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Principal Database Engineer Jobs in Boston, MA (NOW HIRING)

Motion Recruitment

Principal Data Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

Full-time, hybrid opportunity for a Principal Data Engineer based in Boston, MA (3 days/week onsite ... with relational databases, MongoDB, and Elasticsearch • Experience with Apache Airflow and ...

Medtronic

Principal Software Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$146K - $196K/yr

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will be responsible for leading engineering activities that ... Develops database architecture * Capture User Requirements Specification working with the process ...

Medtronic

Principal Software Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$146K - $196K/yr

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will be responsible for leading engineering activities that ... Develops database architecture * Capture User Requirements Specification working with the process ...

New Balance

Principal Software Engineer - AI

Boston, MA · On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

New Balance is seeking an experienced Principal Software Engineer to join our Enterprise AI ... Vector Database Proficiency: Experience with specialized vector stores such as Azure AI Search.

New Balance

Principal Software Engineer - AI

Boston, MA · On-site

$120K - $150K/yr

New Balance is seeking an experienced Principal Software Engineer to join our Enterprise AI ... Vector Database Proficiency: Experience with specialized vector stores such as Azure AI Search.

Klaviyo

Principal Engineer, Core Infrastructure

Boston, MA · On-site

$244K - $366K/yr

As a hands-on principal for compute, networking, storage, runtimes (e.g., Kubernetes), CI/CD, and ... Experience with databases and storage systems, including SQL and NoSQL databases, and object, block ...

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Showing results 41-60

All JobsPrincipal Database Engineer JobsPrincipal Database Engineer Jobs in Boston, MA

Principal Database Engineer information

See Boston, MA salary details

$98.9K

$150.5K

$209.1K

How much do principal database engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal database engineer in Boston, MA is $150,491.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $132,000.00 and $167,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a principal database engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Database Engineer, you need deep expertise in database architecture, advanced SQL, performance tuning, and a strong background in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with major database platforms (such as Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, or SQL Server), cloud technologies, and relevant certifications like AWS Certified Database - Specialty are typically required. Leadership, analytical thinking, and effective communication are critical soft skills for guiding teams and collaborating with stakeholders. These skills ensure robust, scalable database solutions that support business goals and maintain data integrity.

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

As a Principal Database Engineer, you will frequently collaborate with software developers, data architects, DevOps engineers, and business analysts to design and optimize database solutions. Your role often involves leading technical discussions, setting database standards, and ensuring best practices are followed throughout the project lifecycle. You'll also mentor junior team members and participate in code reviews, while acting as the main point of contact for complex database-related issues. This collaborative approach ensures that database architectures are aligned with both technical requirements and business goals.

What is a principal database engineer?

A Principal Database Engineer is a senior-level professional responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining complex database systems within an organization. They provide technical leadership, guide best practices for database architecture, and ensure data integrity, security, and scalability. Principal Database Engineers often mentor other team members, set database standards, and collaborate with stakeholders to align database solutions with business goals. Their expertise is essential for managing large-scale data environments and optimizing performance.
What are popular job titles related to Principal Database Engineer jobs in Boston, MA? For Principal Database Engineer jobs in Boston, MA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Database Engineer jobs in Boston, MA look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Database Engineer jobs in Boston, MA are:
Principal Database Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Database Engineer job openings in Boston, MA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 10% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $150,491 per year, or $72.4 per hour.

Principal Data Engineer

Motion Recruitment

Boston, MA • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Vision, Life, PTO

Re-posted 3 days ago

Job description

Job Description

Full-time, hybrid opportunity for a Principal Data Engineer based in Boston, MA (3 days/week onsite in Back Bay). This role offers the opportunity to build and scale the data infrastructure behind a leading healthcare intelligence platform, leveraging modern cloud technologies, distributed systems, and large-scale data engineering to help life sciences organizations make faster, smarter decisions.

This is a highly impactful role for an experienced data engineer who wants to own critical data infrastructure at a rapidly growing startup. You'll work on complex healthcare and regulatory datasets, build scalable pipelines, and help shape the next generation of data products used by pharmaceutical and medical device companies. The ideal candidate thrives in fast-moving environments, enjoys solving difficult technical challenges, and wants to make a meaningful impact on healthcare innovation.

Required Skills & Experience

• 5+ years of professional experience in Data Engineering or a related field
• Strong experience with data modeling, schema design, and scalable data pipelines
• Experience working with relational databases, MongoDB, and Elasticsearch
• Experience with Apache Airflow and workflow orchestration
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code tools including Docker, Terraform, Terragrunt, Helm, and Kubernetes
• Experience with Apache Spark and distributed computing frameworks
• Experience building solutions on cloud platforms
• Strong commitment to software engineering best practices and code quality
• Interest in or experience working with Generative AI technologies

Desired Skills & Experience

• Experience with Snowflake
• Knowledge of modern security practices and data governance
• Experience working with healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceutical, or medical device data
• Startup experience and comfort operating in fast-paced environments
• Experience building highly scalable and reliable data platforms

What You Will Be Doing

Tech Breakdown

• 45% Data Engineering & ETL Development
• 25% Cloud Infrastructure & Platform Engineering
• 20% Distributed Computing & Data Processing
• 10% Data Architecture & Governance

Daily Responsibilities

• 85% Hands On
• 0% Management Duties
• 15% Team Collaboration

• Design, build, and maintain scalable ETL pipelines for healthcare and regulatory datasets
• Integrate new data sources as platform capabilities continue to expand
• Optimize pipeline performance, reliability, and scalability
• Ensure data accuracy, consistency, and quality across complex workflows
• Develop and improve distributed data processing solutions using Spark
• Build and manage cloud-native infrastructure and deployment workflows
• Partner with engineering teams to evolve platform architecture and data strategy
• Implement engineering best practices around testing, monitoring, and observability
• Explore and support emerging Generative AI initiatives across the platform
• Contribute to the continued scaling of a rapidly growing data platform

The Offer

Competitive salary plus equity

You will receive the following benefits:

• Medical Insurance
• Vision Benefits
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Equity Participation
• Flexible Hybrid Work Environment

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the US on a full-time basis now and in the future.

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