ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Principal Automation Engineer Jobs in Reston, VA

Oracle

Principal Application Software Engineer

Reston, VA · On-site

$140K - $188K/yr

Principal Application Software Engineer Position Overview Oracle Government Defense & Intelligence ... Our engineers build resilient services, automation, and integrations that support cloud operations ...

Fluence

Principal DevOps Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$60.75 - $83/hr

This role will establish scalable, secure, and standardized automation frameworks across lab, factory, and production environments, enabling repeatable global deployments. The Principal DevOps ...

Fluence

Principal DevOps Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$60.75 - $83/hr

This role will establish scalable, secure, and standardized automation frameworks across lab, factory, and production environments, enabling repeatable global deployments. The Principal DevOps ...

Ametek

Principal Software Engineer

Germantown, MD · On-site

$137K - $184K/yr

Experience working in regulated industries such as medical devices, aerospace, industrial automation, or automotive systems. * Experience serving as a technical lead, principal engineer, or mentor to ...

GCyber

Principal Software Engineer/Tech Lead

Arlington, VA · On-site

$154K - $206K/yr

As the Principal Software Engineer/Team Lead, you will: * Engineering * Experience in working on ... JavaScript. GitLab, Jenkins, Ansible Automation, Python, JavaScript, Java, PSSQL, YAML, and ...

GCyber

Principal Software Engineer/Tech Lead

Arlington, VA · On-site

$154K - $206K/yr

As the Principal Software Engineer/Team Lead, you will: * Engineering * Experience in working on ... JavaScript. GitLab, Jenkins, Ansible Automation, Python, JavaScript, Java, PSSQL, YAML, and ...

Apex Systems

Principal Network Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

Job#: 3044098 MUST BE ABLE TO OBTAIN/MAINTAIN A DOD SECRET CLEARANCE Principal Network Engineer ... Familiarity with network automation tools and scripting languages (e.g., Python, Ansible, or ...

Curtiss-Wright

Principal FPGA Engineer

Ashburn, VA · On-site

$144K - $192K/yr

Principal FPGA Engineer - Onsite position Curtiss-Wright is seeking an experienced Principal FPGA ... TCL or other automation scripting * FPGA resource and power estimation tools Who We Are: Our Values ...

Curtiss-Wright

Principal FPGA Engineer

Ashburn, VA · On-site

$144K - $192K/yr

Principal FPGA Engineer - Onsite position Curtiss-Wright is seeking an experienced Principal FPGA ... TCL or other automation scripting * FPGA resource and power estimation tools Who We Are: Our Values ...

Curtisswright

Principal FPGA Engineer

Ashburn, VA · On-site

$144K - $192K/yr

Principal FPGA Engineer - Onsite position Curtiss-Wright is seeking an experienced Principal FPGA ... TCL or other automation scripting * FPGA resource and power estimation tools Who We Are: Our Values ...

Parsons

Principal Innovation Engineer

Reston, VA · On-site +1

Parsons is seeking a Principal Innovation Engineer to drive applied innovation for a mission ... automation and operator experience * secure peripherals and smart devices * Assess emerging ...

previous page

Showing results 41-60

All JobsPrincipal Automation Engineer JobsPrincipal Automation Engineer Jobs in Reston, VA

Principal Automation Engineer information

See Reston, VA salary details

$89K

$133.3K

$217.4K

How much do principal automation engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal automation engineer in Reston, VA is $133,324.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $110,300.00 and $141,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a principal automation engineer do?

A Principal Automation Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and overseeing automated systems and processes within an organization. They lead automation projects, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and ensure that automation solutions align with business goals. Additionally, they mentor junior engineers, establish best practices, and stay current with emerging automation technologies to enhance efficiency and productivity.

How does a principal automation engineer typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during large-scale projects?

A Principal Automation Engineer often serves as a technical leader, working closely with software developers, QA engineers, project managers, and operations teams to design and implement robust automation frameworks. They facilitate regular meetings to align project goals, share automation best practices, and resolve technical roadblocks. Additionally, they mentor junior team members, ensuring consistent automation standards and driving continuous improvement across departments. This collaborative approach enables efficient delivery of scalable and reliable automation solutions.

What is the difference between Principal Automation Engineer vs Automation Engineer?

AspectPrincipal Automation EngineerAutomation Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Engineering, certifications like ISTQB, automation tools expertiseBachelor's in Engineering or related field, automation tools knowledge
Work EnvironmentLead automation projects, strategic planning, cross-team collaborationDevelop and execute automation scripts, testing, and implementation
Industry UsageUsed in software, manufacturing, and engineering sectors for high-level automationCommon in software testing, manufacturing, and IT industries

The Principal Automation Engineer typically holds a senior, strategic role overseeing automation initiatives, while the Automation Engineer focuses on executing automation tasks. Both roles require similar technical skills, but the Principal position involves leadership and planning responsibilities.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a principal automation engineer?

