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Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Providence, RI

Citizens

Principal Software Architect

Johnston, RI · On-site

$150K - $190K/yr

Principal Software Architect Position Summary As a Principal Architect, you will play a key role in ... Collaborate with engineering teams and technology leaders to define technical direction and drive ...

Socket.dev

Thermal Senior Principal Engineer

Franklin, MA · On-site

$180 - $250/hr

Our teams design and develop the hardware and software that connect infrastructure, accelerate ... Thermal Senior Principal Engineer Join us as a Thermal Senior Principal Engineer on our Network ...

New

Dell GmbH

Thermal Senior Principal Engineer

Franklin, MA · On-site

$140 - $200/hr

Our teams design and develop the hardware and software that connect infrastructure, accelerate ... Thermal Senior Principal Engineer Join us as a Thermal Senior Principal Engineer on our Network ...

New

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Showing results 21-40

All JobsPrincipal Software Engineer JobsPrincipal Software Engineer Jobs in Providence, RI

Principal Software Engineer information

See Providence, RI salary details

$61.1K

$162.6K

$233.4K

How much do principal software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal software engineer in Providence, RI is $162,581.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $136,400.00 and $182,800.00 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.
More about Principal Software Engineer jobs

What are popular job titles related to Principal Software Engineer jobs in Providence, RI?

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

What job categories do people searching Principal Software Engineer jobs in Providence, RI look for?

The top searched job categories for Principal Software Engineer jobs in Providence, RI are:

Principal Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Software Engineer job openings in Providence, RI as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 84% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $162,581 per year, or $78.2 per hour.

Principal Software Architect

Citizens

Johnston, RI • On-site

$150K - $190K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 5 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Participate in architecture, design, and code reviews to ensure solutions align with enterprise standards, security requirements, and best practices.

  • Design and develop reusable frameworks, services, interfaces, and platforms that support scalability and consistency across the enterprise.

  • Collaborate with engineering teams and technology leaders to define technical direction and drive architectural alignment.

Job description

Principal Software Architect

Position Summary

As a Principal Architect, you will play a key role in bringing innovative ideas to life and driving the adoption of emerging technologies across the enterprise. This role provides architectural leadership, governance, and oversight at both the business platform and technical platform levels. You will partner with cross functional teams, including business leaders, product managers, software engineers, cybersecurity professionals, and senior executives to design scalable, secure, and high performing solutions that align with enterprise standards and strategic objectives.

The Principal Architect will present architecture strategies, designs, and recommendations to Architecture Review Boards, technology leadership, and business stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Participate in architecture, design, and code reviews to ensure solutions align with enterprise standards, security requirements, and best practices.

Design and develop reusable frameworks, services, interfaces, and platforms that support scalability and consistency across the enterprise.

Collaborate with engineering teams and technology leaders to define technical direction and drive architectural alignment.

Influence solution design and implementation to achieve measurable business outcomes.

Provide post implementation support, including troubleshooting, coaching, and stakeholder enablement.

Conduct research and technical analysis to evaluate technologies and recommend solutions.

Perform long term technology trend analysis and provide recommendations for future investments.

Analyze system performance, operational metrics, and control reports to identify improvement opportunities.

Drive innovation through the evaluation, adoption, and implementation of new technologies.

Ensure cybersecurity principles and controls are incorporated into all solution designs.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.

10+ years of experience in software development, engineering, or solution architecture.

Hands on experience delivering end to end software solutions for complex, multi tier applications.

Strong understanding of enterprise architecture concepts, patterns, and best practices.

Experience with systems analysis, process analysis, and solution design.

Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical concepts to non technical audiences.

Experience working with relational and non relational database technologies, including RDBMS and NoSQL platforms.

Experience designing and building highly available, resilient, customer facing applications.

Experience building cloud native applications and distributed systems.

Experience designing, developing, and integrating APIs.

Experience modernizing monolithic applications into microservices based architectures.

Experience identifying automation opportunities and improving application performance and operational efficiency.

Experience implementing large scale technology transformations, platform modernization initiatives, or strategic technology migrations.

Expertise in at least two of the following areas: Infrastructure Cybersecurity DevOps Application Development Database Technologies Cloud Platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in the financial services or banking industry.

Understanding of consumer banking, commercial banking, or custodial banking environments.

Experience working with sensitive financial data and regulated environments.

Strong business analysis, stakeholder management, and presentation skills.

Experience incorporating cybersecurity principles into application and platform architecture.

Knowledge of multiple programming languages and frameworks, such as: Java JavaScript Python Golang Ruby C/C++ Angular React Vue.js

Understanding of UI/UX principles and application design best practices.

Education

Required: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Pay Transparency

The salary range for this position is $150,000 to $190,000 per year, plus an opportunity to earn additional incentive earnings. Actual pay is based on various factors including, but not limited to, the budget, work location, and relevant skills and experience.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement plans, parental leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs, and generous paid time off exceeding local requirements.

Citizens Benefits Overview

 For an overview of our benefits, visit our Careers site - https://jobs.citizensbank.com/benefits.

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Equal Employment Opportunity

Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague's or a dependent's reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.

Equal Employment and Opportunity Employer

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Background Check

Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the candidate successfully passing a background check, which may include initial credit, motor vehicle record, public record, prior employment verification, and criminal background checks. Results of the background check are individually reviewed based upon legal requirements imposed by our regulators and with consideration of the nature and gravity of the background history and the job offered. Any offer of employment will include further information.


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