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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$180K - $240K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of AI by architecting robust systems that integrate foundational models. Drive innovative solutions in a fast-paced lab, translating business needs into scalable...

Ontario, CARemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$115K - $150K *

Shape the future of healthcare connectivity by leading product strategy and delivery for advanced imaging solutions. Leverage your expertise in DICOM, FHIR, and cloud technologies to drive innovation...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Healthcare

$100K - $120K *

Lead the charge in delivering innovative civil engineering solutions for diverse land development projects. Collaborate with teams, mentor staff, and ensure high-quality design while promoting efficie...

RemoteRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$138K - $165K *

Shape the future of AI products by leading strategy, execution, and cross-functional collaboration. Drive innovation and deliver exceptional value through effective stakeholder influence and team lead...

CanadaRemote

2 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$90K - $110K *

Shape the future of product quality by designing automated tests and performance evaluations, ensuring reliability and scalability in complex systems. Collaborate across teams to drive innovation and...

United StatesRemote

4 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$126K - $188K *

Shape the future of security operations by leading SOC Engineering to enhance telemetry, detection, and automation capabilities. Drive technical excellence, scalability, and strategic initiatives whil...

Missouri, USRemote

Reposted 4 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$72K - $99K *

Join a team that's dedicated to innovating insurance products, driving growth, and ensuring regulatory compliance. Collaborate with key stakeholders throughout the product lifecycle while contributing...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$85K - $90K *

Join a team that's shaping the future of our Advisory platform. As a Product Manager, you'll drive product strategy, prioritize customer needs, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure su...

Philadelphia, PARemote

2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$162K - $220K *

Drive innovation in electrical engineering for hyperscale data centers. Lead design activities, manage project teams, and ensure quality assurance while collaborating with stakeholders to deliver resi...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Technical Services

$165K - $243K *

Deliver innovative disaster recovery solutions for healthcare systems, ensuring compliance and resilience for clinical workloads. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to address complex challenges...

United StatesRemote

3 days ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$154K - $208K *

Unlock your potential as you shape the architecture for consumer-facing platforms, driving innovation in AI and DTC technology. Collaborate across teams to establish standards and governance, ensuring...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

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

$140K - $200K *

Join a team that drives mission success in aerospace program management, overseeing the entire payload lifecycle from planning to execution. Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams and governm...

Reston, VARemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$110K - $130K *

Join a team that's redefining energy solutions by architecting robust data pipelines. Collaborate with product teams to optimize data ingestion and ensure reliability, supporting analytics and AI init...

CanadaRemote

Today

  •   5 - 7 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $150K *

Join a team that's driving complex, cross-functional programs that enhance client engineering requests and ensure timely delivery. You'll shape processes, manage dependencies, and support Tier 1 clien...

Canada, KYRemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Enterprise Technology

$150K - $180K *

Engineer cutting-edge blockchain infrastructure for financial markets. Drive architecture, design proofs of concept, and ensure interoperability while collaborating with teams to meet institutional re...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

$125K - $150K *

Join a team that's redefining operational efficiency through AI and automation. As a Senior AI & Automation Engineer, you'll develop intelligent solutions that enhance workflows and drive measurable i...

United StatesRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Manufacturing & Automotive

$130K - $155K *

Engineer innovative mechanical solutions by translating architectural concepts into practical designs. Collaborate across engineering disciplines while leading HVAC standards and ensuring effective ex...

Fort Worth, TXRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   11 - 15 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$120K - $145K *

Join a team that's building scalable cloud solutions on Microsoft Azure. Drive innovative AI-powered applications integrating M365, ensuring seamless interactions that enhance user experiences and dri...

United StatesRemote

3 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Business Services

$145K - $200K *

Reimagine the user experience by building scalable, data-driven solutions in a collaborative environment. Leverage your skills in full-stack development to enhance our experimentation platform while t...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$143K - $223K *

Unlock your potential by building powerful models and infrastructure for high-performance virtual platforms critical for software development. Collaborate closely with engineering teams to enhance usa...

Cupertino, CARemote

Reposted 3 weeks ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Retail & Consumer Goods

$110K - $130K *

Empower customer success as a Senior Strategic Program Manager, overseeing major contracts, driving growth strategies, and enhancing operational efficiency. Collaborate with teams to ensure excellence...

RemoteRemote

1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Aerospace & Defense

$150K - $180K *

Shape the future of high-speed analog design by leading layout development for complex analog and mixed-signal IP blocks. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure first-pass silicon success w...

San Jose, CARemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$150K - $180K *

Lead the charge in high-speed analog layout design for cutting-edge optical communication systems. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure first-pass silicon success while mentoring junior e...

Irvine, CARemote

Yesterday

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$125K - $150K *

Empower the development of innovative banking solutions by driving product strategy, collaborating across teams, and delivering scalable capabilities that enhance customer experiences and meet busines...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 2 weeks ago

  •   8 - 10 years exp.  •   Information Technology

$109K - $164K *

Drive advanced digital forensics and incident response initiatives while mentoring a skilled engineering team. Leverage deep technical knowledge to enhance operational capabilities and ensure exceptio...

United StatesRemote

Reposted 1 week ago

  •   Less than 5 years exp.  •   Finance & Insurance

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.