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Principal Software Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Principal Software Engineer

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$125K - $168K/yr

Qualis, LLC is looking for a full-time Principal Software Engineer to work in the Space Domain (SDA) and Missile Warning (MW) mission areas. This position will be filled in Huntsville, AL. Our team ...

Principal Software Engineer

Huntsville, AL

$133K - $178K/yr

The selected Principal Software Engineer responsibilities will include the support of the GMD Weapons System (GWS) program as an individual contributor on the GMD Fire Control (GFC) product.

Principal Software Engineer

Carlsbad, CA · On-site

$140K - $187K/yr

The Principal Software Engineer is a senior individual contributor responsible for defining the technical direction of the software platform and solving the organization's most complex engineering ...

Principal Software Engineer

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$133K - $178K/yr

The selected Principal Software Engineer responsibilities will include the support of the GMD Weapons System (GWS) program as an individual contributor on the GMD Fire Control (GFC) product.

Principal Software Engineer

Mclean, VA · On-site

$136K - $183K/yr

Principal Software Engineer -- emPower Do you love working with connected devices, automation, and real-world systems? Have you automated your own home, built integrations across smart devices, or ...

Principal Software Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

$152K - $205K/yr

Principal Software Engineer -- emPower Do you love working with connected devices, automation, and real-world systems? Have you automated your own home, built integrations across smart devices, or ...

Principal Software Engineer

Arlington, VA

$155K - $208K/yr

Principal Software Engineer -- emPower Do you love working with connected devices, automation, and real-world systems? Have you automated your own home, built integrations across smart devices, or ...

Principal Software Engineer

Tysons Corner, VA · On-site

$135K - $182K/yr

Principal Software Engineer -- emPower Do you love working with connected devices, automation, and real-world systems? Have you automated your own home, built integrations across smart devices, or ...

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Principal Software Engineer information

See salary details

$60.5K

$160.9K

$231K

How much do principal software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal software engineer in the United States is $160,936.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $135,000.00 and $181,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a principal software engineer?

A principal software engineer is in charge of software development. In this career, you guide the software design process and inspect software programs to make suggestions for improvements. Principal software engineers also process complex data and may need to enforce software design, development, and maintenance requirements. Your job requires a high level of technical knowledge and skills and a thorough understanding of the software development process. Your employer may require you to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in software development. Similar job titles include software architect and principal software developer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a principal software engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Software Engineer, you need deep expertise in software architecture, programming languages, and system design, often supported by a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or a related field. Advanced proficiency with development frameworks, cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure), and familiarity with DevOps tools and agile methodologies are typically required. Exceptional leadership, mentorship, and communication skills help facilitate cross-functional collaboration and guide technical teams. These skills are crucial for driving technical vision, ensuring scalable solutions, and fostering innovation within complex projects.

How does a principal software engineer typically balance hands-on coding with leadership responsibilities?

Principal Software Engineers often split their time between technical contributions—such as designing system architecture and reviewing complex code—and guiding teams through mentorship, technical direction, and cross-functional collaboration. While they may not code as much as junior engineers, they remain highly involved in critical implementations and code reviews. Balancing these responsibilities requires strong time management, clear communication, and the ability to prioritize tasks that have the highest impact on project and team success.

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

AspectPrincipal Software EngineerSenior Software Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in CS or related field; extensive experienceBachelor's or Master's in CS; several years of experience
Work EnvironmentLeadership roles, strategic planning, cross-team collaborationDesign, develop, and troubleshoot software; mentorship
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, large enterprises, startupsMost industries, including tech, finance, healthcare

The main difference between a Principal Software Engineer and a Senior Software Engineer lies in their level of responsibility and scope. Principal Software Engineers typically lead technical strategy, influence architecture decisions, and mentor multiple teams, whereas Senior Software Engineers focus on coding, design, and individual project contributions. Both roles require strong technical skills, but the Principal role emphasizes leadership and strategic impact.

How much does a principal software engineer get paid?

A principal software engineer typically earns between $120,000 and $180,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and company size. They often have advanced skills in software architecture, leadership, and technical expertise in programming languages and tools.

What cities are hiring for Principal Software Engineer jobs?

Cities with the most Principal Software Engineer job openings:

Who are the top companies hiring for Principal Software Engineer jobs?

The top employers for Principal Software Engineer jobs are:

What states have the most Principal Software Engineer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Principal Software Engineer jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Principal Software Engineer jobs?

For Principal Software Engineer jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Principal Software Engineer job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 86% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 12% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $160,936 per year, or $77.4 per hour.

Principal Software Engineer

Huntsville, AL • On-site

Qualis LLC
Guided Missile and Space Vehicle Manufacturing • 201 - 500 employees

$125K - $168K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 4 days ago


Job description

Qualis, LLC is looking for a full-time Principal Software Engineer to work in the Space Domain (SDA) and Missile Warning (MW) mission areas. This position will be filled in Huntsville, AL. Our team is dedicated to advancing the SDA and MW missions through focused and innovative research and engineering. We are on the cutting edge of Deep Space surveillance radar technology and radar hardware solutions to enhance mission capabilities. 

