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Principal Data Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Principal Data Engineer What you will do Let's do this. Let's change the world. In this vital role you will lead the design, development, and implementation of our data strategy. The ideal ...

New

Role DescriptionAs a Principal Data Engineer for AgentExchange, you will serve as the chief data architect and technical authority powering our next-generation product analytics and AI platform. In ...

We are looking for a Principal Data Engineer to shape the future of data at Prodege.This is a high-impact role for someone who wants to own more than pipelines. You will help build the next ...

Principal Data Engineer Job Requisition: 1010.1323.7 / R265296 Job Location: San Jose, California Job Type: Full Time Rate of Pay: $267,800 - $288,558 per year Duties: * Lead enterprise data ...

Principal Data Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$267K - $288K/yr

Principal Data Engineer Job Requisition: 1010.1323.7 / R265296 Job Location: San Jose, California Job Type: Full Time Rate of Pay: $267,800 - $288,558 per year Duties: * Lead enterprise data ...

Principal Data Engineer - Agentic Data Platforms The Mission As a Principal Data Engineer , you are the enterprise-scale technical authority responsible for shaping and evolving Sam's Club's data ...

Principal Data Engineer - Agentic Data Platforms The Mission As a Principal Data Engineer , you are the enterprise-scale technical authority responsible for shaping and evolving Sam's Club's data ...

We are looking for a highly skilled Senior Data Engineer / Data Architect with deep hands-on ... Principal-level solution architecture design * Cross-functional stakeholder collaboration

Principal Data Engineer - Agentic Data Platforms The Mission As a Principal Data Engineer , you are the enterprise-scale technical authority responsible for shaping and evolving Sam's Club's data ...

Principal Data Engineer - Agentic Data Platforms The Mission As a Principal Data Engineer , you are the enterprise-scale technical authority responsible for shaping and evolving Sam's Club's data ...

Principal Data Engineer - Agentic Data Platforms The Mission As a Principal Data Engineer , you are the enterprise-scale technical authority responsible for shaping and evolving Sam's Club's data ...

Principal Data Engineer - Agentic Data Platforms The Mission As a Principal Data Engineer , you are the enterprise-scale technical authority responsible for shaping and evolving Sam's Club's data ...

Principal Data Engineer - Agentic Data Platforms The Mission As a Principal Data Engineer , you are the enterprise-scale technical authority responsible for shaping and evolving Sam's Club's data ...

Principal Data Engineer - Agentic Data Platforms The Mission As a Principal Data Engineer , you are the enterprise-scale technical authority responsible for shaping and evolving Sam's Club's data ...

They are seeking a highly skilled Senior Data Engineer / Data Architect with extensive experience in Azure and Databricks to build large-scale data platforms and deliver high-quality data products in ...

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Showing results 1-20

Principal Data Engineer information

See California salary details

$73K

$145.3K

$209.7K

How much do principal data engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal data engineer in California is $145,292.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $116,900.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a principal data engineer?

A Principal Data Engineer is a senior-level technical role responsible for designing, building, and maintaining large-scale data infrastructure. They lead data engineering teams, establish best practices, and ensure efficient data pipelines to support analytics and machine learning. This role involves working with cloud platforms, big data technologies, and distributed systems to optimize data processing. Principal Data Engineers collaborate with data scientists, analysts, and business stakeholders to drive data-driven decision-making. Their work is critical in enabling organizations to leverage data effectively for insights and innovation.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a principal data engineer?

As a Principal Data Engineer, your day-to-day responsibilities generally include designing and optimizing large-scale data pipelines, developing architectural strategies, and overseeing the implementation of robust data solutions. You'll collaborate closely with data scientists, analysts, and software engineers to ensure the organization's data infrastructure is efficient, scalable, and secure. You may also mentor junior team members, review code, and set data engineering best practices. This role frequently requires balancing hands-on technical work with strategic planning and stakeholder communication to align data initiatives with business goals.

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

To thrive as a Principal Data Engineer, you need a deep understanding of data architecture, data modeling, ETL development, and distributed computing, often supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Proficiency with technologies such as Hadoop, Spark, Python, SQL, and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud), as well as certifications in relevant tools or data engineering, is highly valuable. Strong leadership, problem-solving skills, and effective cross-functional communication are essential soft skills for this role. These combined abilities enable Principal Data Engineers to design scalable data solutions, drive engineering best practices, and lead complex projects to successful completion.

What are the most commonly searched types of Principal Data Engineer jobs in California?

The most popular types of Principal Data Engineer jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Principal Data Engineer jobs in California?

For Principal Data Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Principal Data Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Principal Data Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Principal Data Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Principal Data Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Principal Data Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 4% Temporary, and 11% Contract. Highlights an 89% In-person, 7% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,292 per year, or $69.9 per hour.

Principal Data Engineer

Thousand Oaks, CA • On-site, Remote

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 3 days ago

New


Job description

Career CategoryInformation SystemsJob Description
Join Amgen's Mission of Serving Patients

At Amgen, if you feel like you're part of something bigger, it's because you are. Our shared mission-to serve patients living with serious illnesses-drives all that we do.

