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Principal Software Developer Jobs in Seattle, WA

Principal Software Developer Position Description: Protingent Staffing has an exciting REMOTE contract Principal Software Developer opportunity. Job Responsibilities: * Design, implement, document ...

At every level, our engineers have a significant technical and business impact designing and ... Experience in Software development roles running large scale infrastructure, cloud or web services ...

At every level, our engineers have a significant technical and business impact designing and ... Experience in Software development roles running large scale infrastructure, cloud or web services

At every level, our engineers have a significant technical and business impact designing and ... Experience in Software development roles running large scale infrastructure, cloud or web services

Principal Software Engineer

Redmond, WA · On-site

$155K - $215K/yr

Position Title: Principal Software Engineer Position Description: Protingent Staffing has an ... Advanced DevOps and platform engineering experience including Infrastructure as Code ...

Career Level - IC5 We are seeking a Senior Principal Software Engineer to drive the architecture, design, and development of highly scalable cloud infrastructure systems. In this role, you will lead ...

Responsibilities We are seeking a Senior Principal Software Engineer to drive the architecture, design, and development of highly scalable cloud infrastructure systems. In this role, you will lead ...

Career Level - IC5 We are seeking a Senior Principal Software Engineer to drive the architecture, design, and development of highly scalable cloud infrastructure systems. In this role, you will lead ...

You will perform software development tasks associated with the developing, designing and debugging of software applications or operating systems. You will be able to work with Engineering Managers ...

Principal Software Engineer

Seattle, WA · On-site

$191K - $297K/yr

As a Principal Software Engineer , you will play a crucial role in building technology to improve ... Experience with Agile methodologies with a continuous improvement and quality mindset * DevOps ...

As a Principal Software Engineer , you will play a crucial role in building technology to improve ... Experience with Agile methodologies with a continuous improvement and quality mindset * DevOps ...

You will perform software development tasks associated with the developing, designing and debugging of software applications or operating systems. You will be able to work with Engineering Managers ...

You will perform software development tasks associated with the developing, designing and debugging of software applications or operating systems. You will be able to work with Engineering Managers ...

Principal Software Engineer

Redmond, WA · On-site

$151K - $202K/yr

Microsoft AI is seeking a Principal Software Engineer for their Edge Web Platform team, which ... and developer needs. Qualifications : Required : • Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or ...

Principal Software Engineer

Bellevue, WA · Hybrid

$152K - $204K/yr

Hybrid role: 3 days/week in office Role Overview As a Principal Software Engineer at MediaAlpha, you will be a technical leader accountable at the ecosystem level. You own the architecture, health ...

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Showing results 1-20

Principal Software Developer information

See Seattle, WA salary details

$107.6K

$160.7K

$211.2K

How much do principal software developer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 13, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal software developer in Seattle, WA is $160,746.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $140,600.00 and $176,500.00 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 are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a principal software developer?

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.
Infographic showing various Principal Software Developer job openings in Seattle, WA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 86% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $160,746 per year, or $77.3 per hour.

Principal Software Developer

Protingent

Bellevue, WA • On-site

$52 - $85/hr

Contractor

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 10 days ago


Job description


Position Title: Principal Software Developer
Position Description: Protingent Staffing has an exciting REMOTE contract Principal Software Developer opportunity.
Job Responsibilities:
  • Design, implement, document, and test software based on formally defined requirements and bug reports from the in-house user base,
  • Design and implement refactorizations and maintenance to maximize near- and long-term productivity of users and developers,
  • Identify and prioritize tasks without them being explicitly assigned to you,
  • Support verification and validation efforts to prove that the codes meet specifications and are correct,
  • Systematically identify performance or productivity bottlenecks; design and implement solutions to eliminate them,
  • Perform administrative data management operations on the backend based on user and management needs,
  • Understand and translate new feature requests into formal software requirements,
  • Train and support reactor designers to use the software system,
  • Provide mentoring to other developers,
  • Support software build and testing systems (like our Jenkins instance and related dashboards),
  • Support server configuration and maintenance needs,
  • Facilitate design reviews for ongoing developments to keep review/approval process as productive as possible,
  • Review proposed code changes and provide detailed feedback before allowing it to go live,
  • Ensure compliance with quality standards and regulatory requirements for software.

Job Qualifications:
  • Minimum Qualifications:
  • 8+ years of relevant experience on web application development,
  • Expert-level programming skills in Python and JavaScript,
  • 5+ years in-depth experience and expertise with Django and DRF,
  • 5+ years in-depth experience with least one JavaScript framework like Vue3,
  • 5+ years regularly writing software tests,
  • Expert capabilities with software development tools, including git, IDEs, profilers, debuggers, test frameworks, packaging tools,
  • Please do not apply if you aren't already comfortable interactively rebasing (or similar)
  • Ability to focus and comfort with delivering a challenging project under evolving conditions, during rapid-paced development,
  • Ability and professionalism to work within the robust regulatory environment of nuclear reactor design and construction,
  • A strong commitment to software best practices,
  • Good understanding of software quality assurance and the software development life cycle,
  • Ability to provide and receive professional feedback.
  • Travel Required: 0-5%.

Preferred Job Qualifications:
  • Degree in computer science, applied mathematics, or similar,
  • Expertise building and maintaining Linux application and database servers,
  • Expertise in configuring and maintaining Continuous Integration systems
  • Strong expertise in Vue3 and Quasar specifically,
  • Expertise with celery
  • Expertise with Cypress,
  • Experience with major industrial construction projects,
  • Experience working in NQA-1 environments,
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Job Details:
  • Job Type: Contract
  • Pay Rate Range: $52-$85/hr (*Pay rates are approved based on candidate location, education and experience*)
  • Location: 100% Remote Acceptable
  • Export control regulations require candidates to be a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Legal Permanent Resident, or of a protected person status

Benefits Package: Protingent offers competitive salaries, insurance plan options (HDHP plan or POS plan), education/certification reimbursement, pre-tax commuter benefits, Paid Time Off (PTO), and an administered 401k plan.
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About Protingent: Protingent is an Award-Winning provider of top-tier Engineering and IT talent, trusted by companies at the forefront of innovation - from Software and Aerospace to AI, Clean Tech, Medical Devices, and Connected Technologies. We're passionate about making a positive impact by connecting exceptional talent with meaningful opportunities and helping our clients build the future.
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