast's success while mentoring fel...
2 days ago
$150K - $225K *
Join us in driving the design and implementation of scalable systems, leading architectural decisions, mentoring engineers, and collaborating cross-functionally to deliver high-quality software soluti...
3 weeks ago
$150K - $250K *
Develop cutting-edge ML workflows and infrastructure, influence company direction, and tackle complex engineering challenges in a fast-paced environment, boosting productivity and innovation across te...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Sr. Software Engineer - Platform
$189K - $231K *
Build next-gen AI infrastructure as a Senior Engineer, owning subsystems from design to production. Shape projects for enterprise clients by leading and mentoring engineers while tackling unique infra...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$195K - $257K *
Join a team that's enhancing blockchain infrastructure to enable scalable microservices and APIs. Collaborate across teams to drive innovation in payment systems and blockchain technology while ensuri...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer, On-Prem
$205K - $285K *
Transform the on-premises CI/CD landscape by enhancing reliability, simplifying installations, and driving technical strategy. Collaborate with teams to build tools that empower engineers and ensure s...
6 days ago
Senior Product Manager - Code Translation & Developer Tooling
$125K - $150K *
Take ownership of product strategy and execution, driving innovation in code transformation across diverse technical domains. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver impactful solutions for...
1 week ago
$200K - $225K *
Transform the future of cloud commerce by leading the design and evolution of scalable, resilient systems that enhance platform reliability and drive innovation across teams and products...
Yesterday
Principal Software Engineer - IBM z/OS Connectivity
$150K - $180K *
Elevate your career by leading the development of innovative software solutions that enhance integration with IBM z/OS environments, addressing complex challenges in enterprise automation systems with...
Reposted 6 days ago
$160K - $200K *
Unlock potential by leading technical direction in autonomy systems. Drive ownership of advanced perception, prediction, and planning components with cross-stack influence, facilitating innovation and...
Reposted 2 weeks ago
$164K - $226K *
Lead the charge in designing and evolving a robust entity data platform, ensuring accurate and timely data delivery while enhancing system reliability and reducing manual validation through innovative...
2 weeks ago
$164K - $226K *
Lead the charge in revolutionizing Excel with AI-driven insights, enhancing workflows for financial professionals using cutting-edge technology. Impact major decisions and mentor engineers in best pra...
3 weeks ago
$160K - $200K *
Join a team that's redefining cloud infrastructure by providing cross-departmental technical leadership, driving innovative architectural solutions, and mentoring top engineers to create unified, scal...
4 weeks ago
What does a Principal Software Engineer do?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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.