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Principal Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Electrical Principal Engineer

Irvine, CA · Hybrid

$120K - $180K/yr

JOIN CANNON as an Electrical Principal Engineer in IRVINE. Irvine offers warm weather, beautiful scenery, and is a top bicycling city with miles of on-road bicycle lanes and mountain bike trails. It ...

Electrical Principal Engineer

Ventura, CA · On-site +1

$120K - $180K/yr

JOIN CANNON as an Electrical Principal Engineer in Ventura. Ventura lies 30 miles south of Santa Barbara, located between the foothills of the Los Padres National Forest and the scenic Pacific Ocean.

Electrical Principal Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$149K - $182K/yr

ELECTRICAL PRINCIPAL ENGINEER JOB SUMMARY We are seeking an Electrical Principal Engineer to help lead the growth and delivery of electrical engineering solutions across diverse markets--such as ...

Electrical Principal Engineer

Irvine, CA · Hybrid

$149K - $182K/yr

JOIN CANNON as an Electrical Principal Engineer in IRVINE. Irvine offers warm weather, beautiful scenery, and is a top bicycling city with miles of on-road bicycle lanes and mountain bike trails. It ...

Electrical Principal Engineer

Ventura, CA · On-site

$120K - $180K/yr

JOIN CANNON as an Electrical Principal Engineer in Ventura. Ventura lies 30 miles south of Santa Barbara, located between the foothills of the Los Padres National Forest and the scenic Pacific Ocean.

Electrical Principal Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$149K - $182K/yr

JOIN CANNON as an Electrical Principal Engineer in IRVINE. Irvine offers warm weather, beautiful scenery, and is a top bicycling city with miles of on-road bicycle lanes and mountain bike trails. It ...

Electrical Principal Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$120K - $180K/yr

JOIN CANNON as an Electrical Principal Engineer in IRVINE. Irvine offers warm weather, beautiful scenery, and is a top bicycling city with miles of on-road bicycle lanes and mountain bike trails. It ...

Principal Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$285K - $315K/yr

Engineering @ Ironclad As a Principal Engineer at Ironclad, you'll work cross-functionally to identify business problems and architect, build, and verify solutions. You'll architect and evolve a ...

Principal Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$212.10 - $342.65/hr

As a Principal Engineer, you will own and evolve the long‑term technical vision for marketing, sales, and downstream commerce technology, with a strong emphasis on AI enablement, data platforms ...

Electrical Principal Engineer

Ventura, CA · On-site

$148K - $181K/yr

ELECTRICAL PRINCIPAL ENGINEER JOB SUMMARY We are seeking an Electrical Principal Engineer to help lead the growth and delivery of electrical engineering solutions across diverse markets--such as ...

Electrical Principal Engineer

Ventura, CA · On-site +1

$148K - $181K/yr

JOIN CANNON as an Electrical Principal Engineer in Ventura. Ventura lies 30 miles south of Santa Barbara, located between the foothills of the Los Padres National Forest and the scenic Pacific Ocean.

Principal Engineer

Pasadena, CA · On-site

$157K - $196K/yr

... of Principal Engineer (Water Resources and Planning ) . with the The Principal Enginee r leads the Water Resources and Planning Division, overseeing critical water resource programs, capital ...

Principal Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$212 - $343/hr

As a Principal Engineer, you will own and evolve the long-term technical vision for marketing, sales, and downstream commerce technology, with a strong emphasis on AI enablement, data platforms, and ...

Showing results 21-40

Principal Engineer information

See California salary details

$73K

$145.3K

$209.7K

How much do principal engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

How much does a principal engineer get paid?

A principal engineer's salary typically ranges from $120,000 to $180,000 annually, depending on experience, industry, and location. They often have advanced technical skills, leadership responsibilities, and may receive bonuses or stock options as part of compensation.

What do principal engineers do?

Principal engineers are senior technical leaders responsible for designing, developing, and overseeing complex engineering projects. They provide technical guidance, set standards, and collaborate with teams to ensure the successful implementation of solutions, often using tools like CAD, programming languages, or engineering software. They typically have extensive experience and may mentor junior staff while contributing to strategic planning.

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

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

What cities in California are hiring for Principal Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Principal Engineer job openings:

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

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

Infographic showing various Principal Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,292 per year, or $69.9 per hour.

Principal / Sr. Principal Engineer Software Quality

Northrop Grumman

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

$129K - $193K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Posted 7 days ago


Key responsibilities

  • Develop, modify, apply, and maintain quality evaluation plans for software and materials processing.

  • Collaborate with program and engineering management on quality planning and objectives, and ensure quality standards are followed during software and system development.

  • Assist with verification and validation testing of software and system products, and support audit activities to identify non-conformance and implement corrective actions.


Northrop Grumman rating

8.3

Company rating: 8.3 out of 10

Based on 370 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

65th of 545 rated manufacturers


Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret TRAVEL: No Description At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way.

Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history. We are looking for you to join our team as a Principal Engineer Software Quality / Sr.

Principal Engineer Software Quality based out of Woodland Hills, CA. This position is fully on-site. .

What you will get to do: Develop, modify, apply, and maintain quality evaluation plans to assist program activities for processing software and materials into partially finished or finished products. Collaborate with Program and Engineering management on program quality planning and the establishment of program quality objectives. Working with the Engineering Process Group, collaborate with software engineering and systems engineering functions to ensure quality standards are in place and followed.

Assists with verification and validation testing of software and system products. Supports audit activities and audits quality systems for non-conformance identification and corrective action. Ensures that corrective measures meet acceptable quality standards, and that documentation is compliant with requirements.

Assists Software Engineering in collecting and reporting metrics. The ideal candidate must be familiar with QMS (ISO 9001, AS9100, or etc..). This position is fully on-site

This position can be filled as a Principal Engineer Software Quality or Sr. Principal Engineer Software Quality. Basic Qualifications for Principal Engineer Software Quality: Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or other STEM-related field with a minimum of 5 years of relevant software development integration work experience; Master's Degree in Engineering or other STEM-related field with a minimum of 3 years of relevant software development and integration work experience.

Experience with development processes including Agile, Waterfall, and/or Spiral Development processes. Experience in the collection of software data and metrics for reporting. Active Top-Secret Clearance.

US Citizenship Required. Experience with Scripting languages (e.g. Bash, Python)

Experience with Linux Operating System. Experience with Git. Experience with MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint).

Basic Qualifications for Sr. Principal Engineer Software Quality: Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or other STEM-related field with a minimum of 8 years of relevant software development integration work experience; Master's Degree in Engineering or other STEM-related field with a minimum of 6 years of relevant software development and integration work experience. Experience with development processes including Agile, Waterfall, and/or Spiral Development processes.

Experience in the collection of software data and metrics for reporting. Active Top-Secret Clearance. US Citizenship Required.

Experience with Scripting languages (e.g. Bash, Python). Experience with Linux Operating System

Experience with Git. Experience with MS Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint). Preferred Qualifications: Experience in a Software Engineering environment in an engineering capacity, work plan review, and root cause/corrective action analysis.

Experience with software code review and open to learning different software tools. Software Development and/or Software Engineering background with an Agile/DevSecOps mindset. Experience with GitLab.

Experience with Windows 11 Operating System. Experience with AS9100 or ISO 9001. #MPR Primary Level Salary Range: $103,600.00 - $155,400.00 Secondary Level Salary Range: $129,300.00 - $193,900.00 The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives.

In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business. The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S

Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.


What Northrop Grumman employees say

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About Northrop Grumman

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible.

Industry

Space research administration

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Falls Church, VA, US

Year founded

1939