Since 1980, we've helped pioneer the world of biotech in our fight against the world's toughest diseases. With our focus on four therapeutic areas -Oncology, Inflammation, General Medicine, and Rare Disease- we reach millions of patients each year. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, inflammatory conditions, rare diseases, and obesity and obesity-related conditions. As a member of the Amgen team, you'll help make a lasting impact on the lives of patients as we research, manufacture, and deliver innovative medicines to help people live longer, fuller happier lives.

Our award-winning culture is collaborative, innovative, and science based. If you have a passion for challenges and the opportunities that lay within them, you'll thrive as part of the Amgen team. Join us and transform the lives of patients while transforming your career.

Principal Data Engineer

What you will do

Let's do this. Let's change the world. In this vital role you will lead the design, development, and implementation of our data strategy. The ideal candidatepossessesa deep understanding of data engineering principles, coupled with strong leadership and problem-solving skills. As a Principal Data Engineer, you will architect and oversee the development of robust data platforms, while mentoring and guiding a team of data engineers.

Roles & Responsibilities:

  • Possesses strong rapid prototyping skills and can quickly translate concepts into working code.

  • Provide expert guidance and mentorship to the data engineering team, fostering a culture of innovation and best practices.

  • Design, develop, and implement robust data architectures and platforms to support businessobjectives.

  • Oversee the development and optimization of datapipelines,and data integration solutions.

  • Establish andmaintaindata governance policies and standards to ensure data quality, security, and compliance.

  • Architect and manage cloud-based data solutions,leveragingAWS or other preferred platforms.

  • Lead and motivate a high-performing data engineering team to deliver exceptional results.

  • Identify, analyze, and resolve complex data-related challenges.

  • Collaborate closely with business stakeholders to understand data requirements and translate them into technical solutions.

  • Stay abreast of emerging data technologies and explore opportunities for innovation.

What we expect of you

We are all different, yet we all use our unique contributions to serve patients. The professional we seek is a Principal Data Engineer with these qualifications.

Functional Skills:

Must-Have Skills:

  • Demonstratedproficiencyinleveragingcloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) for data engineering solutions. Strong understanding of cloud architecture principles and cost optimization strategies.

  • ProficientonexperienceinPython,PySpark,SQL.Handon experience withbiddataETL performance tuning.

  • Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing data engineering teams.

  • Strong problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills to address complex data challenges.

Good-to-Have Skills:

  • Experiencedwith data modeling and performance tuning for both OLAP and OLTP databases

  • Experiencedwith Apache Spark, Apache Airflow

  • Experiencedwith software engineering best-practices, including but not limited to version control (Git, Subversion, etc.), CI/CD (Jenkins, Maven etc.), automated unit testing, and Dev Ops

  • Experiencedwith AWS, GCP or Azure cloud services

Education andProfessional Certifications

Doctorate degree and 2 years ofData Engineer experience
OR
Master's degree and 4 years of Data Engineer experience
OR
Bachelor's degree and 6 years ofData Engineer experience
OR
Associate's degree and 10 years of Data Engineer experience
OR
High school diploma / GED and 12 years of Data Engineer experience

  • AWS Certified Data Engineerpreferred

  • DatabricksCertificate preferred

Soft Skills:

  • Excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills.

  • Strong verbal and written communication skills

  • Ability to work effectively with global, virtual teams

  • High degree of initiative and self-motivation.

  • Ability to manage multiple priorities successfully.

  • Team-oriented, with a focus on achieving team goals

  • Strong presentation and public speaking skills.

What you can expect of us

As we work to develop treatments that take care of others, we also work to care for your professional and personal growth and well-being. From our competitive benefits to our collaborative culture, we'll support your journey every step of the way.

The expected annual salary range for this role in the U.S. (excluding Puerto Rico) is posted. Actual salary will vary based on several factors including but not limited to, relevant skills, experience, and qualifications.

In addition to the base salary, Amgen offers a Total Rewards Plan, based on eligibility, comprising of health and welfare plans for staff and eligible dependents, financial plans with opportunities to save towards retirement or other goals, work/life balance, and career development opportunities that may include:

  • A comprehensive employee benefits package, including a Retirement and Savings Plan with generous company contributions, group medical, dental and vision coverage, life and disability insurance, and flexible spending accounts
  • A discretionary annual bonus program, or for field sales representatives, a sales-based incentive plan
  • Stock-based long-term incentives
  • Award-winning time-off plans
  • Flexible work models where possible. Refer to the Work Location Type in the job posting to see if this applies.
Apply now and make a lasting impact with the Amgen team.careers.amgen.com

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Application deadline

Amgen does not have an application deadline for this position; we will continue accepting applications until we receive a sufficient number or select a candidate for the position.

Sponsorship

Sponsorship for this role is not guaranteed.

As an organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people around the world, Amgen fosters an inclusive environment of diverse, ethical, committed and highly accomplished people who respect each other and live the Amgen values to continue advancing science to serve patients. Together, we compete in the fight against serious disease.

Amgen is an Equal Opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

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Salary Range

159,422.60USD -215,689.40USD