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Principal Devops Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

As a Principal DevOps Engineer within our Digital Operations team, you won't just be managing servers or responding to deployment tickets. You will be a principal technical leader and system ...

As a Principal DevOps Engineer within our Digital Operations team, you won't just be managing servers or responding to deployment tickets. You will be a principal technical leader and system ...

Principal DevOps Engineer

Berthoud, CO · On-site

$52.75 - $72.25/hr

As a Principal DevOps Engineer within our Digital Operations team, you won't just be managing servers or responding to deployment tickets. You will be a principal technical leader and system ...

Qualis LLC is seeking a Principal DevOps Engineer (Level 3) to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals. Our domain provides rewarding work that contributes to the latest advancements being ...

Showing results 21-40

Principal Devops Engineer information

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$74K

$147.2K

$212.5K

How much do principal devops engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal devops 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 is a Principal DevOps Engineer?

A Principal DevOps Engineer is a senior-level professional responsible for overseeing and optimizing the integration of software development and IT operations within an organization. They design and implement automation tools, manage infrastructure, and lead teams in adopting best practices for continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD). Principal DevOps Engineers also mentor junior staff, ensure system reliability, and help shape the overall DevOps strategy to support business goals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Principal DevOps Engineer?

A Principal DevOps Engineer requires deep expertise in software development, cloud infrastructure, automation, and a solid understanding of CI/CD pipelines, often backed by a degree in computer science or related certifications like AWS Certified DevOps Engineer. Familiarity with tools such as Kubernetes, Docker, Jenkins, Terraform, and monitoring systems is vital for building robust deployment workflows. Leadership, problem-solving, and strong collaboration skills help drive cross-team initiatives and mentor junior engineers. These competencies ensure efficient, scalable, and reliable delivery of software solutions in complex technical environments.

What are some common challenges faced by Principal DevOps Engineers when implementing organization-wide automation initiatives?

Principal DevOps Engineers often encounter challenges such as aligning automation strategies across diverse teams, managing tool sprawl, and ensuring consistent security practices throughout the pipeline. They must balance the need for rapid deployment with maintaining system reliability and compliance standards. Successful Principal DevOps Engineers typically foster collaboration between development, operations, and security teams, and provide mentorship to drive cultural change and adoption of best practices.

What is the difference between Principal Devops Engineer vs Senior Devops Engineer?

AspectPrincipal Devops EngineerSenior Devops Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires advanced certifications like AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, Linux Foundation certificationsOften holds similar certifications but may not require advanced or multiple certifications
Work EnvironmentLeads strategic initiatives, mentors teams, influences architecture decisionsExecutes complex projects, supports infrastructure, and implements automation
Industry UsageUsed in organizations seeking senior leadership in DevOps practicesCommonly found in teams executing day-to-day DevOps tasks

The main difference between a Principal Devops Engineer and a Senior Devops Engineer lies in scope and responsibility. The Principal typically leads strategic initiatives and influences architecture, while the Senior focuses on executing complex projects and supporting infrastructure. Both roles require similar technical skills and certifications, but the Principal role involves higher-level leadership and vision.

Is Principal DevOps Engineer still in demand in 2026?

Principal DevOps Engineers remain in high demand due to the ongoing need for automation, cloud infrastructure management, and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) expertise. Organizations seek experienced professionals with skills in tools like Kubernetes, Docker, and cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure to optimize software delivery and operational efficiency in 2026.
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Cities with the most Principal Devops Engineer job openings:

What states have the most Principal Devops Engineer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Principal Devops Engineer jobs include:

What job categories do people searching Principal Devops Engineer jobs look for?

The top searched job categories for Principal Devops Engineer jobs are:

Infographic showing various Principal Devops Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 3% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,220 per year, or $70.8 per hour.

