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Principal Software Developer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Oracle

Principal Software Developer

Nashville, TN

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 platforms. You will take ...

Leidos

Principal Software Developer

Eagan, MN · On-site

$131K - $237K/yr

Leidos is seeking Principal Software Developers to join the Air Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector, supporting the development of next-generation flight service and air traffic systems.

Leidos

Principal Software Developer

Gaithersburg, MD · On-site

$131K - $237K/yr

Leidos is seeking Principal Software Developers to join the Air Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector, supporting the development of next-generation flight service and air traffic systems.

Lightspeed

Principal Software Developer

As a hands-on Principal Software Developer , you'll guide design and architecture of the critical system components of the flagship Lightspeed Retail product used by thousands of merchants around the ...

Leidos

Principal Software Developer

Ashburn, VA · On-site

$131K - $237K/yr

Leidos is seeking Principal Software Developers to join the Air Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector, supporting the development of next-generation flight service and air traffic systems.

Leidos

Principal Software Developer

Gaithersburg, MD · On-site

$131K - $237K/yr

Leidos is seeking Principal Software Developers to join the Air Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector, supporting the development of next-generation flight service and air traffic systems.

Fortinet

Principal Software Developer Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$157K - $211K/yr

Fortinet is a cybersecurity pioneer with over two decades of excellence, seeking a Principal Software Developer Engineer for their FortiSwitch team. The role involves developing and maintaining ...

PowerPlan, Inc

Principal Software Developer

Atlanta, GA · On-site

This is a principal-level opportunity to shape the reliability and reach of PowerPlan's cloud-based ... Typically 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with senior-level ownership of ...

Bigbear.ai

Principal Software Developer

Washington, DC · On-site

$95K/yr

BigBear.ai is seeking a Principal Software Developer to join our GALE (Generic Area Limitation Environment) Support team. This is your chance to work on impactful projects that directly support the ...

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Principal Software Developer information

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$94.5K

$141.2K

$185.5K

How much do principal software developer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal software developer in the United States is $141,171.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $123,500.00 and $155,000.00 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.
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Principal Software Developer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Software Developer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 87% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $141,171 per year, or $67.9 per hour.

Principal Software Developer

Oracle

Nashville, TN

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 15 days ago

Oracle rating

8.7

Company rating: 8.7 out of 10

Based on 151 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

55th of 244 rated software companies

Job description

Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) delivers mission-critical applications for leading enterprises worldwide. Our cloud offers hyper-scale, multi-tenant services deployed across more than 50 regions globally. OCI continues to expand beyond traditional public cloud boundaries to support dedicated, hybrid, and multi-cloud solutions, edge computing, and more. 

Why Join? 

At OCI, you'll play a key technical role in shaping the design and evolution of backend cloud services that operate at a global scale. You'll work on complex distributed systems, influence technical direction, and contribute to production services used by customers worldwide. This role offers the opportunity to lead by example, solve ambiguous technical problems, and mentor engineers while continuing to deepen your own technical expertise. 

Responsibilities 

Position Location 

This position is office-based and requires onsite presence at one of the following Oracle office locations: Nashville, TN;Austin, TX; Santa Clara, CA; Seattle, WA; or Redwood Shores, CA. Relocation assistance may be available in accordance with Oracle's relocation policies. 

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 platforms. You will take ownership of complex technical problems, contribute to architectural decisions, and drive scalable, reliable solutions within and across teams. 

You will work on large initiatives, guide design discussions, review and influence technical designs, and collaborate closely with cross-functional partners to ensure high-quality delivery. You will proactively identify opportunities for architectural improvement, system optimization, and operational excellence, while mentoring and supporting other engineers. 

This role requires strong technical judgment, deep understanding of distributed systems, and the ability to balance near-term delivery with long-term architectural health. 

