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Principal Software Developer Jobs in Massachusetts

Principal Software Engineer

Westwood, MA

$151K - $202K/yr

Principal Software Engineer As a Principal Software Engineer, you will partner with engineering teams and architecture leaders to deliver highquality, forwardthinking technology solutions. This role ...

Principal Software Engineer

Westwood, MA

$151K - $202K/yr

Principal Software Engineer As a Principal Software Engineer, you will partner with engineering teams and architecture leaders to deliver highquality, forwardthinking technology solutions. This role ...

Principal Software Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$152K - $228K/yr

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will work across application code and infrastructure to collect, transform, and deliver structured threat data: tracking malware infrastructure, phishing ...

Principal Software Engineer

Spencer, MA · On-site

$139K - $186K/yr

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will lead the design, development, and delivery of mission-critical software solutions for programs such as the Army, Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance Model ...

Principal Software Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site +1

$145K - $175K/yr

Principal Software Engineer Help expand access to high-quality behavioral health care for students and families. Our engineering team builds technology that drives clinical excellence and operational ...

Principal Software Engineer

Woburn, MA

$147K - $198K/yr

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will lead the design, development, and delivery of mission-critical software solutions for programs such as the Army, Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance Model ...

Principal Software Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$152K - $228K/yr

As a Principal Software Engineer, you will work across application code and infrastructure to collect, transform, and deliver structured threat data: tracking malware infrastructure, phishing ...

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Showing results 1-20

Principal Software Developer information

See Massachusetts salary details

$103.2K

$154.2K

$202.6K

How much do principal software developer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal software developer in Massachusetts is $154,176.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $134,900.00 and $169,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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

AspectPrincipal Software DeveloperSenior Software Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master’s in Computer Science; extensive experienceBachelor's or Master’s in Computer Science; 5+ years experience
Work EnvironmentLeads technical strategy, mentors teams, influences architectureDevelops features, writes code, mentors junior staff
Industry UsageUsed in large organizations, tech companies, and enterprise settingsCommon across startups, mid-sized, and large companies

The Principal Software Developer typically holds a higher-level role focused on technical leadership, architecture, and strategic planning, whereas the Senior Software Engineer primarily focuses on coding, feature development, and mentoring. Both roles require strong technical skills, but the Principal position involves broader responsibilities and influence within the organization.

How does a Principal Software Developer typically balance hands-on coding with leadership and mentorship responsibilities?

As a Principal Software Developer, you’ll often split your time between writing high-impact code and guiding technical direction for the team. While you remain involved in architecting and developing complex features, a significant portion of your role will also involve mentoring less-experienced developers, leading code reviews, and fostering best practices. You’ll collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to align technical solutions with business goals, and you’re expected to influence the overall engineering culture. This balance requires strong time management skills and a passion for both technical excellence and team development.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Principal Software Developers in high-demand industries or senior leadership roles can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, specialized skills, and stock options or bonuses. Compensation varies based on company size, location, and individual performance.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Principal Software Developers and senior engineers with extensive experience, specialized skills, and leadership responsibilities can earn $300,000 or more annually. High compensation often depends on factors such as industry, location, company size, and expertise in areas like cloud computing, machine learning, or distributed systems.

Can you make $500,000 as a software engineer?

Principal Software Developers and experienced software engineers in high-demand industries or senior roles can potentially earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with bonuses, stock options, or in high-cost-of-living areas. Achieving this level typically requires advanced skills, extensive experience, and often leadership responsibilities or specialized expertise in areas like cloud computing or AI.

What does a principal software developer do?

A principal software developer leads the design, development, and implementation of complex software systems, often providing technical guidance to teams. They analyze requirements, set technical standards, and ensure code quality, typically using programming languages, development tools, and version control systems. This role requires strong problem-solving skills and experience in software architecture and project management.

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

To thrive as a Principal Software Developer, you need advanced expertise in software engineering, architecture design, and problem-solving, typically backed by a degree in computer science or a related field and extensive industry experience. Mastery of programming languages (such as Java, Python, or C#), software development frameworks, cloud platforms, and familiarity with tools like Git, Docker, and CI/CD systems is critical. Leadership, effective communication, and mentorship abilities are vital soft skills that set top performers apart in this role. These competencies ensure scalable solutions, effective project delivery, and the growth of high-performing development teams.
What are popular job titles related to Principal Software Developer jobs in Massachusetts? For Principal Software Developer jobs in Massachusetts, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Software Developer jobs in Massachusetts look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Software Developer jobs in Massachusetts are:
Infographic showing various Principal Software Developer job openings in Massachusetts as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 79% Full Time, 10% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 9% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $154,176 per year, or $74.1 per hour.
Principal Software Developer - SafeTrace Tx

