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Principal Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Bradley & Associates

Principal Engineer

Dallas, TX

$150K - $175K/yr

Growing Civil Engineering firm is expanding in Dallas and looking for a Principal Engineer to provide office leadership, project oversight, and management, involving planning and directing the work ...

Veem

Principal Engineer

San Francisco, CA · Remote

Principal Engineer Location: Toronto (preferred), Ottawa, California About Veem Veem is building the future of global payments infrastructure. We are transforming how businesses move money ...

Outcode Software

Principal Engineer

Draper, UT

The Principal Engineer at Outcode Software plays a critical leadership role in shaping and maintaining the technical direction across all engineering teams. This position requires a Deep expertise in ...

KEITH

Principal Engineer

West Palm Beach, FL · On-site

Principal Engineer - Land Development and Water Resources About KEITH: We are a multidisciplined consulting firm offering civil engineering, land surveying, transportation engineering, planning ...

KEITH

Principal Engineer

Pompano Beach, FL · On-site

Principal Engineer - Land Development and Water Resources About KEITH: We are a multidisciplined consulting firm offering civil engineering, land surveying, transportation engineering, planning ...

KEITH

Principal Engineer

West Palm Beach, FL · On-site

Principal Engineer - Land Development and Water Resources About KEITH: We are a multidisciplined consulting firm offering civil engineering, land surveying, transportation engineering, planning ...

KEITH

Principal Engineer

Miami, FL · On-site

Principal Engineer - Land Development and Water Resources About KEITH: We are a multidisciplined consulting firm offering civil engineering, land surveying, transportation engineering, planning ...

KEITH

Principal Engineer

Miami, FL · On-site

Principal Engineer - Land Development and Water Resources About KEITH: We are a multidisciplined consulting firm offering civil engineering, land surveying, transportation engineering, planning ...

KEITH

Principal Engineer

Pompano Beach, FL · On-site

Principal Engineer - Land Development and Water Resources About KEITH: We are a multidisciplined consulting firm offering civil engineering, land surveying, transportation engineering, planning ...

Wood Rodgers

Principal Engineer

Roseville, CA · On-site

$126K - $158K/yr

Principal Engineer Department: Geotechnical Employment Type: Full Time Location: Roseville, CA Compensation: $126,500 - $158,100 / year Description Are you a dynamic leader seeking a career where you ...

Omnidian

Principal Engineer

As a Principal Engineer, you will serve as a key technical advisor and architect for the engineering organization, optimizing software development and platform architecture during a high growth phase.

Wood Rodgers

Principal Engineer

Sacramento, CA · On-site

$126K - $158K/yr

Principal Engineer Department: Geotechnical Employment Type: Full Time Location: Sacramento, CA Compensation: $126,500 - $158,100 / year Description Are you a dynamic leader seeking a career where ...

Venus Consultancy

Principal Engineer

Cambridge, MA · On-site

Principal Engineer (Backend / Platform)About Us We are a Cambridge, MA-based rapidly scaling Generative AI startup. Our platform enables thousands of AI Agents to "think" and cooperate for hours to ...

City of Watsonville

Principal Engineer

Watsonville, CA

$130K - $174K/yr

The City of Watsonville is seeking a seasoned, solutions-driven Principal Engineer to lead development review and land use engineering. You will guide private applications, from commercial and ...

Subsea7

Principal Engineer

Houston, TX

Principal Engineer WORKSITE: 17220 Katy Freeway, Houston, TX 77094 Responsibilities include: Reporting to an Engineering Manager, the Principal Engineer provides engineering and technical expertise ...

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Principal Engineer information

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$74K

$147.2K

$212.5K

How much do principal engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal 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 Engineer?

A principal engineer oversees the research, development, and design of engineering projects for a company or organization. These engineering experts are leaders in their industries and need an advanced understanding of their discipline to manage projects and guide team members. As a principal engineer, your job duties include creating budgets, negotiating with vendors, and delegating work. You may also train staff members, set project deadlines, and work to improve engineering application processes.

What is the difference between Principal Engineer vs Senior Engineer?

AspectPrincipal EngineerSenior Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires 8+ years of experience, advanced technical skills, and often leadership or mentorship experienceUsually requires 3-7 years of experience with strong technical skills
Work EnvironmentLeads complex projects, influences technical strategy, collaborates across teamsFocuses on executing technical tasks, supporting project development, and mentoring junior staff
Employer & Industry UsageCommon in large tech companies, engineering firms, and organizations with advanced technical hierarchiesWidely used across industries for experienced technical contributors

The main difference between a Principal Engineer and a Senior Engineer lies in their level of responsibility, experience, and influence. Principal Engineers typically lead complex projects and shape technical strategies, while Senior Engineers focus on executing technical tasks and supporting team efforts. Both roles require strong technical skills, but Principal Engineers often have more leadership and strategic responsibilities.

