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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$140K - $150K *

Join a team that's driving strategic project execution and mentoring talent. Leverage advanced data analytics to build impactful dashboards and navigate stakeholder relationships, ensuring alignment w...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Telecommunications & Hardware

$112K - $150K *

Shape the future of communication technology by providing expert technical support and training to diverse clients. Collaborate with sales and engineering teams to deliver innovative solutions while m...

Phoenix, AZRemote

3 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$110K - $130K *

Unlock potential by leveraging diverse engineering skills to enhance control systems and data infrastructure, improving software practices and cloud operations across innovative facilities. Embrace un...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$152K - $194K *

Advance your career by leading a high-impact web experimentation program, driving data-driven decisions across key website pages, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to optimize user experie...

CanadaRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$114K - $145K *

Lead the charge in optimizing web experimentation across high-traffic pages. You'll set standards, design tests, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive impactful insights and enhance use...

United StatesRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$105K - $183K *

Join a team that's dedicated to providing exceptional software support for mainframe IMS systems. You'll play a key role in customer service, problem resolution, and migration services, ensuring seaml...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$90K - $230K *

Elevate your career by designing and governing AI-native systems, translating complex requirements into scalable solutions, and mentoring engineers within a dynamic team focused on impactful customer...

New York, NYRemote

2 days ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Drive mobile engineering excellence across diverse product teams, ensuring strategic direction, fostering collaboration, and enhancing delivery. Lead managers, shape architecture, and cultivate a prod...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Consumer Technology

$110K - $130K *

Lead the charge in enhancing user onboarding and product adoption through deep analysis of customer journeys and designing impactful experiences that drive growth in a B2B SaaS environment...

RemoteRemote

Reposted 6 days ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$135K - $160K *

Join our team to tackle complex payroll challenges by building intuitive software solutions that enhance operational efficiency and support thousands of businesses in managing their payroll processes...

RemoteRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$125K - $150K *

Unlock your potential as a senior technical leader in utility substation engineering, driving quality standards and innovative solutions for complex projects while mentoring a growing team and collabo...

Austin, TXRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Energy & Utilities

$112K - $155K *

Accelerate progress at a leading tech firm by developing scalable, cloud-native APIs. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance core offerings and lead discussions on software architecture, e...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Transportation

$173K - $255K *

Elevate your career by defining and enforcing workload safety standards for a growing EKS fleet. Collaborate across teams to enhance availability and performance while mentoring engineers and driving...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$153K - $213K *

Advance your career by defining and enforcing workload safety standards for a growing EKS fleet. Collaborate across teams to enhance Kubernetes operations, ensuring compliance and optimizing performan...

CanadaRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$102K - $128K *

Drive impactful backend solutions for our logistics network, owning systems from design to deployment. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver robust services that enhance courier operation...

RemoteRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Food & Beverages

$102K - $128K *

Join a team that's redefining logistics technology by architecting robust Java-based backend services. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-performance solutions that power critical...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Food & Beverages

$110K - $130K *

Contribute to the design and delivery of robust J2EE applications within Agile frameworks, guiding development teams and ensuring compliance with standards while enhancing user experiences in web-base...

Rockville, MDRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Staffing

$171K - $300K *

Take ownership of architecting and developing AI-driven backend solutions for Access Security, enhancing identity intelligence and risk detection while collaborating with cross-functional teams to del...

Minneapolis, MNRemote

6 days ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$110K - $130K *

Champion our IT infrastructure by automating identity and device management. In this dynamic role, you'll implement innovative security measures while ensuring operational efficiency in a cutting-edge...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$117K - $158K *

Unlock potential by leading complex client engagements, ensuring timely delivery, budget management, and effective resource utilization while navigating challenges in a dynamic environment. Empower te...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Legal & Accounting

$135K - $160K *

Accelerate the delivery of innovative AI features by developing end-to-end solutions that enhance user experiences, from prototyping to production. Collaborate in a dynamic team to create reliable AI...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$118K - $216K *

Innovate and drive growth by designing and executing high-velocity monetization experiments. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to transform hypotheses into impactful Android features, leveraging...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $150K *

Transform complex product concepts into intuitive user experiences across various platforms. Collaborate in a high-ownership role, focusing on enterprise design that meets diverse user needs while ens...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$100K - $300K *

Lead the development of a cutting-edge platform-as-a-service, overseeing database architecture, backend services, and API design to ensure high performance, scalability, and reliability for customer a...

San Francisco, CARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$135K - $160K *

Transform client businesses by leading AI strategy and implementation. Drive impactful consulting engagements, build trusted relationships, and leverage emerging technologies to deliver measurable out...

United StatesRemote

Yesterday

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information 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.