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Principal Director Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

HDR

Federal Principal, Science

Arlington, VA · On-site

This position will work strategically with the Federal Architecture Market Sector Director, Federal Architecture team and Managing Principal to present the best teams and services to our Science ...

HDR

Federal Principal, Science

Arlington, VA · On-site

This position will work strategically with the Federal Architecture Market Sector Director, Federal Architecture team and Managing Principal to present the best teams and services to our Science ...

Chesterfield

Assists principal in directing extra-curricular programs, to include athletic, performing arts, and academic activities. * Provides a climate conducive to effective communications through the use of ...

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Principal Director information

See Virginia salary details

$36.2K

$108.5K

$180.4K

How much do principal director jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal director in Virginia is $108,454.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $84,300.00 and $123,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a principal director?

A Principal Director is a senior-level executive responsible for overseeing major divisions or functions within an organization. They play a key role in shaping strategy, leading large teams, and ensuring that organizational goals are met efficiently and effectively. Principal Directors often report directly to top executives such as the CEO or board of directors, and their duties can include strategic planning, resource management, and cross-departmental coordination. This role typically requires extensive experience in leadership and a deep understanding of the industry in which they work.

How does a principal director typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive organizational strategy?

A Principal Director often plays a central role in aligning cross-functional teams—such as product, engineering, finance, and marketing—to achieve the organization's strategic objectives. This collaboration involves facilitating communication, setting clear priorities, and ensuring that all departments are working toward shared goals. Principal Directors are frequently responsible for breaking down complex challenges, mediating between stakeholders, and monitoring progress to keep initiatives on track. This role requires strong leadership and negotiation skills to manage diverse viewpoints and foster a culture of teamwork.

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

To thrive as a Principal Director, you need extensive leadership experience, strategic planning abilities, and a relevant advanced degree or equivalent professional experience. Familiarity with project management software, budgeting tools, and data analysis systems is typically required, along with industry-specific certifications when applicable. Exceptional communication, decision-making, and stakeholder management skills set standout candidates apart. These competencies ensure the effective alignment of organizational goals, resource optimization, and successful team leadership at the executive level.

What is the difference between Principal Director vs Project Director?

AspectPrincipal DirectorProject Director
Required credentialsAdvanced degrees, extensive industry experience, leadership certificationsRelevant project management certifications (PMP), experience in managing large projects
Work environmentExecutive-level settings, strategic planning, cross-departmental oversightProject sites, office environments, team management
Employer and industry usageCorporations, government agencies, large organizationsConstruction, engineering, IT, consulting firms
Common search and comparison intentUnderstanding leadership roles at an executive levelManaging specific projects and teams

While both roles involve leadership and management, a Principal Director typically oversees multiple departments or strategic initiatives at an executive level, whereas a Project Director focuses on the successful delivery of individual projects. The Principal Director's role is broader and more strategic, often requiring advanced credentials and extensive experience, while the Project Director concentrates on project execution, team coordination, and meeting project goals.

What are the most commonly searched types of Principal jobs in Virginia?

The most popular types of Principal jobs in Virginia are:

What cities in Virginia are hiring for Principal Director jobs?

Cities in Virginia with the most Principal Director job openings:

Principal Director jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Director job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $108,454 per year, or $52.1 per hour.

Associate Principal Director, Software Mission Solutions Subdivision (SMSS)

Chantilly, VA

The Aerospace Corporation
See more jobs at The Aerospace Corporationexternal

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 20 days ago

Job description

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation's space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space- delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you'll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

The Information Systems and Cyber Division (ISCD) is a unique engineering division partnering across the full space enterprise to advance next-generation software and AI-enabled mission capabilities. With customers spanning the DoD, Intelligence Community (IC), civil and commercial space, ISCD blendsexpertisein modern software engineering, AI/ML systems, data platforms and architecture, advanced cloud and edge infrastructure, cybersecurity, and full-stack development through mission-focused, collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams. These teamsleverageagile software practices, hands-on prototyping, and applied R&D to support customer concepts, digital architectures, and the integration ofcutting-edgetechnologies into mission environments.

We areseekingan innovative and energetic leader to serve as both the Associate Principal Director for SMSS and the senior ISCD leader in the National Capital Region, based in Chantilly, VA. This role provides integrating leadership and strategic coordination across all ISCD subdivisions and programs in the region. The Associate Principal Director will work closely with ISCD leadership to advance the organization's mission as the corporation's focal point for AI-enabled capabilities, modern digitalinfrastructure,andintegratingexpertiseacross software engineering.