What are Principal Engineers?

Principal Engineers are highly experienced technical experts who lead engineering teams, provide strategic technical direction, and help solve complex engineering challenges within an organization. They often act as mentors, set technical standards, and collaborate with stakeholders across departments to drive innovation and ensure the success of engineering projects. Principal Engineers typically have many years of industry experience and are recognized for their deep technical knowledge and leadership skills.

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

To thrive as a Principal Engineer, you need deep technical expertise in your engineering discipline, strong problem-solving abilities, and typically an advanced degree or equivalent experience. Familiarity with complex software development tools, architectural frameworks, and industry certifications like AWS Certified Solutions Architect or relevant PE licenses is common. Exceptional leadership, communication, and mentorship skills help Principal Engineers guide teams and influence project direction. These competencies are essential for driving innovation, ensuring technical excellence, and delivering large-scale, high-impact solutions.

How does a Principal Engineer typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive project success?

Principal Engineers play a key role in collaborating with cross-functional teams, such as product management, design, and operations, to ensure technical solutions align with business objectives. They often lead architectural discussions, mentor team members, and facilitate communication between engineering and non-engineering stakeholders. This collaboration helps identify potential challenges early, streamline development processes, and deliver high-quality products. Additionally, Principal Engineers are often involved in setting technical standards and guiding teams through complex problem-solving.
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Principal Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Engineer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $147,220 per year, or $70.8 per hour.

Principal Engineer

Succession Planning for Railroads Investing in the Next Generation LLC

Chesapeake, VA

Full-time

Posted 21 days ago

Job description

Our company is looking for a Principal Engineer to join our Engineering team and work as a Senior member of the team reporting to Director of Engineering.

Responsibilities

As a Principal Engineer, you will:

  • Study, research and analyze customer specifications, and other data to assist in creating machine layout.
  • Lead the creation, review, and submittal bid packages.
  • Take customer specifications and translate them to actionable Functional Design Specification (FDS) so the engineering team can execute the design.
  • Assist Director of Engineering with sales presentations
  • Consult with sales to communicate customer needs to our engineering team
  • Provide technical support and expertise to sales & customers
  • Monitor projects for accuracy and quality from conception to Implementation.
  • Vet, document, and close technical queries (TQ's), change orders (CO's), and project milestones.
  • Adapt existing equipment to specific job applications.
  • Shares technical information across the company.
  • Adhere and contribute to internal policies, procedures, and standards.
  • Review engineering deliverables and initiate appropriate corrective actions
  • Applies knowledge of engineering principles to specify products used on maintenance of way equipment for the railroad industry.
  • Throughout development of the machine, the Principal Engineer works with design engineers to drive integration of all design elements. (Mechanical, Electrical, Fluid Power, & Software)
  • Plans, schedules, and coordinates the preparation of structural drawings to meet deadlines.
  • Keeps informed of new methods and practices in system designs and components.
  • Analyzes test data and reports to determine if design meets functional and performance specifications.
  • Evaluates engineering test results for application to developments of systems or other uses.
  • Familiar with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures used in the field of maintenance of way type of equipment. A.R.E.A., AAR.
  • May require some traveling to customer job site to evaluate problems and report back to management with findings
  • Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals.
  • A wide degree of creativity and latitude is expected.
Requirements
  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering
  • Must have at 6-8 years of experience in mechanical/machine design.
  • Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite and a CAD program (Autodesk Vault, Inventor & AutoCAD Preferred)
  • Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
  • Exceptional customer service and interpersonal skills
  • Superb collaboration and communication
  • Familiar with methods of heavy machine manufacturing.
  • The individual also must be able to think practically and authoritatively, able to accommodate the company's deadlines, budget, and other resources to make informed decisions for their projects.
  • In addition to having the technical qualifications, the individual must be a good team player with effective communication and problem-solving skills.

Highly Valued:

  • Knowledge of the current ISO and ANSI (Y14) standards.
  • Experience in the Rail Industry (Specifically Maintenance-of-Way)
  • Familiarity with rules, regulations, best practices and performance standards of the rail industry
  • Ability to work with multiple discipline projects
  • Project management
  • Relevant training and/or certifications as a Principal Engineer
  • Knowledge of engineering concepts including electrical/electronics, mechanics, hydraulics and pneumatics
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities
  • Great organization and time management

Physical Requirements:

  • Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
  • Must be able to lift 25 pounds at a time.
  • Must be able to access and navigate all areas of the industrial facility.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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