Associate Software Engineer Jobs in Clayton, NC (NOW HIRING)

As an Experienced Software Engineer at Principal, you’ll work with engineers to help lead our efforts to continue modernizing our technology and to enable great solutions for our customers! Our Technology Community has multiple openings in different lines of business such as Principal Asset Management, Retirement & Income Solutions, Benefits & Protection and SCBU Enablement. In this role you’ll join our community of over 4,000 engineers and help to build things people love. Our goal is to enhance our customer experience and keep them at the center of our work.

Technologies used here at Principal include: AWS, Java, Python, TypeScript, .NET, Salesforce (Apex, Lightning), mainframe, distributed systems, JavaScript, SQL, Mulesoft, and many more.

Here are a few examples of the kinds of things you’ll do:

• Develop high quality applications for our customers

• Identify and propose strategies around technical problems affecting the business, communicate standards, and get consensus on solutions

• Work closely within your engineering team, architecture, and business partners to resolve how to make our software even better

• Take on tasks of increasing complexity, learn quickly, and make steady progress to make improvements based on partner feedback

• Solve interesting and complex problems to create a positive customer experience

• Experiment with new tools and practices to deliver business value in an agile organization

• Continuously improve both yourself and the systems you are working on

• Understand how work fits into the larger strategy

• Actively participate with team during pairing, mobbing, and design

Operating at the intersection of financial services and technology, Principal builds financial tools that help our customers live better lives. We take pride in being a purpose‑led firm, motivated by our mission to make financial security accessible to all. Our mission, integrity, and customer focus have made us a trusted leader for more than 140 years.

What can you expect when you work at Principal?

• We help you understand our customers in meaningful ways so you can represent their points of view and needs in your work.

• We provide an environment based on integrity, inclusion, and trust where your diverse perspectives are welcomed. And we care about our local communities around the world and support efforts to make your impact go further.

• We provide a total rewards approach that pays you fairly for your contributions and helps you save enough, protect enough, and have enough- because it’s what we do.

• We give you the opportunity to do challenging and exciting work, continuously learn, and try new things.

• We set a clear enterprise direction so you can prioritize your work and deliver the highest value.

• You have an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree with a preference in a science, technology, engineering, or math related field or equivalent work experience

• You have 2+ years software engineering experience

• Excellent planning, organizational, problem-solving, analytical, decision-making and communication skills

• Must have the desire to learn new technology and continuously grow

• Cloud platforms experience (we use AWS, but open to others)

• Development practices including TDD, CI, and pair programming

• DevOps

• May be required to provide on‑call support

Salary ranges below reflect targeted base salaries. Non‑sales positions have the opportunity to participate in a bonus program. Sales positions are eligible for sales incentives, and in some instances a bonus plan, whereby total compensation may far exceed base salary depending on individual performance. Actual compensation for all roles will be based upon geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level and will be finalized at the time of offer.

$77,000 - $156,000 / year

The following levels and locations are examples of market‑specific salary ranges across different job levels and geographies. Candidates will be evaluated to determine the appropriate job level based on their skills and experience.

Des Moines, IA, Charlotte, NC, or Raleigh, NC:

• Software Engineer II: $77,000 - $105,000/Year

• Software Engineer III: $94,000 - $127,000/Year

• Sr. Software Engineer I: $116,000 - $156,000/Year

Flexible Time Off (FTO) is provided to salaried (exempt) employees and provides the opportunity to take time away from the office with pay for vacation, personal or short‑term illness. Employees don’t accrue a bank of time off under FTO and there is no set number of days provided.

Yes

This role offers the ability for in‑office and hybrid (blending at least three office days in a typical workweek) work arrangements in Des Moines, IA, Charlotte and Raleigh, NC locations. There is an expectation for this role to work on site at least 3 days a week.

We’ll consider talent at the next levels (Software Engineer III and Sr Software Engineer I) with the right experience and skills.

Through our product‑driven Agile/Lean DevOps environment, we’ve fostered a culture of innovation and experimentation across our development teams. As a customer‑focused organization, we work closely with our end users and product owners to understand and rapidly respond to emerging business needs.

Collaboration is embedded into everything we do – from the products we develop to the quality service we provide. We’re driven by the belief that diversity of thought, background, and perspective is critical to creating the best products and experiences for our customers.

At this time, we’re not considering applicants that need any type of immigration sponsorship (additional work authorization or permanent work authorization) now or in the future to work in the United States. This includes, but IS NOT LIMITED TO: F1-OPT, F1-CPT, H-1B, TN, L-1, J-1, etc. For additional information around work authorization needs please use the following links.

Nonimmigrant Workers (https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-nonimmigrant-workers) and Green Card for Employment‑Based Immigrants (https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-eligibility/green-card-for-employment-based-immigrants)

For Principal Asset Management positions, you’ll need to follow an Investment Code of Ethics related to personal and business conduct as well as personal trading activities for you and members of your household. These same requirements may also apply to other positions across the organization.

At Principal, we value connecting on both a personal and professional level. Together, we’re imagining a more purpose‑led future for financial services – and that starts with you. Our success depends on the unique experiences, backgrounds, and talents of our employees. And we support our employees the same way we support our customers: with comprehensive, competitive benefit offerings crafted to protect their physical, financial, and social well‑being. Check out our careers site (https://www.principal.com/about-us/careers) to learn more about our purpose, values and benefits.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

We will accept applications for 3 full days following the Original Posting Date, after which the posting may remain open or be removed based upon applications received. If we choose to post the job again, we will accept additional applications for at least 1 full day following the Most Recently Posted Date. Please submit applications in a timely manner as there is no guarantee the posting will be available beyond the applicable deadline.

4/24/2026

7/10/2026

Principal uses artificial intelligence tools to assist in reviewing and evaluating job applications, fraud prevention, and candidate matching and comparisons. These AI tools support our human recruiters in the initial review process but do not make final hiring decisions without human involvement. By submitting your application, you acknowledge this use of AI in our recruitment process. Please review our Workforce (U.S.) Privacy Notice (https://secure02.principal.com/publicvsupply/GetFile?fm=WW962&ty=VOP) for more details on our practices and your data privacy rights.