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Principal Software Developer Jobs in Texas (NOW HIRING)

The Principal Software Developer will play a key role in financial analysis and data visualization within the FinOps team, ensuring effective cost management and strategic decision-making across the ...

Responsibilities As a Principal Software Developer, you will lead the design, development, and evolution of backend services, APIs, and core server-side systems that support distributed cloud ...

Responsibilities As a Principal Software Developer, you will lead the design, development, and evolution of backend services, APIs, and core server-side systems that support distributed cloud ...

Responsibilities As a Principal Software Developer, you will lead the design, development, and evolution of backend services, APIs, and core server-side systems that support distributed cloud ...

Principal Software Developer

Austin, TX · On-site

$119K - $169K/yr

Lead data model design and data analysis aspects of the FinOps team's software development, including close collaboration with other FinOps software engineers * Engage with customers and stakeholders ...

Mentor junior developers and drive modern software engineering practices like leveraging data/telemetry to make decisions, well-defined interfaces across components, design reviews, coding standards ...

Principal Software Engineer

Dallas, TX · On-site

$133K - $179K/yr

The Principal Software Engineer is a visionary with a strong foundation in software design ... Working knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and DevOps practices. * Experience with ...

Principal Software Engineer

Dallas, TX · On-site +1

$133K - $179K/yr

The Principal Software Engineer provides strategic advice and guidance to functional team(s). Highly skilled with broad, advanced technical experience. The Principal Software Engineer standardizes ...

New

Principal Software Engineer

Dallas, TX · On-site +1

$133K - $179K/yr

The Principal Software Engineer provides strategic advice and guidance to functional team(s). Highly skilled with broad, advanced technical experience. The Principal Software Engineer standardizes ...

New

Principal Software Engineer

Dallas, TX · On-site +1

$133K - $179K/yr

The Principal Software Engineer provides strategic advice and guidance to functional team(s). Highly skilled with broad, advanced technical experience. The Principal Software Engineer standardizes ...

New

The Principal Software Developer will be working with a complementary team of software engineers to craft and maintain Zynga's core Payments platform, which enables flawless integration with app ...

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Showing results 1-20

Principal Software Developer information

See Texas salary details

$88K

$131.5K

$172.8K

How much do principal software developer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal software developer in Texas is $131,522.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $115,100.00 and $144,400.00 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 Texas? For Principal Software Developer jobs in Texas, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What cities in Texas are hiring for Principal Software Developer jobs? Cities in Texas with the most Principal Software Developer job openings:
Infographic showing various Principal Software Developer job openings in Texas as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 4% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 9% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 82% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $131,522 per year, or $63.2 per hour.
Principal Software Developer

Principal Software Developer

Zynga

Austin, TX • On-site

Full-time

Posted 13 days ago


Job description

Job Summary:
Zynga is a global leader in interactive entertainment, known for its diverse portfolio of games. The Principal Software Developer will play a key role in financial analysis and data visualization within the FinOps team, ensuring effective cost management and strategic decision-making across the company's games.
Responsibilities:
• Lead financial analysis activities with regards to internal cost allocations for technology spend
• Lead data model design and data analysis aspects of the FinOps team’s software development, including close collaboration with other FinOps software engineers
• Engage with customers and stakeholders to design and iterate upon user-facing data visualizations
• Develop data ingestion and normalization to serve data visualizations and dashboards, as well as owning maintenance and ensuring ongoing data quality
• Support FinOps guidelines and work with other teams and partners to implement cost analysis and optimizations for technology spend across Zynga
• Interact with members of Finance and the C-suite with regards to technology cost allocations, forecasts, and ad hoc FinOps-related requests
Qualifications:
Required:
• B.S. in Computer Science, Math, Statistics, Engineering, or other quantitative field (or equivalent experience)
• Demonstrated proficiency with Python for data cleaning and data wrangling (pandas, NumPy), and ability to work with source code via pull requests, CICD pipelines, etc
• 8+ years of hands-on experience with the following: SQL, data warehouses, Tableau or similar data visualization tools
• Ability to design monitoring rules for validating data quality within data pipelines
• Experience collaborating with customers to assess their analysis and visualization needs and design solutions that present the data effectively and clearly
• Ability to think through the UI/UX of data visualizations to best serve the target audience's needs
• Comfort interacting with stakeholders at a much more senior level, ability to adjust communication style to the audience
• Experience working autonomously and capable of tackling solo projects with ease
Preferred:
• Familiarity with FinOps practices
• Familiarity with financial concepts related to budgeting, forecasts, amortization, etc
• Previous experience with software engineering platforms such as AWS, Splunk, Datadog
Company:
Zynga is a mobile game developer that creates and operates social games as live services played on the Internet. It is a sub-organization of Take-Two Interactive Software. Founded in 2007, the company is headquartered in San Mateo, USA, with a team of 1001-5000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.