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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$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...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

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

$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...

United StatesRemote

6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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...

CanadaRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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...

Eden Prairie, MNRemote

3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Transportation

$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...

United StatesRemote

Today

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$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...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$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...

Boston, MARemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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...

RemoteRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$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...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Transportation

$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...

Lehi, UTRemote

Reposted 3 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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...

United StatesRemote

2 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$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...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$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...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$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...

RemoteRemote

6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$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...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$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...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Transportation

$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...

CanadaRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$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...

CanadaRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$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...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

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.