Qualifications 

  • 7+ years of professional software engineering experience, with demonstrated impact on backend or platform systems 
  • BS or MS degree in Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent practical experience 
  • Strong experience designing and building highly available, scalable distributed systems 
  • Deep understanding of distributed system fundamentals, object-oriented design, data structures, and algorithms 
  • Proficiency in one or more object-oriented programming languages such as Java, C++, C#, Go, or similar 
  • Experience leading or influencing technical design and architecture decisions 
  • Strong problem-solving skills, ability to operate in ambiguous environments, and a high sense of ownership 
  • Experience with microservice architectures, service reliability, and production operations 
  • Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and raise overall technical quality 

Only Oracle brings together the data, infrastructure, applications, and expertise to power everything from industry innovations to life-saving care. And with AI embedded across our products and services, we help customers turn that promise into a better future for all. Discover your potential at a company leading the way in AI and cloud solutions that impact billions of lives.

True innovation starts when everyone is empowered to contribute. That's why we're committed to growing a workforce that promotes opportunities for all with competitive benefits that support our people with flexible medical, life insurance, and retirement options. We also encourage employees to give back to their communities through our volunteer programs.

We're committed to including people with disabilities at all stages of the employment process. If you require accessibility assistance or accommodation for a disability at any point, let us know by emailing accommodation-request_mb@oracle.com or by calling 1-888-404-2494 in the United States.

Oracle is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and protected veterans' status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Oracle will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records pursuant to applicable law.

Disclaimer:
Certain U.S. based or U.S. customer or client-facing roles may be required to comply with applicable requirements, such as immunization/occupational health mandates, and/or drug testing requirements.
Range and benefit information provided in this posting are specific to the stated locations only
US: Hiring Range in USD from: $114,600 to $234,600 per annum. May be eligible for bonus, equity, and compensation deferral.
Oracle 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 Oracle's differing products, industries and lines of business.
Candidates are typically placed into the range based on the preceding factors as well as internal peer equity.
Oracle US offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes the following:
1. Medical, dental, and vision insurance, including expert medical opinion
2. Short term disability and long term disability
3. Life insurance and AD&D
4. Supplemental life insurance (Employee/Spouse/Child)
5. Health care and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts
6. Pre-tax commuter and parking benefits
7. 401(k) Savings and Investment Plan with company match
8. Paid time off: Flexible Vacation is provided to all eligible employees assigned to a salaried (non-overtime eligible) position. Accrued Vacation is provided to all other employees eligible for vacation benefits. For employees working at least 35 hours per week, the vacation accrual rate is 13 days annually for the first three years of employment and 18 days annually for subsequent years of employment. Vacation accrual is prorated for employees working between 20 and 34 hours per week. Employees working fewer than 20 hours per week are not eligible for vacation.
9. 11 paid holidays
10. Paid sick leave: 72 hours of paid sick leave upon date of hire. Refreshes each calendar year. Unused balance will carry over each year up to a maximum cap of 112 hours.
11. Paid parental leave
12. Adoption assistance
13. Employee Stock Purchase Plan
14. Financial planning and group legal
15. Voluntary benefits including auto, homeowner and pet insurance
The role will generally accept applications for at least three calendar days from the posting date or as long as the job remains posted.

Career Level - IC4


As a member of the software engineering division, you will take an active role in the definition and evolution of standard practices and procedures. You will be responsible for defining and developing software for tasks associated with the developing, designing and debugging of software applications or operating systems.

What Oracle employees say

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About Oracle

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

An Oracle career can span industries, roles, Countries and cultures, giving you the opportunity to flourish in new roles and innovate, while blending work life in. Oracle has thrived through 40+ years of change by innovating and operating with integrity while delivering for the top companies in almost every industry. In order to nurture the talent that makes this happen, we are committed to an inclusive culture that celebrates and values diverse insights and perspectives, a workforce that inspires thought leadership and innovation. Oracle offers a highly competitive suite of Employee Benefits designed on the principles of parity, consistency, and affordability. The overall package includes certain core elements such as Medical, Life Insurance, access to Retirement Planning, and much more. We also encourage our employees to engage in the culture of giving back to the communities where we live and do business. At Oracle, we believe that innovation starts with diversity and inclusion and to create the future we need talent from various backgrounds, perspectives, and abilities. We ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to successfully participate in the job application, interview process, and in potential roles. to perform crucial job functions. That's why we're committed to creating a workforce where all individuals can do their best work. It's when everyone's voice is heard and valued that we're inspired to go beyond what's been done before.

Industry

It services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Redwood City, CA, US

Year founded

1977

Social media

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