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Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Kentucky (NOW HIRING)

Software Engineer Department: Automation Location: Erlanger, KY, Atlanta, GA or Westfield, IN As a Software Engineer, you will support the configuration and implementation of Invar's in-house ...

Software Engineer Department: Automation Location: Erlanger, KY, Atlanta, GA or Westfield, IN As a Software Engineer, you will support the configuration and implementation of Invar's in-house ...

Senior Software Engineer

Louisville, KY · On-site +1

$117K - $155K/yr

The Senior Software Engineer work assignments involve moderately complex to complex issues where the analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors. ** This ...

Senior Software Engineer

Louisville, KY · On-site +1

$117K - $155K/yr

The Senior Software Engineer work assignments involve moderately complex to complex issues where the analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors. ** This ...

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience). * 3-5 years of professional software development experience with a ...

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience). * 3-5 years of professional software development experience witha track ...

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent practical experience). * 3-5 years of professional software development experience witha track ...

Software Engineer III

Southgate, KY · On-site

$164.65 - $230.51/hr

Blue Origins Engines business unit is seeking a Software Engineer to build and deploy tools that improve program execution across aerospace, manufacturing, and mission operations.The role involves ...

New

Sr. Software Engineer II

Louisville, KY · On-site

$117K - $155K/yr

The Sr. Software Engineer II will design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain software applications on the Waystar Claims platform, collaborating with cross-functional teams to translate business ...

Sr. Software Engineer II

Louisville, KY · On-site

$117K - $155K/yr

They are seeking a Senior Software Engineer II to design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain robust software applications on the Waystar Claims platform, working with various technologies to deliver ...

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Showing results 1-20

Principal Software Engineer information

See Kentucky salary details

$52.5K

$139.8K

$200.6K

How much do principal software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal software engineer in Kentucky is $139,778.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $117,300.00 and $157,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

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 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.

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.

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.

How much does a principal software engineer get paid?

A principal software engineer typically earns between $120,000 and $180,000 annually in the United States, with salaries varying based on experience, location, and company size. They often have advanced skills in software architecture, leadership, and technical expertise in programming languages and tools.
What are popular job titles related to Principal Software Engineer jobs in Kentucky? For Principal Software Engineer jobs in Kentucky, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Software Engineer jobs in Kentucky look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Software Engineer jobs in Kentucky are:
What cities in Kentucky are hiring for Principal Software Engineer jobs? Cities in Kentucky with the most Principal Software Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Principal Software Engineer job openings in Kentucky as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $139,778 per year, or $67.2 per hour.

Principal Software Development Engineer

Stryker Corporation

Frankfort, KY • On-site

$184 - $249/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 3 days ago

New


Job description

We're building a world of health around every individual - shaping a more connected, convenient and compassionate health experience. At CVS Health®, you'll be surrounded by passionate colleagues who care deeply, innovate with purpose, hold ourselves accountable and prioritize safety and quality in everything we do. Join us and be part of something bigger - helping to simplify health care one person, one family and one community at a time.

Position Summary

Our Consumer Experience and Analytics organization, within CVS Health's Data, Digital, Analytics, and Technology (DDAT) organization, is seeking a hands-on, passionate, and people-focused Principal Software Development Engineer to join our high-energy, growing team. In this role, you will help make a meaningful difference in the lives of our consumers by driving AI-powered innovation that transforms how members access health information and receive personalized support throughout their healthcare journey. As part of CVS Health's mission to transform health and wellness through engaging, best-in-class digital experiences, you will play a key role in building an integrated platform that powers innovative products, enhances consumer engagement, and helps revolutionize the future of health and wellness.

In this role, you will help shape the future of healthcare technology by building innovative applications and products at the forefront of cloud, data, and AI-driven solutions. Leveraging your deep technical expertise, you will join a high-performing architecture team responsible for developing a cloud-native platform designed to transform healthcare experiences and improve the lives of hundreds of millions of consumers.

As a Principal Software Development Engineer, you will operate within a large-scale product, engineering, and architecture ecosystem, leading strategic technical initiatives across one or more value streams, Agile Release Trains (ARTs), or enterprise platforms. Success in this role requires exceptional partnership skills, broad technical depth, strong communication abilities, and a strategic mindset capable of bridging business objectives with technology solutions.

