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Principal Java Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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Principal Java Engineer information

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$83K

$149.7K

$201.5K

How much do principal java engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal java engineer in the United States is $149,680.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $128,500.00 and $165,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How does a Principal Java Engineer typically contribute to architectural decisions and cross-team collaboration?

A Principal Java Engineer is often a key decision-maker when it comes to designing and evolving the software architecture. They regularly collaborate with product managers, other engineering teams, and stakeholders to ensure technical solutions align with business goals. In addition to providing technical leadership, Principal Java Engineers mentor junior developers, participate in code reviews, and help resolve complex technical challenges across teams. Their role is highly collaborative and strategic, making them instrumental in guiding project direction and maintaining code quality.

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

To thrive as a Principal Java Engineer, you need deep expertise in Java programming, software architecture, and system design, usually backed by a computer science degree and extensive industry experience. Familiarity with frameworks like Spring, build tools such as Maven or Gradle, cloud platforms (AWS, Azure), and relevant certifications (e.g., Oracle Certified Professional Java SE) is often required. Strong leadership, communication, and mentoring abilities are crucial soft skills to guide teams and drive technical excellence. These skills and qualities are vital for delivering robust, scalable solutions and ensuring the success of complex software projects.

What is the difference between Principal Java Engineer vs Senior Java Developer?

AspectPrincipal Java EngineerSenior Java Developer
Required CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in Computer Science, Java certificationsBachelor's in Computer Science, Java certifications
Work EnvironmentLead technical projects, architecture design, cross-team collaborationDevelops features, writes code, fixes bugs
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, large enterprises, consulting firmsStartups, mid-sized companies, tech teams
Common Search & ComparisonLeadership, architecture, high-level technical expertiseHands-on coding, feature development, troubleshooting

The Principal Java Engineer typically holds a higher-level, strategic role focusing on architecture and leadership, while a Senior Java Developer concentrates on coding and implementing features. Both roles require strong Java skills and relevant certifications, but their responsibilities and scope differ significantly.

What does a Principal Java Engineer do?

A Principal Java Engineer is a senior-level software engineer responsible for designing, developing, and overseeing complex Java-based applications and systems. They lead technical teams, make high-level architectural decisions, and ensure best practices in coding and software design are followed. Principal Java Engineers mentor junior developers, collaborate with stakeholders to define technical requirements, and play a key role in troubleshooting and optimizing application performance. Their expertise in Java and related technologies is critical for delivering scalable and reliable software solutions.
More about Principal Java Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Principal Java Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Principal Java Engineer job openings:
What job categories do people searching Principal Java Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Java Engineer jobs are:
Infographic showing various Principal Java Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $149,680 per year, or $72 per hour.
Principal Software Engineer - Java

Principal Software Engineer - Java

Northrop Grumman Corporation

El Segundo, CA

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Posted 7 days ago


Northrop Grumman rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 352 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

107th of 528 rated manufacturers


Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: Top SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 25% of the TimeDescriptionAt 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.

Please note that this opportunity is contingent on program funding. Start dates are determined after funding confirmation.

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is looking to add a Principal Software Engineer - Java to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals within our Software organization. This position will be filled out of our Software Engineering organization and will support the team on site in San Diego, CA or El Segundo, CA.

The selected candidate should thrive in a fast-paced work environment with high expectations, significantly diverse assignments, collaborative/team settings across all levels

Duties and Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Collaborate and work in a team environment with Systems Engineering, Cloud & Application, Test Automation, DevSecOps and Systems Test, in an Agile software development environment.

Participate in the software development cycle including prototype and graphic user interface design, implementation and delivery of build/test/release.

Work with object-oriented programming, design patterns, JMS, Web Services, XML and related technologies (i.e., XPath, XSLT, XSD)

Develop enterprise solutions for Java Enterprise Edition (JEE) in a SOA environment

Work in a process-oriented software development environment across the software lifecycle

Collaborate with team members on a regular basis.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility. There is no remote / hybrid / telework available for this position. An occasional travel requirement up to 10% may be needed.

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 5 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master's degree in a STEM discipline and 3 years of related engineering experience; OR a PhD in a STEM discipline and 1 year of related engineering experience.

Prior leadership experience using agile development, including participating as Product Owner, SCRUM Master, and/or team member in an Agile development environment.

Experience with the full Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

Experience with Agile software development, object-oriented architecture and programming, software integration and testing.

Experience and proficiency utilizing Java, Experience with Java microservices, Graphical User Interface (GUI) applications.

Experience with at least two of the following programming or scripting languages: Python, Go, C++, C#, PowerShell, VBScript, Bash, or KornShell.

Experience with Cloud technologies and service providers.

Your ability to transfer and maintain the final adjudicated U.S. government Top Secret clearance (must be in-scope or enrolled in Continuous Evaluation) and any program access(es) required for the position within a reasonable period of time, as determined by the Company.

Ability to obtain and maintain initial Special Program Access (SAP/PAR). This SAP/PAR must be obtained prior to commencement of employment and must be obtained within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs. (Of note: SAP/PAR will be upgraded once selected candidate is in role. Therefore, candidate must also be able to obtain and maintain upgraded SAP/PAR.)

Preferred Qualifications:

Current applicable SAP access

An advanced degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or other STEM discipline.

Advanced technical management degree.

Experience with at least one of the following databases: Oracle, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis, Elasticsearch.

Experience with at least one of the following container management tools: Kubernetes, Amazon ECS, Docker Swarm, Nomad, Redhat OpenShift

Experience with application and container security.

Experience with Machine Learning Model development.

Excellent communication, interpersonal skills, and the ability to interface with all levels of employees and management.

Experience with threading, intermediate object-oriented programming, design patterns, Data Distribution Service (DDS) messaging, web technologies, Unified Modeling Language (UML), database essentials and SQL/NoSQL.

Prior experience using Atlassian Tool Suite, JIRA, SonarQube

#yellow

Primary Level Salary Range: $114,000.00 - $171,000.00The 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.

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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