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Principal Cloud Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Greystar Worldwide, LLC

Principal Cloud Engineer

SUMMARY The Principal Cloud Engineer is a senior technical leader who pairs architectural vision with hands-on engineering execution. You will design and build the reference architectures, patterns ...

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$74K

$147.2K

$212.5K

How much do principal cloud engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal cloud 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 engineer makes $500,000 a year?

A Principal Cloud Engineer or senior-level cloud professionals with extensive experience, specialized skills, and certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect or Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially in high-demand industries or large organizations. Compensation often includes base salary, bonuses, and stock options, reflecting their expertise in cloud architecture, security, and large-scale infrastructure management.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Principal Cloud Engineers and senior engineering roles in cloud computing, software development, and data engineering can earn $300,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced certifications, and expertise in tools like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud. High-level positions often require strong leadership skills and a deep understanding of cloud architecture and security.

What does a principal cloud engineer do?

A principal cloud engineer designs, develops, and manages cloud infrastructure and services, often leading cloud migration and architecture projects. They ensure system security, scalability, and performance, typically working with cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud and possessing strong skills in scripting, automation, and cloud security. They also provide technical leadership and mentorship to engineering teams.

How much does a principal cloud engineer make?

A principal cloud engineer typically earns between $130,000 and $180,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and the company's size. Senior roles often require expertise in cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, along with leadership skills and certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect or Google Professional Cloud Architect.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Principal Cloud Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Cloud Engineer, you need a deep understanding of cloud architectures, infrastructure as code, automation, and distributed systems, usually backed by a computer science degree and several years of relevant experience. Familiarity with leading cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, as well as certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect or Google Professional Cloud Architect, is highly valued. Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills are essential for guiding teams and collaborating across departments. These capabilities are crucial for designing robust cloud solutions, ensuring security, and driving the organization's cloud strategy forward.

What are some typical challenges faced by Principal Cloud Engineers, and how do they address them?

Principal Cloud Engineers often encounter challenges such as managing complex cloud migrations, ensuring security and compliance in multi-cloud environments, and optimizing costs while maintaining performance. They address these by leveraging best practices in architecture, working closely with cross-functional teams to anticipate issues, and staying up-to-date with evolving cloud technologies. Collaboration with DevOps, security, and development teams is a key part of the role, as is mentoring junior engineers. These challenges make the position dynamic and rewarding, offering continuous learning and significant impact on organizational success.

What is a Principal Cloud Engineer job?

A Principal Cloud Engineer is a senior-level technical expert responsible for designing, implementing, and optimizing cloud infrastructure and services. They provide strategic guidance on cloud adoption, ensure security and compliance, and lead complex cloud projects. This role often involves collaborating with cross-functional teams, mentoring junior engineers, and driving innovation in cloud architecture. Strong expertise in cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud, along with automation and DevOps practices, is essential.

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Principal Cloud Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Cloud Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 3% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 79% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 16% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,220 per year, or $70.8 per hour.
Principal/ Sr. Principal Azure Cloud Engineer (AHT)

Principal/ Sr. Principal Azure Cloud Engineer (AHT)

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Wright-patterson Air Force Base, OH

$129K - $193K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Re-posted 4 days ago

Northrop Grumman rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 352 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

107th of 527 rated manufacturers

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: Top SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescriptionAt Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman Defense Systems (NGDS) is seeking a Principal Cloud Engineer/ Sr. Principal Cloud Engineer at the National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Successful candidates should have a track record as an effective communicator and problem solver who is able to develop and maintain good working relationships with internal and external stakeholders. The candidate will be an active part of a Cloud Engineering team with expertise in AWS, Azure, GitLab, IaC, and related Cloud technologies that will be responsible for building, maintaining, and scaling the foundational infrastructure.

Summary of Responsibilities

As a Cloud engineer, you willcombine software development and IT operations to design, build, and maintain Cloud Infrastructure for the organization. This involves following best practices such as Infrastructure as Code (IaC), CI/CD Automation, Principle of Least Privilege, Centralized Auditing, and Automated Backups.

This position may be filled at a higher level based on the qualifications below.

Basic Qualifications:

  • Principal Cloud Engineer (Level 3):Bachelor's degree in STEM with 5 years' relevant experience OR a master's degree with 3 years' experience
  • Sr. Principal Cloud Engineer (Level 4):Bachelor's degree in STEM with 8 years' relevant experience OR a master's degree with 6 years' experience
  • Active Department of Defense Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance
  • Active CompTIA Security+, SecurityX, or CISSP certification
  • Minimum of 3 years' experience in DevOps, software development, or systems administration
  • Minimum of 1 year experience with Cloud-based technologies (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
  • Strong experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools such as Terraform, OpenTofu, or Ansible
  • Strong experience with CI/CD tools, such as GitLab, GitHub, Jenkins, or Cloud-native pipelines
  • Experience with Linux Operating System and familiarity with core cloud services, including virtual machines, storage, and networking
  • Experience with distributed revision control systems such as Git

Preferred Qualifications

  • Strong knowledge of AWS Cloud services (VPC, IAM, EC2, S3, ECR, EKS, ect)
  • Strong knowledge of Azure Cloud services (VNET, VM, Entra, MDE, AVD, AKS, ect)
  • Experience with OCI-compliant container technology and tools such as Podman or Docker
  • Experience with scripting languages such as Python, Bash, and Go to improve Cloud efficiency
  • Experience implementing "security as code," including automated vulnerability scanning and compliance-driven infrastructure (DoD STIGs/RMF).
  • Experience working in an Agile environment/working knowledge of Agile principles and practices
  • Experience with project/issue tracking software tools like Jira and Confluence
Primary Level Salary Range: $103,600.00 - $155,400.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $129,300.00 - $193,900.00The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

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About Northrop Grumman

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible.

Industry

Space research administration

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Falls Church, VA, US

Year founded

1939

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