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.
$175K - $225K *
Optimize Shopify's checkout and post-purchase experiences by developing key features and tools. Collaborate with a small, autonomous team, tackling challenges across multiple systems with a focus on p...
Reposted 4 weeks ago
$135K - $160K *
Join a dynamic team to shape the future of software engineering by leading architectural decisions, driving product modernization, and enhancing operational excellence while mentoring others and foste...
2 weeks ago
Principal Engineer - Database Platform Engineering & SRE
$152K - $223K *
Drive operational transformation and cloud readiness by leading database modernization initiatives, improving reliability and engineering excellence through automation and best practices while mentori...
Reposted 3 days ago
$110K - $130K *
Join a dynamic team to innovate and deliver high-quality software solutions. Collaborate in an Agile environment, leveraging modern technologies to enhance product functionality and customer satisfact...
1 week ago
Lead Software Engineer- full stack Java
$120K - $145K *
Lead a dynamic engineering team to design and develop complex enterprise applications, ensuring high-quality delivery and technical excellence while mentoring developers and driving modernization effo...
3 weeks ago
Senior/Staff Software Engineer (Platform and Execution Model)
$180K - $240K *
Transform the future of distributed systems by designing and building robust platform components. Collaborate with teams to ensure reliability and scalability in mission-critical environments, driving...
2 weeks ago
Lead Software Engineer, Azure Solutions
$170K - $200K *
Accelerate progress at the forefront of Azure solutions, leading medium-scale client engagements and complex projects. Drive technical leadership, solution architecture, and mentoring while collaborat...
2 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer II - Agentic Intelligence
$250K - $280K *
Drive innovation by designing and delivering advanced AI agents that leverage high-cardinality observability data. Collaborate with a dynamic team to enhance Canvas capabilities, ensuring agents perfo...
3 weeks ago
Senior Software Engineer II - Agentic Intelligence
$183K - $206K *
Partner with us to innovate agent engineering, crafting unique observability solutions using high-cardinality data. Lead projects from prototype to production while enhancing Canvas capabilities for i...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
$150K - $180K *
Join a team that's shaping the future of platform engineering, driving innovation across cloud, DevOps, and site reliability. This role empowers you to build core services, enhance architecture, and m...
Reposted 3 days ago
Senior Software Engineer, Data Ingestion
$199K - $260K *
Champion the development of robust data ingestion pipelines, transforming pentest results into actionable insights. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless data flow and operational...
2 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer - Files Platform
$158K - $248K *
Unlock potential by architecting scalable file management solutions, integrating distributed systems, and ensuring secure access for enterprise customers. Collaborate across teams to enhance data acce...
3 weeks ago
Sr Principal Technical Program Manager - Enterprise and Emerging
$229K - $299K *
Help us transform our enterprise programs by orchestrating complex cross-functional initiatives and delivering measurable outcomes while driving clarity in ambiguity and fostering strong relationships...
Reposted 3 days ago
Software Engineering Manager - Foundry
$180K - $220K *
Empower a globally distributed team to build and enhance an in-house ERP application, ensuring alignment across engineering, operations, and delivery while fostering a culture of collaboration, accoun...
Today
Senior Engagement Principal | Software Delivery
$212K - $222K *
Champion client success as you lead Aera solution deployments, building trusted relationships with executives to drive value and Decision Intelligence roadmaps while managing project delivery and fost...
3 weeks ago
Staff Software Engineer, Backend (Grader)
$220K - $240K *
Transform your career by owning the backend architecture for a fast-growing product, enhancing system performance, and collaborating across teams to drive innovations in restaurant health analytics wi...
Reposted 3 weeks ago
Senior Engineering Manager - Tenant
$208K - $234K *
Drive the growth of Honeycomb Private Cloud by leading a senior engineering team, enhancing customer relationships, and ensuring operational excellence across multiple engineering domains. Collaborate...
1 week ago
Senior Software Engineer, Developer Experience
$180K - $233K *
Champion developer infrastructure solutions by optimizing workflows, enhancing build systems, and driving collaborative projects. Engage with diverse teams to tackle complex challenges in software dev...
Reposted 4 weeks ago
$185K - $225K *
Launch innovative full-stack solutions, owning features from backend to UI. Collaborate with a remote team to enhance agent workflows and ensure secure, reliable experiences in a regulated financial e...
1 week ago
Senior Microsoft Platform Software Engineer
$120K - $145K *
Elevate software development by integrating AI-powered coding practices into enterprise solutions. Collaborate with teams to enhance productivity, code quality, and testing through innovative AI tools...
6 days ago
Principal Technical Product Manager
$138K - $165K *
Elevate your career by leading complex product initiatives across technical domains. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive strategic direction into actionable plans, ensuring measurable out...
3 days ago
Principal Engineer - Reporting & Insights
$287K - $320K *
Join a team that's redefining financial insights through AI. As a senior technical leader, you'll shape the multi-year strategy for Reporting & Insights, guiding engineering teams to innovate and scal...
3 days ago
Senior Fullstack Software Engineer, GRC
$135K - $160K *
Drive complex projects and technical direction as a Senior Software Engineer, enabling scalable infrastructure and impactful product development within a rapidly growing organization...
4 weeks ago
$120K - $216K *
Champion the development of high-performance REST APIs, leading architectural decisions and mentoring engineers. Collaborate across teams to enhance system performance and establish best practices in...
1 week ago
Principal Software Engineer - Virtualization
$171K - $288K *
Transform engineering productivity by leading cross-team strategies and architectures for embedded software. Drive measurable improvements in quality and release confidence while mentoring teams acros...
Reposted 4 days 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.