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Principal Security Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Alarm.com

Principal Network Security Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$107.20K - $146.70K/yr

Principal Network Security Engineer Tysons, Virginia The Principal Network & Security Engineer is responsible for the management, lifecycle operations, and security of the organization's Cisco-based ...

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BetterUp

Principal AI Security Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

Position Summary The Principal AI Security Engineer is a strategic individual contributor role responsible for advancing BetterUp's product and application security posture across our AI-powered SaaS ...

CoStar Group

Sr. Security Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$131.70K - $180.60K/yr

Familiarity with identity-driven security models (SSO, OAuth, API tokens, service principals). * Working knowledge of Azure DevOps, Terraform, or infrastructure-as-code workflows. * Experience ...

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Principal Security Engineer information

See Virginia salary details

$73.4K

$146K

$210.7K

How much do principal security engineer jobs pay per year?

As of May 28, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal security engineer in Virginia is $145,957.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $117,500.00 and $171,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

To excel as a Principal Security Engineer, you need deep expertise in cybersecurity principles, risk management, and network/system architecture, often backed by a degree in computer science or a related field and extensive industry experience. Familiarity with tools such as SIEM platforms, vulnerability scanners, incident response systems, and certifications like CISSP or OSCP is typically required. Exceptional problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills set individuals apart in this role. These skills ensure robust security strategies, effective team guidance, and the ability to address complex threats in dynamic enterprise environments.

What are some common challenges faced by Principal Security Engineers in aligning security initiatives with business objectives?

Principal Security Engineers often encounter the challenge of balancing robust security measures with the need for business agility and growth. They must effectively communicate technical risks to non-technical stakeholders and advocate for security investments without hindering innovation or productivity. This role requires a proactive approach to integrating security early in the development lifecycle, collaborating closely with product, engineering, and executive teams to ensure that security strategies support overall business goals while mitigating threats.

What are Principal Security Engineers?

Principal Security Engineers are senior-level professionals responsible for overseeing the security architecture and strategy of an organization’s information systems. They lead the design, implementation, and maintenance of security protocols, ensuring compliance with industry standards and protecting against cyber threats. These engineers often mentor junior staff, conduct risk assessments, and collaborate with other departments to align security measures with business goals. Their expertise is critical for safeguarding sensitive data and ensuring the overall cybersecurity posture of the organization.

What is the difference between Principal Security Engineer vs Security Architect?

AspectPrincipal Security EngineerSecurity Architect
Required CredentialsCertifications like CISSP, CISM, CEH; Bachelor's or Master's in Cybersecurity or related fieldsSimilar certifications; often holds CISSP, SABSA, or TOGAF; background in security design
Work EnvironmentHands-on security implementation, incident response, vulnerability assessmentsDesigning security frameworks, creating security architecture, strategic planning
Employer & Industry UsageUsed across tech, finance, healthcare; focuses on security operationsCommon in large enterprises, consulting firms; focuses on security design
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding roles, responsibilities, career pathsDesigning security solutions, architecture planning

While both roles require strong cybersecurity credentials and involve security strategies, the Principal Security Engineer is more hands-on with security operations and incident response. In contrast, the Security Architect focuses on designing security frameworks and architecture to protect organizational assets.

What are popular job titles related to Principal Security Engineer jobs in Virginia? For Principal Security Engineer jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Security Engineer jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Security Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
Principal Security Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Security Engineer job openings in Virginia as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 46% Full Time, 46% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,957 per year, or $70.2 per hour.

Principal Security Engineer | Zscaler SME

UltraViolet Cyber

Arlington, VA • On-site

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 11 days ago

Job description

Make a difference here.

UltraViolet Cyber is a leading platform-enabled unified security operations company providing a comprehensive suite of security operations solutions. Founded and operated by security practitioners with decades of experience, the UltraViolet Cyber security-as-code platform combines technology innovation and human expertise to make advanced real-time cybersecurity accessible for all organizations by eliminating risks of separate red and blue teams.

By creating continuously optimized identification, detection, and resilience from today's dynamic threat landscape, UltraViolet Cyber provides both managed and custom-tailored unified security operations solutions to the Fortune 500, Federal Government, and Commercial clients. UltraViolet Cyber is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, with global offices across the U.S. and in India. 