Principal DevOps Engineer

System One Holdings, LLC

Pittsburgh, PA • On-site

$51.25 - $70.25/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 27 days ago


Job description

Principal DevOps Engineer
Pittsburgh, PA (Onsite - 5 Days/Week), Strongsville/Cleveland, OH, Birmingham, AL, Pittsburgh, PA, Dallas/Farmers Branch, TX, Phoenix, AZ
Contract

Industry
  • Banking / Financial Services Preferred

Job Summary
Seeking a highly experienced Software Engineer Principal to join the CI/CD Pipeline Engineering Team (Orange Rocket Initiative) supporting the enterprise-wide rollout of GitHub Enterprise. This role will focus on designing, developing, and optimizing production-grade CI/CD platforms, automation frameworks, reusable workflows, and deployment pipelines across large-scale enterprise environments.
The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Kubernetes/OpenShift, Docker, Helm, and enterprise DevOps practices, with a strong software engineering background and experience driving modernization initiatives such as Jenkins-to-GitHub Actions migrations.
Responsibilities
  • Design, develop, and optimize enterprise CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions.
  • Build reusable workflows, automation frameworks, and deployment pipelines.
  • Integrate GitHub Actions with Jenkins, JFrog Artifactory, and other DevOps tools.
  • Design and implement API integrations and automation solutions.
  • Support CI/CD modernization initiatives, including Jenkins-to-GitHub Actions migrations.
  • Deploy and manage containerized applications using Kubernetes/OpenShift and Helm.
  • Develop and maintain Jenkins Shared Libraries using Groovy.
  • Build and manage Docker images and containerized deployment strategies.
  • Enhance platform performance, observability, reliability, and operational readiness.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to improve deployment efficiency and developer productivity.
  • Ensure security, scalability, governance, and best practices across enterprise DevOps platforms.

Required Technical Skills
CI/CD & DevOps
  • Deep expertise with GitHub Actions in enterprise environments.
  • Strong experience building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines.
  • Experience integrating:
    • GitHub
    • Jenkins
    • JFrog Artifactory
  • Experience designing reusable workflows and automation frameworks.
  • Strong understanding of enterprise DevOps practices including:
    • Security
    • Scalability
    • Reliability
    • Governance

Source Control & SCM
  • GitHub
  • Bitbucket
  • Azure DevOps
  • Git-based development workflows

Containerization & Cloud-Native Technologies
  • Docker
  • Kubernetes
  • OpenShift
  • Helm
  • Dockerfile development
  • Container image creation and management

Development & Automation
  • Jenkins Shared Libraries (Groovy)
  • API Development & Integrations
  • Automation Engineering

Programming Languages
Strong development experience in one or more of:
  • Golang
  • Python
  • Java
  • JavaScript

Enterprise Experience
  • Experience working in complex, large-scale production environments.
  • Enterprise-wide platform implementation experience.
  • CI/CD platform engineering and modernization expertise.

Nice-to-Have Skills
  • Agile/Scrum experience
  • Monitoring & Observability Platforms
  • Performance Optimization
  • Scalability Engineering
  • Operational Readiness
  • Jira
  • Confluence
  • SharePoint

Soft Skills
  • Strong communication and presentation skills
  • Excellent analytical and troubleshooting abilities
  • Strong problem-solving mindset
  • Self-motivated and proactive
  • Quick learner with adaptability to new technologies
  • Ability to work effectively in cross-functional enterprise teams

Education
  • Bachelor's Degree or equivalent professional experience

Screening Questions
  1. Can you describe a GitHub Actions framework or platform you designed for multiple teams? How did you handle reusability, scalability, governance, secrets management, and permissions?
  2. Tell me about a migration or integration you led involving Jenkins and GitHub Actions. What challenges did you face with shared libraries, pipeline parity, performance, or security, and how did you address them?
  3. How have you improved the performance, observability, or reliability of a CI/CD platform at scale? What metrics, tools, or architectural improvements did you implement?

Preferred Candidate Profile
  • 10-15+ years of Software Engineering and DevOps experience.
  • Deep GitHub Actions expertise in enterprise environments.
  • Strong Kubernetes/OpenShift deployment experience using Helm.
  • Proven Jenkins-to-GitHub modernization experience.
  • Strong software development background.
  • Experience building scalable, secure enterprise CI/CD platforms.
  • Banking or Financial Services experience preferred.

#M1
#DI-CB2
#L1 - KB1
Ref: #404-IT Pittsburgh

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About System One

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

System One helps employers get work done more efficiently and economically without compromising quality. Over our 35+ year history, we've helped connect thousands of talented people with innovative companies. The excitement of a perfect fit motivates us every single day.

Industry

Business consulting services and recruiting and staffing services

Company size

5,001 - 10,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Pittsburgh, PA, US