We focus on delivering rapid, high-value solutions to our customers by recruiting, growing, and mentoring top technical talent. We are motivated technical staff who are interested in working independently, collaboratively, and performing high-impact work from day one. Our engineers are willing and expected to dive deep into developing solutions to the most challenging technical problems. 

Responsibilities

The Principal Software Engineer is responsible for the research, design, and development of software in conjunction with hardware interfaces. This position is primarily responsible for the design and development of software products for a variety of software applications and participates in all phases of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

This position requires the highest level of technical mastery within the Software Engineering functional area, combined with advanced business knowledge and the leadership capability to guide business or functional teams without a formal management role.

The Principal Software Engineer serves as a senior technical authority, applying extensive experience and technical judgment to complex software development efforts while ensuring software solutions meet established program cost, schedule, and technical constraints.

The Principal Software Engineer will be a self-starter who works well both in teams and independently. They will have strong communication skills and robust attention to detail, organizational skills, and self-accountability. Additional responsibilities include (but not limited to):

  • Perform research, design, and development of computer software systems in conjunction with hardware product development.
  • Participate in all phases of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), including: Requirements analysis, Software design, Implementation, Integration and Software testing
  • Apply computer science, engineering, and mathematical analysis concepts and principles in the development of software for target applications, including scenario execution, coordinate transformations, state propagation, and storage of scenario and hardware data.
  • Analyze complex software and system requirements and develop appropriate technical solutions.
  • Work closely with cross-functional members of the engineering organization.
  • Develop and evaluate interfaces between hardware and software, including RF control, status reporting, and synchronization between simulation time and hardware.
  • Evaluate operational performance requirements and their impact on overall system design.
  • Contribute to the design and technical direction of integrated hardware and software systems, including service startup and shutdown, health monitoring, and software configuration and licensing controls.
  • Develop software test procedures, software programs, and related technical documentation, with test results and corrective actions traced to requirements.
  • Support software integration, verification, and system-level testing activities.
  • Identify, analyze, and resolve highly complex software and system-level technical issues.
  • Contribute to determining, estimating, and validating the cost and scope of software efforts.
  • Ensure software engineering activities support established program cost, schedule, and technical constraints.
  • Apply advanced business knowledge when evaluating technical approaches and engineering decisions.
  • Guide business or functional teams through technical challenges and engineering decisions.
  • Serve as a technical authority and senior technical resource for complex software engineering efforts, providing technical guidance and direction across multidisciplinary teams.
  • Coordinate complex technical activities across software, hardware, systems, test, and other engineering disciplines.
  • Guide operator-application architecture and integration of browser-based scenario configuration, 3D visualization, live data streams, and system status.
  • Guide radar and communication model integration and external API design, including message formats, network and socket interfaces, interoperability, and model performance.
  • Evaluate build, test, software-analysis, and server-configuration approaches, and guide resolution of significant software-security and maintainability issues.

Required Qualifications

  • Must be a U.S. Citizen with the ability to obtain an Active DoD Secret Clearance.
  • Experience working with government customers including the USAF and USSF
  • Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 15 years of prior related experience, or a Graduate Degree with a minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.
  • Extensive experience architecting and developing integrated hardware/software systems and resolving complex interface, timing, and performance issues.
  • Experience providing technical direction across engineering disciplines and evaluating software designs and verification results.

Desired Qualifications

  • Extensive experience with embedded, real-time, or mission-oriented software systems.
  • Advanced experience with software architecture, requirements, design, integration, verification, validation, and testing.
  • Experience mentoring and developing software engineering personnel.
  • Experience estimating and evaluating complex software development scope, cost, schedule, and technical risk.
  • Experience communicating and coordinating technical decisions across engineering, program management, and business organizations.
  • Experience with simulation or hardware-in-the-loop systems, external model integration, or timing-sensitive hardware control.
  • Experience with browser-based operator interfaces, 3D visualization, or streaming data.
  • Experience with automated builds and tests, software-analysis tools, or resolution of software-security findings.
  • Experience integrating or evaluating MATLAB-based models or implementing numerical coordinate and state-propagation calculations.
  • Current DoD Secret clearance

Qualis, LLC has a comprehensive benefits package based on employment type, location, and applicable agreements that includes:

  • Health, dental, and vision insurance
  • 401(k) match
  • Paid time off and Holidays
  • Educational, professional development and certification reimbursement.
  • Tax-saving options
  • Disability and Life Insurance

Qualis, LLC is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse and talented workforce who can contribute to the mission and vision of the Company. Our employees are our greatest asset, and we promote a positive work environment, teamwork, professional growth, innovation, community involvement, flexible scheduling and a family-friendly work environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer/M/F/Vet/Disabled and a Participant in E-Verify.