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Principal Staff Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

... staff engineer, principal engineer, or lead engineerDemonstrated ability to design and guide ... scalable technical architecturesStrong problem-solving, technical leadership, and decision-making ...

$150 - $230/hr

PostgreSQL Expectations Our ideal candidate has: * [Principal] 8+ years of cloud infrastructure and/or security engineering experience * [Staff] 6+ years of cloud infrastructure and/or security ...

Staff Engineer As a Staff Engineer at Capital One, you will be a part of a community of technical ... Mentor principal and senior engineers, raising the bar for technical excellence across the ...

Staff Engineer As a Staff Engineer at Capital One, you will be a part of a community of technical ... Mentor principal and senior engineers, raising the bar for technical excellence across the ...

Staff Engineer As a Staff Engineer at Capital One, you will be a part of a community of technical ... Mentor principal and senior engineers, raising the bar for technical excellence across the ...

The candidate will work in a small team of engineers building a novel robotics and automation solution. As we are a small startup the role will have a large amount of autonomy and the candidate must ...

$170 - $230/hr

PostgreSQL Expectations Our ideal candidate has: * [Principal] 8+ years of cloud infrastructure and/or security engineering experience * [Staff] 6+ years of cloud infrastructure and/or security ...

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The candidate will work in a small team of engineers building a novel robotics and automation solution. As we are a small startup the role will have a large amount of autonomy and the candidate must ...

As a Principal/Sr Staff Engineer, you will work closely with our VP Engineering to work through our toughest engineering problems. You have: * Deep knowledge of typescript, postgres and AWS * A ...

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Principal Staff Engineer information

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$74K

$147.2K

$212.5K

How much do principal staff engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal staff engineer in the United States is $147,220.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,500.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a principal staff engineer?

Principal Staff Engineers are senior-level engineers who lead technical initiatives, set engineering standards, and provide expert guidance across teams or departments. They are responsible for tackling complex technical challenges, influencing architectural decisions, and mentoring other engineers. Unlike managers, they focus on technical leadership rather than people management, ensuring the organization’s technology strategy aligns with its business goals. Their role often involves collaborating with cross-functional teams to drive innovation and maintain technical excellence.

What does a principal staff engineer do?

Principal Staff Engineers play a pivotal role in shaping the technical vision of a company by driving architectural decisions, establishing best practices, and setting long-term technology strategies. They often mentor and guide other engineers, providing technical leadership through code reviews, design discussions, and knowledge sharing. Collaboration with cross-functional teams, including product managers and engineering leads, is a key part of the role, ensuring that technical solutions align with business goals and are scalable. This position provides opportunities for significant impact, but also comes with the challenge of balancing hands-on work with strategic oversight.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a principal staff engineer?

To thrive as a Principal Staff Engineer, you need deep technical expertise in your engineering domain, a proven track record of leading complex projects, and typically a relevant degree such as a BS or MS in engineering or computer science. Mastery of industry-standard tools, architectures, and platforms (such as AWS, Kubernetes, or advanced programming frameworks) is expected, along with familiarity with methodologies like Agile or DevOps and, in some fields, advanced certifications. Exceptional communication, mentorship, strategic thinking, and collaboration skills distinguish top performers in this leadership role. These skills are critical to driving technical vision, influencing organizational direction, and ensuring the success of large-scale engineering initiatives.
More about Principal Staff Engineer jobs
Infographic showing various Principal Staff Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 76% Full Time, 16% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,220 per year, or $70.8 per hour.

Staff Engineer

Alliance HCM

The Woodlands, TX • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life

Posted 24 days ago


Job description

Do you thrive on turning bold ideas into scalable, enterprise-level systems that shape the future of a product? If you're ready to make a lasting impact, Alliance HCM is looking for a full-time Staff Engineer in The Woodlands, TX to help define what's next for our industry-leading HCM and payroll platform. This is your opportunity to drive technical strategy, influence major product decisions, and leave your mark on a growing technology organization. Apply today and help architect the future!As our Staff Engineer, you'll earn a competitive annual salary. We also offer top-tier benefits and perks, including:100% paid health, vision, dental, life, and LTD insurance401k with employer matchPersonal and professional developmentHelp build and shape a great tax teamEntrepreneurial cultureDirect exposure to leadership and high-impact client projectsTeam-oriented environment where your work drives real client outcomesTHE TYPE OF CANDIDATE WE'RE LOOKING FORExtensive experience operating as a high-level technical contributor, such as a staff engineer, principal engineer, or lead engineerDemonstrated ability to design and guide scalable technical architecturesStrong problem-solving, technical leadership, and decision-making skillsExperience working within C# and .NET enterprise ecosystems is preferred.If you can meet the requirements above, keep reading to find out what your day entails!YOUR DAY-TO-DAY AS A STAFF ENGINEERIn this full-time role, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Alliance HCM's core HCM and payroll systems. You'll lead technical discovery sessions for a major product initiative, helping transform complex concepts into actionable architectural plans. You'll collaborate with stakeholders, evaluate emerging technologies, and create prototypes that validate ideas before significant investments are made. As a trusted technical leader, you'll guide architectural decisions, identify potential risks before they become roadblocks, and help ensure our platforms remain scalable, reliable, and positioned for long-term success.ABOUT OUR COMPANYAt Alliance, we're on a mission to be the largest independent human capital management (HCM) company in the U.S.! We empower small to mid-sized businesses with our innovative, cloud-based technology and unique single-database platform for managing payroll, HR, benefits, onboarding, and more. As the second-largest privately held payroll provider in the nation, we're dedicated to delivering top-notch HCM solutions. When you join our dynamic team, you'll find more than just a job; you'll be part of a supportive community that celebrates your success and inspires you to reach new heights. Let's grow together and make a lasting impact!TAKE THE NEXT STEPIf you're ready to take ownership of high-impact technical decisions and help drive the future of an innovative technology organization, we want to hear from you. Our initial application process is quick, easy, and mobile-friendly. Apply today!
Job Posted by ApplicantPro