Principal Software Developer - SafeTrace Tx

Haemonetics Corporation

Boston, MA • On-site

$103K - $176K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 6 days ago


Haemonetics rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 7 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

We are constantly looking to add to our core talent. If you are seeking a career that is challenging and rewarding, a work environment that is diverse and dynamic, look no further - Haemonetics is your employer of choice.
Job Details
Principal Software Developer - SafeTrace Tx® Platform | Haemonetics Hospital Solutions
We are seeking a Principal Software Developer to drive the technical direction of SafeTrace Tx®, our industry-leading transfusion management software trusted by hundreds of hospitals to deliver complete testing and transfusion histories in a single, consolidated patient record. In this role, you will be a cornerstone of a high-performing engineering team responsible for building and evolving the safety-critical workflows that blood bank professionals rely on daily - from specimen testing and cross-matching to bedside transfusion verification. You will shape architectural decisions for a platform where data integrity, patient safety, and seamless continuity of care across multi-facility hospital networks are non-negotiable.
As a principal-level contributor, you will lead the design of scalable integrations with hospital information systems such as Epic, applying service-oriented and event-driven architecture principles to ensure reliable, real-time communication from the blood bank to the bedside. You will guide the team in building secure, well-governed REST APIs, establishing scalable architecture that support multi-facility data exchange, and upholding the rigorous compliance standards. If you are energized by the challenge of building distributed, event-driven systems where uptime and data integrity are genuinely life-critical, this is a rare opportunity to shape both the technology and the team at Haemonetics.
What You'll Do:
• Define Architectural Strategy: Set the long-term technical roadmap, engineering standards, and core technology adoption (engine, backend, rendering).
• Drive Technical Governance: Act as the final authority on critical design decisions, establish quality gates, and manage performance budgets.
• Lead Hands-On Innovation: Prototype foundational systems, perform high-level code reviews, and solve high-risk architectural challenges.
• Mentor Team: Coach team members to foster a culture of technical rigor and continuous improvement.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate technical debt, performance bottlenecks, and architectural risks across the development lifecycle.
• Cross-Disciplinary Partnership: Align technical architecture with regulatory and commercial objectives.
What Will Make You a Great Fit:
• Industry Veteran: 10+ years in software engineering, with 5+ years in a Principal or Architect role
Deep Expertise: Expert-level C# or other OOP languages such as Java/Python. RESTful APIs, Microservices, Domain-driven design, CI/CD, Event-driven architecture, Service-oriented architecture, High-availability, containerization, SQL and NOSQL
• Cloud & Infrastructure Experience: AWS (ECS, EKS, RDS, Lambda, S3, SQS, CloudFormation), Terraform .
• Security & Compliance Experience: OWASP best practice, OIDC, SAML2, SOC2, ISO27001, HIPAA
• Proven Track Record: Success in shipping multiple complex products with stable, maintainable architectures.
• Strategic Communicator: Ability to translate complex technical concepts for both engineers and executive leadership.
• Pragmatic Problem Solver: Balanced approach to solving immediate production needs while maintaining long-term architectural health.
• Innovation Focused: A passion for replacing legacy workflows with scalable, R&D-driven solutions.
EEO Policy Statement
Pay Transparency:
The pay range for this role is:
$103,600.00-$176,400.00/Annual
The base pay actually offered to the successful candidate will take into account, without limitation, the candidate's location, education, job-knowledge, skills, and experience in prior relevant roles.
Incentives may also be provided as part of Haemonetics' employee compensation. For sales roles, employees will be eligible for sales incentive (i.e., commission) under the applicable plan terms. For non-sales roles, employees will be eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, the target amount of which varies based on the applicable role, to be governed by the applicable plan terms. Employees may also be eligible to participate in the Company's long-term incentive plan, with eligibility and target amount dependent on the role.
In addition to compensation, the Company offers a competitive suite of benefits to its employees, including without limitation, a 401(k) with up to a 6% employer match and no vesting period, an employee stock purchase plan, "flexible time off" for salaried employees and, for hourly employees, accrual of three to five weeks' vacation annually (based on tenure), accrual of up to 64 hours (annually) of paid sick time, paid and/or floating holidays, parental leave, short- and long-term disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, and/or health and welfare benefits.
Depending on your location, you may be eligible for more detailed information related to the compensation and benefits related to this job posting. If you believe you may be entitled to such information by law, you may contact 1-781-348-7777, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET or email AskHR@Haemonetics.com.

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