UltraViolet Cyber is seeking a highly experienced Zscaler SME with a background in supporting large customers (and / or Federal customers). This exciting and essential role will work closely with network and security teams to support a highly resilient, efficient, and effective Zscaler deployment for a federal customer.  The Principal Security Engineer is responsible for the oversight of deployments, O&M support of the the Zscaler suite of products (ZPA, ZIA, ZDX, ZCC).  Responsibilities includes the support of all updates to all documents when there is change in the network design and/or technologies and collaborating with all stakeholders to test all related systems and application migration processes to verify that the systems meet requirements and can host applications with no degradation to performance or security. 
 
This opportunity will require (1-3 days) onsite per week with the team in Arlington, VA. US Citizenship is required as there will be a Federal Entry of Duty BI process.
 
Work You'll Do:
Support a major customer in ongoing operations, support, and engineering with regards to the full Zscaler product suite (ZIA, ZPA, ZDX, ZCC) and related technologies.
Configure and tune the system to optimize performance and/or alerting. 
Integrate solutions with third party technology solutions through the API.   
Design and engineer network data flow to implement and improve new connections; or troubleshooting existing communications.
Produce documentation such as data flows, data dictionaries, user guides, or operating procedures, user guides, operating procedures, systems design document, disaster recovery documentation, etc.  
Interface with company executives as well as government technical management or executive level personnel. 
Support communications within major cloud environments such as Azure, AWS, GCP.
Periodic review and improvement of disaster recovery needs.
Deploy and manage virtual servers in the cloud.
Deploy and manage private service edges.
Tuning of data protection standards.
Provide guidance on all aspects of Zscaler network and security capabilities for the customer.
Support of additional third-party network and security products as needed.
Support of cloud service providers (Azure, AWS, GCP) as needed.
Provides internal consulting, technical guidance, information and support to application developers, computer operations, company management and departmental clients. Assists in internal training programs.
Must be able to work with minimal supervision and possess excellent written and verbal communication skills.
 
 
 
What You Have:
  • US Citizenship is Required, Ability to pass a DHS clearance
  • Strong understanding of security threats, tactics, procedures, and remediation.   
  • Very strong working knowledge of the full Zscaler product suite (ZIA, ZPA, ZDX, ZCC) and related technologies.
  • Well-rounded understanding of a variety of IT (Information Technology) products and protocols to integrate disparate solutions, such as routing and switching, software development, Linux, Windows, and/or cloud computing. 
  • Previous experience implementing security controls in cloud environments.  
  • Strong network engineering skills and experiencing including:
  • oSD-WAN
  • oPorts and Protocols
  • oRouting
  • oFirewalling
  • oPolicy Based Routing
 
  • Minimum Requirements: 
  • At least 10 years of hands-on experience with a combination of: Network Design, Network Engineering, Network Operational Support, cloud engineering, Zscaler, Security Engineering, Security Analysis.
  • Bachelor's degree 
  • Experience with all of the following:  
  • oZscaler Private Access (ZPA) 
  • oZscaler Internet Access (ZIA) 
  • oZscaler Digital User Experience
  • oZscaler Client Connector 
  • Experience deploying and managing virtual servers in the Cloud 
  • Experience deploying and managing elastic IPs and elastic network interfaces in the Cloud 
  • Experience deploying and managing Cloud based load balancers 
  • Experience with implementing audit trails 
  • Experience with Cloud based monitoring solutions 
  • US Citizenship required, and candidates must be willing to be submitted for a US Government background investigation
  • No third-party candidates will be considered
What We Offer:
  • 401(k), including an employer match of 100% of the first 3% contributed and 50% of the next 2% contributed  
  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance (available on the 1st day of the month following your first day of employment)  
  • Group Term Life, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability  
  • Voluntary Life, Hospital Indemnity, Accident, and/or Critical Illness  
  • Participation in the Discretionary Time Off (DTO) Program  
  • 11 Paid Holidays Annually  
$160,000 - $210,000 a year
UltraViolet Cyber maintains broad salary ranges for its roles in order to account for variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions and locations, as well as reflect our company's differing products, services, industries and lines of business. Candidates are typically placed into the range based on the preceding factors.
We sincerely thank all applicants in advance for submitting their interest in this position. We know your time is valuable.

UltraViolet Cyber welcomes and encourages diversity in the workplace regardless of race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status. 

If you want to make an impact, UltraViolet Cyber is the place for you! 
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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