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Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Reston, VA (NOW HIRING)

Recorded Future

Principal Software Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

$152K - $204K/yr

Recorded Future is the world's most advanced, and largest, intelligence company, seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join their Engineering team. The role involves building and scaling data ...

Xometry

Principal Software Engineer

North Bethesda, MD · On-site

$135K - $181K/yr

Xometry is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join our Xometry Partner Experience Technology Organization. In this role as a senior individual contributor, you will guide software ...

Leidos

Principal Software Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$131K - $237K/yr

We are seeking an experienced Principal Software Engineer to join our team in developing the forefront of unmanned and autonomous ship development for the US Government. Based in Arlington, VA, you ...

Leidos

Principal Software Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$131K - $237K/yr

We are seeking an experienced Principal Software Engineer to join our team in developing the forefront of unmanned and autonomous ship development for the US Government. Based in Arlington, VA, you ...

Leidos

Principal Software Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site

$131K - $237K/yr

Description We are seeking an experienced Principal Software Engineer to join our team in developing the forefront of unmanned and autonomous ship development for the US Government. Based in ...

Xometry

Principal Software Engineer

North Bethesda, MD

$135K - $181K/yr

Xometry is looking for a Principal Software Engineer to join our Partner Ecosystems team. This team builds the high-performance integration layer that embeds Xometry's AI-native marketplace directly ...

Xometry

Principal Software Engineer

North Bethesda, MD · On-site

$135K - $181K/yr

Xometry is looking for a Principal Software Engineer to join our Partner Ecosystems team. This team builds the high-performance integration layer that embeds Xometry's AI-native marketplace directly ...

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All JobsPrincipal Software Engineer JobsPrincipal Software Engineer Jobs in Reston, VA

Principal Software Engineer information

See Reston, VA salary details

$63.9K

$170.1K

$244.1K

How much do principal software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal software engineer in Reston, VA is $170,083.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $142,700.00 and $191,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are Principal Software Engineers?

Principal Software Engineers are highly experienced technical leaders responsible for designing, developing, and overseeing complex software systems. They set technical direction, mentor engineering teams, and often collaborate with stakeholders to align technology solutions with business goals. In addition to coding, they play a key role in establishing best practices, reviewing architectural decisions, and ensuring high-quality software delivery. Their expertise and leadership are critical in driving innovation and maintaining technical excellence within an organization.

What engineers make $500,000?

Principal Software Engineers and senior technical leaders in high-demand industries can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills in areas like cloud computing or AI, and often in large tech companies or executive roles. Compensation packages may include base salary, bonuses, and stock options, reflecting their expertise and leadership responsibilities.

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 engineers make $300,000 a year?

Principal Software Engineers and senior technical leaders in high-demand industries such as technology, finance, and cloud computing often earn $300,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills in areas like distributed systems or machine learning, and relevant certifications. Compensation varies based on company size, location, and individual expertise.

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.

Is it possible to make 300k as a software engineer?

Principal Software Engineers in high-demand industries or at large tech companies can earn salaries of $300,000 or more, especially with extensive experience, specialized skills, and stock options. Achieving this level often requires advanced expertise in areas like cloud computing, machine learning, or leadership roles, along with a strong track record of project success.

What Is 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.
More about Principal Software Engineer jobs
What are popular job titles related to Principal Software Engineer jobs in Reston, VA? For Principal Software Engineer jobs in Reston, VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Software Engineer jobs in Reston, VA look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Software Engineer jobs in Reston, VA are:
What cities near Reston, VA are hiring for Principal Software Engineer jobs? Cities near Reston, VA with the most Principal Software Engineer job openings:
Principal Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Software Engineer job openings in Reston, VA as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 75% In-person, and 25% Hybrid job distribution, with an average salary of $170,083 per year, or $81.8 per hour.
Principal Software Engineer

Principal Software Engineer

Recorded Future

Washington, DC • On-site

$152K - $204K/yr

Full-time

Posted 13 days ago

Job description

Job Summary:
Recorded Future is the world’s most advanced, and largest, intelligence company, seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join their Engineering team. The role involves building and scaling data pipelines for the Security Intelligence Graph, driving architectural improvements, and ensuring platform scalability.
Responsibilities:
• Data Pipeline Ownership: Design, build, and maintain scalable data pipelines that collect, transform, and deliver structured threat intelligence data powering the Security Intelligence Graph.
• Architecture & Scalability: Drive meaningful architectural improvements across data and platform systems to ensure long-term scalability, reliability, and performance.
• Full-Stack Engineering: Work across both application code and infrastructure, contributing to backend services, data systems, and platform capabilities.
• Data Processing & Analysis: Apply statistical techniques to large-scale datasets to generate accurate and impactful insights.
• Reliability & Observability: Ensure production-grade pipeline reliability through strong observability, error handling, and failure recovery practices.
• Infrastructure & Deployment: Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines and contribute to infrastructure-as-code practices to support efficient and repeatable deployments.
• Cross-Team Collaboration: Communicate technical concepts clearly and collaborate effectively across teams, geographies, and varying levels of technical expertise.
• Technical Leadership: Engage with technical leaders across teams and contribute to raising the engineering bar through knowledge sharing and best practices.
Qualifications:
Required:
• At least 5 years of experience in data engineering, backend engineering, or platform engineering.
• Strong proficiency in Python, with experience in Go or Rust considered a plus.
• Experience working with cloud infrastructure, including compute, storage, networking, and IAM fundamentals.
• Hands-on experience with message queues and pub/sub systems such as Kafka or RabbitMQ.
• Experience with SQL databases such as Postgres or AWS RDS, and NoSQL databases such as MongoDB or Elasticsearch.
• Familiarity with data lake storage frameworks such as Delta Lake and graph databases such as AWS Neptune or Neo4j.
• Experience developing REST APIs using frameworks such as Flask, Django, or FastAPI.
• Proven experience architecting and delivering production-grade applications and ETL/ELT pipelines.
• Strong understanding of building reliable data pipelines, including observability, error handling, and failure recovery.
• Experience building and maintaining CI/CD pipelines; GitHub Actions experience is a plus.
• Familiarity with infrastructure-as-code tools; Terraform experience is a plus.
• Comfort working with high-volume, complex, and unstructured data.
• Strong problem-solving skills, including the ability to debug both software and data issues.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to work independently while delivering high-quality results.
• Interest in or familiarity with security data domains such as threat infrastructure, malware, or network telemetry.
• Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics, Engineering, or equivalent experience.
Preferred:
• Experience or interest in cybersecurity data domains such as malware analysis, phishing detection, or network telemetry.
• Experience working with graph-based data systems or security intelligence platforms.
Company:
Recorded Future provides threat intelligence for proactive cybersecurity and risk management. Founded in 2009, the company is headquartered in Somerville, USA, with a team of 501-1000 employees. The company is currently Late Stage.

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