To thrive as a Principal Automation Engineer, you need deep expertise in automation frameworks, scripting languages (such as Python or Java), and a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with tools like Selenium, Jenkins, Docker, and CI/CD systems, as well as industry certifications in automation or DevOps, are typically required. Strong problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills set top candidates apart in guiding teams and collaborating across functions. These skills and qualities are crucial for designing scalable automation solutions, ensuring software reliability, and driving innovation in complex technical environments.
What are popular job titles related to Principal Automation Engineer jobs in Reston, VA? For Principal Automation Engineer jobs in Reston, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Automation Engineer jobs in Reston, VA look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Automation Engineer jobs in Reston, VA are:
Principal Automation Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Automation Engineer job openings in Reston, VA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $133,324 per year, or $64.1 per hour.

Principal Application Software Engineer

Oracle

Reston, VA • On-site

$140K - $188K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 27 days ago

Oracle rating

8.7

Company rating: 8.7 out of 10

Based on 151 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

55th of 243 rated software companies

Job description

Principal Application Software Engineer

Position Overview 

Oracle Government Defense & Intelligence is seeking a Principal Application Software Engineer to design, build, and operate secure application services for sovereign and government cloud environments. This role is a senior technical contributor who leads complex design and implementation work, guides engineers, improves application development practices, and resolves complex production and integration issues across distributed systems. This role will serve as a technical lead for AI-enabled software capabilities, including secure application architecture, governed data integrations, evaluation tooling, and production-ready operational workflows.

Who We Are

Oracle Sovereign Cloud builds and operates secure cloud capabilities for mission-critical government workloads. Our engineers build resilient services, automation, and integrations that support cloud operations in highly secure environments.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead design and implementation of application features, services, APIs, and integrations aligned to secure, scalable architecture.

  • Develop and guide new application features and enhancements, including design specifications, implementation plans, and technical documentation.

  • Lead code reviews across multiple application areas and coach engineers on quality, maintainability, security, and operational readiness.

  • Troubleshoot and resolve complex application, API, service-to-service, integration, and production issues.

  • Contribute to architecture decisions, scalability strategies, performance optimization, and periodic technical reviews.

  • Implement comprehensive testing, observability, monitoring, error logging, and debugging practices.

  • Collaborate with product, program, QA, operations, security, and customer-facing teams to align technical delivery with mission and business needs.

  • Mentor engineers and contribute to hiring, technical standards, and continuous improvement across the team.

  • Design and implement AI-enabled software capabilities, including secure service integrations, workflow orchestration, evaluation tooling, operational data access, and production application features.

  • Define engineering patterns for testing, validating, monitoring, and operating AI-enabled software, including reliability, latency, quality, failure handling, auditability, and safe degradation.

  • Lead technical design for governed access to approved operational data sources and ensure AI-enabled features provide evidence-grounded, supportable outputs.

  • Mentor engineers on secure implementation, observability, debugging, and operational readiness for AI-enabled software in sovereign or restricted environments.

Minimum Qualifications

  • U.S. Citizenship with active US Government security clearance, TS/SCI with Poly, at hire.

  • 11 years of software development experience; or bachelor's degree in a relevant technical field and 7 years of software development experience; or master's degree in a relevant technical field and 5 years of software development experience; or doctorate in a relevant technical field and 3 years of software development experience.

  • 6 years of experience with programming and/or scripting languages.

  • 4 years of experience with databases.

  • Experience designing, building, testing, and operating distributed application services.

  • Demonstrated experience with code review, automation, quality assurance, secure development practices, and technical mentorship.

Preferred Qualifications 

  • 11 years of software development experience or equivalent advanced degree plus experience.

  • 3 years of experience with cloud platforms such as Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.

  • 1 year of experience working with operating budgets and/or project financials.

  • Experience with RESTful APIs, microservices, service-oriented architecture, CI/CD, containers, Kubernetes, Linux, observability, and incident response.

  • Experience delivering software in regulated, classified, sovereign, or air-gapped environments.

  • Experience building production AI-enabled software, including secure application integrations, evaluation frameworks, workflow automation, model-serving integrations, operational data platforms, or observability for AI-enabled systems.

Only Oracle brings together the data, infrastructure, applications, and expertise to power everything from industry innovations to life-saving care. And with AI embedded across our products and services, we help customers turn that promise into a better future for all. Discover your potential at a company leading the way in AI and cloud solutions that impact billions of lives.

True innovation starts when everyone is empowered to contribute. That's why we're committed to growing a workforce that promotes opportunities for all with competitive benefits that support our people with flexible medical, life insurance, and retirement options. We also encourage employees to give back to their communities through our volunteer programs.