This role offers unparalleled access across the space enterprise toidentifyhigh-impact mission challenges, architect scalable software solutions, advance next-generation digital foundations, and guide the strategic application of AI technologies in support of national security, civil, and commercial space missions. Working across commercial industry, government, and academia, this Associate Principal Director will help shape how emerging software technologies and AI capabilities are rapidly adopted by a growing and increasingly innovative aerospace customer base while building and strengthening ISCD's presence and impact in the Chantilly region.

This is a fulltime position based in Chantilly, Va , which requires 100% insite work

What You'll Be Doing

The Associate Principal Director of SMSS will serve as the senior ISCD leader in the Chantilly region, focusing on operational integration, team development, and customer engagement across all ISCD subdivisions. This leader will be instrumental in expanding Aerospace's role with East Coast customers in national security space and building partnerships across the company and community to bring the latest software engineeringpractices, AI technologies, and digital capabilities to our customers and internal engineering staff.

Key responsibilities will include:

  • Serve as the senior ISCD leader in the Chantilly region, coordinating operations, facilities, infrastructure, hiring, workforce development, and strategic planning across all ISCD subdivisions

  • Build and strengthen relationships with DoD, Intelligence Community, and other National Capital Region customers to expand ISCD's mission portfolio and impact

  • Engage directly with customers toidentifyhigh-impact mission opportunities for modern software solutions and digital foundations

  • Integrate prototypesoftwarecapabilitiesinto missionsolutions, ensuring alignment with customer needsand operational requirementsandleveragingthe latestdigitaltechnologies

  • Develop and implement talent strategies that attract,retain, and grow top technical talent

  • Collaborate as core team member with broader ISCD leadership to ensure consistent culture, technical excellence, and operational effectiveness across ISCD

What You Need to Be Successful

MinimumRequirements for Associate Principal Director:

  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, data science, electrical engineering, computer engineering, information systems, or a related STEM field

  • 10 or more years of experience withdemonstratedimpact leading multidisciplinary technical teams supporting complex government or national security missions

  • Strong executive presence and strategic thinking, with ability to influence across organizational boundaries and drive alignment on complex initiatives

  • Proven ability to lead, mentor, and scale engineering teams practicing modern software development methodologies (CI/CD, microservices, cloud-native architectures), guide architectural decisions around contemporary frameworks and technology stacks, and drive organizational strategy for integrating AI/ML capabilities into product roadmaps

  • Strong customer-facing skills, with experience partnering with government stakeholders to translate mission needs into scalable digital solutions

  • Success building and leading integrated, multidisciplinary teams with a focus on reuse, scalability, and mission impact

  • Experience coordinating across multiple technical organizationsand fostering collaborative, cross-functional environments

  • Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences, and to effectively present to senior leadership

  • Demonstrated ability to manage organizational change, navigate ambiguity, and drive strategic initiatives to completion

  • Willingness to travel occasionally to work locations or customer sites (approximately 10-20%)

  • Ability to obtain andmaintaina U.S. government security clearance (TS/SCI level and higher). U.S. citizenship isrequired

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if youhaveone or more of the following:

  • Experienceestablishingor growing technical organizations or operations in new geographic regions

  • Track recordof successful organizational transformation or culture change initiatives

  • Experience building strategic partnershipswith government agencies, industry partners, and academic institutions

  • Experience delivering AI-enabled mission solutions in domains such as autonomous systems, space domain awareness, cyber detection, predictive analytics, digital engineering, or physics-informed ML

  • Experience managingsoftwareportfolios, including evaluation of emerging technologies, responsible AI practices, andMLOpsat scale

  • Deep familiarity with secure and multi-level environments, including cross-domain architectures and deployment across classification boundaries

  • Exposure to space, defense, or intelligence mission areas such as space control, missile warning, remote sensing, or commercial space data exploitation

  • Experience managing research and development portfolios, including transitioning research into operational systems or sustained mission use

  • Established relationships with National Capital Region customers in DoD or Intelligence Community space programs

  • Experience with workforce planning, talent development programs, and succession planning

  • Demonstrates enterprise-level perspective with prior Program Office(s) and ETG experience

We offer a competitive compensation package where you'll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business. The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below. Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills.

(Min - Max)

$208,000.00 - $312,000.00Pay Basis: Annual

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

  • Operate Strategically
  • Lead Change
  • Engage with Impact
  • Foster Innovation
  • Deliver Results

Ways We Reward Our Employees

During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.

Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type. A few highlights include:

  • Comprehensive health care and wellness plans

  • Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation

  • Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options

  • 401(k) Plan - Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire

  • Flexible spending accounts

  • Variable pay program for exceptional contributions

  • Relocation assistance

  • Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career

  • Education assistance programs

  • An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

We are all unique, from various backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other-the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an equalopportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color,religion,geneticinformation, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you're an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by emailatpeoplemangmnt.mailbox@aero.org .You can also reviewKnow Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.

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