Key Qualifications
  • Proven leader with the demonstrated ability to create technical solutions in large organizations with complex business requirements and constraints.
  • Ability to work with multiple stakeholders, including Business, Product, Engineering and Platform teams, influencing application design, data flows, and extensible platform architectures.
  • Takes a disciplined approach to software development and problem-solving, with a proven ability to decompose complex challenges into actionable plans within an Agile environment.
  • Exceptional systems thinker who can seamlessly navigate between high-level architectural strategy and detailed technical implementation.
  • Experience designing and implementing modern software architectures, including microservices and micro-frontend patterns, while driving large-scale solutions across multiple applications and teams.
  • Broad technical expertise spanning cloud platforms, enterprise applications, microsevices, APIs, data analytics, networking, and large-scale systems.
  • Good understanding of ADA and other regulatory compliances including PCI, PII, and PHI.
  • Excellent collaboration, influencing, negotiation, coaching, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build strong coalitions across teams and organizations.
  • Outstanding communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to effectively evangelize technical vision and drive alignment among diverse stakeholders.
  • Passionate about technology, innovation, and continuous learning, with a high degree of technical curiosity and aptitude.
Responsibilities Include
  • Working closely with Product Managers/Owners, Application Architects and Engineering Leads to provide guidance on implementation of reference architecture solutions that demonstrate best in class user experiences.
  • Evaluating emerging technologies, leading proof-of-concept (POC) initiatives, and developing architectural recommendations that validate technical approaches and accelerate innovation.
  • Developing solutions that are well engineered, flexible, resilient, operable, maintainable, and can be delivered on schedule, while ensuring a balance between tactical and strategic technology solutions.
  • Aurthor white papers, guides, how-to's, and other technical documentation that clearly explains architectural guidelines, vision, technical direction, and serves as a reference for the internal developer community.
  • Excellent collaboration, influencing, evangelization, negotiation, coaching, mentoring, and coalition-building skills, with the ability to work with across all levels (e.g. jr. to VP) and job functions (e.g. product, platform, developers, DevOps).
  • Champion a user-centric approach to product development, ensuring accessibility, privacy, and security are embedded into every solution. Ensure the secure handling of PII and PHI data and that architectural designs address potential security threats and vulnerabilities.
  • Provide Subject Matter Expert (SME) oversight and development support on future application updates and maintenance.
  • Mentor and coach architects and engineers, fostering technical excellence, continuous learning, and a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
  • Define and validate Non-Functional Requirements, including performance, scalability, availability, resiliency, disaster recovery, security, and observability, ensuring solutions meet enterprise standards.
  • Analyze current architecture and develop opportunities for improvements in alignment with industry best practices.
  • Work with internal and external stakeholders to arrive at optimal business and technology solutions.
Required Qualifications
  • 10+ years of Software Industry experience.
  • 7+ years of experience leading enterprise-scale solution design and technical architecture initiatives across multiple value streams.
  • 7+ years' hands-on experience with modern technologies and frameworks, including Java, Python, Node.js, Angular, and ReactJS.
  • 7+ years of experience with relational and NoSQL databases, including data modeling, normalization/denormalization, sharding, and other scalable data architecture patterns.
  • 7+ years of experience designing cloud-native, microservices-based solutions on Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
  • 5+ years of experience designing modern APIs and RESTful services that enhance user experience and simplify systems integration.
  • 5+ years of experience with micro-services architecture and designing RESTful APIs that facilitate a superior UX or simplify systems integration.
  • 5+ years' experience designing and developing complex systems employing a disciplined and rigorous approach.
  • 5+ years' experience with requirements analysis, estimation, systems, and application design, and testing.
  • 5+ years of demonstrated communication and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively influence and communicate technical concepts to teams, clients, and executive leadership.
  • 4+ years of experience managing technical, customer-facing applications and services.
  • Proven ability to be self-directed, manage multiple competing priorities and deliver results with minimal supervision.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience building, scaling and operating large scale distributed systems.
  • Ability to learn quickly, adapt to evolving business and technical requirements, and thrive in a fast-paced environment.
  • Experience working in Agile environments, including SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) practices and methodologies.
  • Knowledge of security-focused architecture, engineering, or application development initiatives.
  • Exposure to CI/CD pipelines, DevOps practices, and modern software delivery methodologies.
  • Health care industry experience.
Education
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a closely related discipline, or an equivalent combination of formal education and experience.
  • Master's degree is a plus
Pay Range

The typical pay range for this role is:

$144,200.00 - $288,400.00

This pay range represents the base hourly rate or base annual full-time salary for all positions in the job grade within which this position falls. The actual base salary offer will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education, geography and other relevant factors. This position is eligible for a CVS Health bonus, commission or short-term incentive program in addition to the base pay range listed above. This position also includes an award target in the company's equity award program.

Our people fuel our future. Our teams reflect the customers, patients, members and communities we serve and we are committed to fostering a workplace where every colleague feels valued and that they belong.

Great benefits for great people

We take pride in offering a comprehensive and competitive mix of pay and benefits that reflects our commitment to our colleagues and their families.

This full‑time position is eligible for a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the physical, emotional, and financial well‑being of colleagues and their families. The benefits for this position include medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, retirement savings options, wellness programs, and other resources, based on eligibility.

Additional details about available benefits are provided during the application process and on Benefits Moments.

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on: 08/31/2026

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state and local laws.

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