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Amazon Principal Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Principal, Data Engineer

Woburn, MA · On-site

$170K - $213K/yr

The Team We are seeking a Principal Data Engineer to join American Tower's Information Technology ... Strong understanding of streaming technologies such as Apache Kafka or Amazon Kinesis ...

Principal Data Engineer Locations: Waltham, MA - Hybrid About the Role We are seeking a highly ... Strong knowledge of Oracle, PostgreSQL, Amazon Redshift, and Amazon Aurora databases * Experience ...

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Amazon Principal Engineer information

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$74K

$147.2K

$212.5K

How much do amazon principal engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for amazon principal engineer in the United States is $147,220.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,500.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an Amazon Principal Engineer?

An Amazon Principal Engineer is a senior-level technical leader responsible for driving significant architectural decisions, setting technical direction, and mentoring engineering teams at Amazon. They have deep expertise in their field and often influence multiple teams or even the entire organization. Principal Engineers are expected to solve complex problems, champion best practices, and help shape Amazon’s technology vision. They collaborate closely with other leaders and contribute to both short-term projects and long-term technology strategies.

How does a Principal Engineer at Amazon typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive large-scale projects?

As a Principal Engineer at Amazon, you will frequently collaborate with cross-functional teams that include product managers, data scientists, and engineering teams across different domains. Your role often involves providing technical leadership, aligning stakeholders on architectural decisions, and mentoring engineers to ensure best practices are followed. Principal Engineers are expected to facilitate clear communication, resolve technical roadblocks, and drive consensus, especially on complex or ambiguous projects. This collaboration is key to delivering scalable, high-impact solutions that align with Amazon’s business goals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Amazon Principal Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Amazon Principal Engineer, you need deep expertise in software engineering, system architecture, and scalable distributed systems, supported by a strong technical degree and extensive industry experience. Mastery of cloud platforms (like AWS), programming languages (such as Java, C++, or Python), and familiarity with CI/CD tools are typically expected. Exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to influence and mentor cross-functional teams make someone stand out in this role. These skills are vital for driving technical vision, delivering complex solutions at scale, and ensuring alignment across large engineering organizations.

What is the difference between Amazon Principal Engineer vs Amazon Software Development Manager?

AspectAmazon Principal EngineerAmazon Software Development Manager
CredentialsTypically requires extensive technical experience, advanced degrees, and industry certificationsRequires experience in software development, leadership, and project management, often with a background in computer science
Work EnvironmentFocuses on technical leadership, architecture, and innovation across teamsLeads teams, manages projects, and oversees software development processes
Employer & Industry UsageCommonly used in Amazon and similar tech companies for senior technical rolesUsed in Amazon and other tech firms for managerial roles overseeing development teams

The Amazon Principal Engineer is a highly technical role emphasizing architecture and innovation, while the Amazon Software Development Manager focuses on team leadership and project management. Both roles require strong technical backgrounds but differ in their primary responsibilities and focus areas.

More about Amazon Principal Engineer jobs

What cities are hiring for Amazon Principal Engineer jobs?

Cities with the most Amazon Principal Engineer job openings:

What states have the most Amazon Principal Engineer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Amazon Principal Engineer jobs include:

Infographic showing various Amazon Principal Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 94% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,220 per year, or $70.8 per hour.

Principal TPM, Enterprise Engineering

Amazon

Seattle, WA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 13 days ago


Amazon rating

7.4

Company rating: 7.4 out of 10

Based on 7,098 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

6th of 39 rated national retailers


Job description

Enterprise Engineering builds and operates the internal tools, platforms, and AI-powered services that enable over 1.5 million Amazonians to do their best work every day - from endpoint management and collaboration to cutting-edge productivity experiences, all at massive global scale. We're seeking a Principal Technical Program Manager to lead high-impact, cross-functional, company wide projects. This role requires working closely with product management to define strategy and requirements, collecting business and systems requirements from customers and business units, writing specifications, and leading development teams from design through delivery and subsequent operation. You will be expected to make appropriate trade-offs to optimize launch timelines, clearly communicate goals, roles, responsibilities, and desired outcomes to internal cross-functional project teams. This position involves regular communication with senior management on status, risks, and product strategy. Excellent listening, writing skills, executive communication and very strong technical competency are essential.
The ideal candidate will possess a strong program management background, will have demonstrated experience leading medium to large projects through multiple complete product development cycles, and will have a well-rounded technical background in current technologies. You must be able to thrive and succeed in an entrepreneurial environment, and not be hindered by ambiguity or competing priorities. This means you are not only able to develop and drive high-level strategic initiatives, but can also roll up your sleeves, dig in, and get the job done. You will anticipate bottlenecks, provide escalation management, anticipate and make trade-offs, and balance the business needs versus technical constraints. An ability to take large, complex projects and break them down into manageable pieces, develop detailed functional and test specifications, schedule, and deploy new feature sets in a successful and timely manner is expected. Maturity, high product judgment, negotiation skills, ability to influence, analytical talent, and leadership are essential to success in this role.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- 7+ years of technical product or program management experience
- 10+ years of working directly with engineering teams experience
- 5+ years of software development experience
- Experience managing programs across cross functional teams, building processes and coordinating release schedules
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- 8+ years of hands-on work managing complex technology projects experience
- Experience managing projects across cross functional teams, building sustainable processes and coordinating release schedules
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you're applying in isn't listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.
USA, WA, Seattle - 177,000.00 - 239,400.00 USD annually

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About Amazon

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Amazon.com, Inc., commonly known as Amazon, is an American multinational technology company. It was founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994 and initially started as an online marketplace for books. Since then, Amazon has expanded its operations and become one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world. Amazon's primary business is its online retail platform, where customers can purchase a vast array of products, including electronics, clothing, books, home goods, and much more. The company offers a convenient and user-friendly shopping experience, with features such as fast shipping, customer reviews, and personalized recommendations. In addition to its e-commerce platform, Amazon has diversified its business into various other areas. One of its notable ventures is Amazon Web Services (AWS), a comprehensive cloud computing platform that provides services such as storage, compute power, and database management to individuals and businesses. AWS has become a leader in the cloud computing industry, powering many websites and applications worldwide. Amazon has also developed its own consumer electronics, including the popular Amazon Kindle e-reader, Fire tablets, Fire TV streaming devices, and the Alexa-powered Echo smart speakers. The Alexa voice assistant, integrated into these devices, allows users to interact with their devices using voice commands, perform tasks, and access information. Furthermore, Amazon has expanded into media and entertainment. It operates Prime Video, a streaming service that offers a wide range of movies, TV shows, and original content. Amazon Music provides a platform for streaming and purchasing digital music, while Audible offers audiobooks and other audio content. The company's commitment to customer satisfaction and convenience is demonstrated by its membership program, Amazon Prime. Prime members receive various benefits, including free two-day shipping, access to streaming services, exclusive deals, and more.

Industry

It services, book publishers, retail, real estate, computer and electronic product manufacturing and software development

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Seattle, WA, US