We're committed to including people with disabilities at all stages of the employment process. If you require accessibility assistance or accommodation for a disability at any point, let us know by emailing accommodation-request_mb@oracle.com or by calling 1-888-404-2494 in the United States.

Oracle is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and protected veterans' status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Oracle will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records pursuant to applicable law.

Disclaimer:
Certain U.S. based or U.S. customer or client-facing roles may be required to comply with applicable requirements, such as immunization/occupational health mandates, and/or drug testing requirements.
Range and benefit information provided in this posting are specific to the stated locations only
US: Hiring Range in USD from: $99,600 to $209,500 per annum. May be eligible for bonus and equity.
Oracle maintains broad salary ranges for its roles in order to account for variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions and locations, as well as reflect Oracle's differing products, industries and lines of business.
Candidates are typically placed into the range based on the preceding factors as well as internal peer equity.
Oracle US offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes the following:
1. Medical, dental, and vision insurance, including expert medical opinion
2. Short term disability and long term disability
3. Life insurance and AD&D
4. Supplemental life insurance (Employee/Spouse/Child)
5. Health care and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts
6. Pre-tax commuter and parking benefits
7. 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan with company match
8. Paid time off: Flexible Vacation is provided to all eligible employees assigned to a salaried (non-overtime eligible) position. Accrued Vacation is provided to all other employees eligible for vacation benefits. For employees working at least 35 hours per week, the vacation accrual rate is 13 days annually for the first three years of employment and 18 days annually for subsequent years of employment. Vacation accrual is prorated for employees working between 20 and 34 hours per week. Employees working fewer than 20 hours per week are not eligible for vacation.
9. 11 paid holidays
10. Paid sick leave: 72 hours of paid sick leave upon date of hire. Refreshes each calendar year. Unused balance will carry over each year up to a maximum cap of 112 hours.
11. Paid parental leave
12. Adoption assistance
13. Employee Stock Purchase Plan
14. Financial planning and group legal
15. Voluntary benefits including auto, homeowner and pet insurance
The role will generally accept applications for at least three calendar days from the posting date or as long as the job remains posted.

Career Level - IC4


Key Responsibilities 

  • Lead design and implementation of application features, services, APIs, and integrations aligned to secure, scalable architecture. 

  • Develop and guide new application features and enhancements, including design specifications, implementation plans, and technical documentation. 

  • Lead code reviews across multiple application areas and coach engineers on quality, maintainability, security, and operational readiness. 

  • Troubleshoot and resolve complex application, API, service-to-service, integration, and production issues. 

  • Contribute to architecture decisions, scalability strategies, performance optimization, and periodic technical reviews. 

  • Implement comprehensive testing, observability, monitoring, error logging, and debugging practices. 

  • Collaborate with product, program, QA, operations, security, and customer-facing teams to align technical delivery with mission and business needs. 

  • Mentor engineers and contribute to hiring, technical standards, and continuous improvement across the team. 

  • Design and implement AI-enabled software capabilities, including secure service integrations, workflow orchestration, evaluation tooling, operational data access, and production application features. 

  • Define engineering patterns for testing, validating, monitoring, and operating AI-enabled software, including reliability, latency, quality, failure handling, auditability, and safe degradation. 

  • Lead technical design for governed access to approved operational data sources and ensure AI-enabled features provide evidence-grounded, supportable outputs. 

  • Mentor engineers on secure implementation, observability, debugging, and operational readiness for AI-enabled software in sovereign or restricted environments. 


 

What Oracle employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Oracle logo

About Oracle

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

An Oracle career can span industries, roles, Countries and cultures, giving you the opportunity to flourish in new roles and innovate, while blending work life in. Oracle has thrived through 40+ years of change by innovating and operating with integrity while delivering for the top companies in almost every industry. In order to nurture the talent that makes this happen, we are committed to an inclusive culture that celebrates and values diverse insights and perspectives, a workforce that inspires thought leadership and innovation. Oracle offers a highly competitive suite of Employee Benefits designed on the principles of parity, consistency, and affordability. The overall package includes certain core elements such as Medical, Life Insurance, access to Retirement Planning, and much more. We also encourage our employees to engage in the culture of giving back to the communities where we live and do business. At Oracle, we believe that innovation starts with diversity and inclusion and to create the future we need talent from various backgrounds, perspectives, and abilities. We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to successfully participate in the job application, interview process, and in potential roles. to perform crucial job functions. That's why we're committed to creating a workforce where all individuals can do their best work. It's when everyone's voice is heard and valued that we're inspired to go beyond what's been done before.

Industry

It services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Redwood City, CA, US

Year founded

1977

Social media

FacebookTwitter

View All Oracle Jobs

Apply