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Principal Support Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

A principal support engineer mentors junior team members, develops best practices for the department, and serves as a key contributor to the overall IT strategy. You are a proactive force for ...

A principal support engineer mentors junior team members, develops best practices for the department, and serves as a key contributor to the overall IT strategy. You are a proactive force for ...

A principal support engineer mentors junior team members, develops best practices for the department, and serves as a key contributor to the overall IT strategy. You are a proactive force for ...

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Principal Support Engineer information

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$74K

$147.2K

$212.5K

How much do principal support engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal support 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 are Principal Support Engineers?

Principal Support Engineers are highly experienced technical professionals who provide advanced support for complex software or hardware products. They typically handle escalated issues, work closely with engineering teams to resolve critical problems, and may mentor or lead other support staff. Their role involves deep technical troubleshooting, customer communication, and contributing to product improvements based on customer feedback. Principal Support Engineers often serve as the highest point of technical escalation within a support organization.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Principal Support Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Support Engineer, you need deep technical expertise in troubleshooting, systems analysis, and customer support, typically backed by a degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with ticketing systems, enterprise software platforms, and relevant certifications such as ITIL or specific vendor credentials is often required. Exceptional problem-solving abilities, leadership, and communication skills distinguish top performers in this role. These skills ensure complex technical issues are resolved efficiently, fostering customer satisfaction and maintaining system reliability.

How does a Principal Support Engineer typically collaborate with product and engineering teams to resolve complex customer issues?

Principal Support Engineers frequently act as a bridge between customers and internal product or engineering teams. When faced with intricate technical challenges, they escalate issues, provide detailed analysis, and share customer feedback directly with developers and product managers. This collaboration helps ensure that critical bugs are addressed promptly and that customer needs influence product improvements. Regular communication, joint troubleshooting sessions, and participation in post-mortem reviews are common aspects of this cross-functional teamwork.

What is the difference between Principal Support Engineer vs Support Engineer?

AspectPrincipal Support EngineerSupport Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires advanced technical certifications, extensive experience, and deep industry knowledgeEntry to mid-level certifications and experience in customer support or technical roles
Work EnvironmentHigh-level technical support, troubleshooting complex issues, often collaborating with engineering teamsProviding technical assistance, resolving customer issues, and maintaining support tickets
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in tech companies, software, hardware, and enterprise solutionsCommon across IT, software, and hardware support roles in various industries

The Principal Support Engineer typically handles complex technical problems, requires advanced certifications, and works closely with engineering teams. Support Engineers focus on resolving customer issues at a more operational level. The roles differ mainly in scope, experience, and technical depth, but both are essential in technical support hierarchies.

More about Principal Support Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Principal Support Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Principal Support Engineer job openings:
What states have the most Principal Support Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Principal Support Engineer jobs include:
Infographic showing various Principal Support Engineer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 15% Full Time, and 85% Part Time. Highlights an 94% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $147,220 per year, or $70.8 per hour.
Environmental Test Principal Support Engineer

Environmental Test Principal Support Engineer

Raytheon

Tucson, AZ • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 17 days ago


Raytheon rating

9.1

Company rating: 9.1 out of 10

Based on 81 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

3rd of 515 rated manufacturers


Job description

Date Posted:

2026-05-18

Country:

United States of America

Location:

US-AZ-TUCSON-930 ~ 1151 E Hermans Rd ~ ETF 930

Position Role Type:

Onsite

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements:

Active and transferable U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date.​ U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance​

Security Clearance Type:

DoD Clearance: Secret

Security Clearance Status:

Ability to obtain INTERIM U.S. government issued security clearance is required prior to start date

At Raytheon, the foundation of everything we do is rooted in our values and a higher calling – to help our nation and allies defend freedoms and deter aggression. We bring the strength of more than 100 years of experience and renowned engineering expertise to meet the needs of today’s mission and stay ahead of tomorrow’s threat. Our team solves tough, meaningful problems that create a safer, more secure world.  

Environmental Test (ET) is an engineering organization that supports all programs across Raytheon. The ET organization provides testing capability for every phase of the product life cycle from prototype to production. Environmental testing includes mechanical shock, electrodynamic vibration, salt fog, climatic environments such as temperature, altitude, and humidity, high temperature quartz lamp testing, structural testing, test fixture design, and custom instrumentation installations and data acquisition support.

Environmental Test is seeking a Principal Support Engineer in the field of environmental testing for second shift. The Support Engineer is responsible for executing a variety of environmental tests while collaborating in an integrated product (IP) team environment with Test Engineers, other Support Engineers, and internal engineering customers. The Support Engineer will work within the IP team to implement tests to meet customer requirements and is responsible for test setup, equipment control and monitoring, data collection and data verification. The Support Engineer is responsible for performing troubleshooting and adjustment of both the test equipment and test setup when technical issues arise.

This position is an onsite role located in Tucson, AZ. The selected candidate will work second shift and must be able to work nights.

What You Will Do:

  • Perform set-up and operation of mechanical shock test and electrodynamic vibration test systems.

  • Perform set-up and operation of climatic environmental chambers in support of testing for temperature, altitude, and humidity and highly accelerated life tests.

  • Perform set-up and programming of all control and data acquisition systems as well as the placement, and operation of all instrumentation, signal conditioning, and data acquisition systems.

  • Perform the execution of various vibration test methods including random, sine, shock, sine-on-random, random-on-random and drop shock, as defined in Mil-Std-810.

  • Collect thermal, vibration, and shock test data and verify for accuracy.

Qualifications You Must Have:

  • Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 5 years of prior relevant experience

  • A minimum of two (2) years’ experience working with environmental test vibration shaker systems or experience with instrumentation (accelerometers, thermocouples, strain gages, load cells, etc…) and data acquisition systems (Dewetron, DeweSoft, LabView, Agilent/Keysight, Benchlink, Somat, etc…).

Qualifications We Prefer:

  • Strong problem-solving skills.

  • Strong communication skills including effective written, verbal, and listening.

  • High situational awareness and ability to effectively work multiple projects simultaneously.

  • Current DoD secret or TS/SSBI clearance.

What We Offer:

  • Whether you’re just starting out on your career journey or are an experienced professional, we offer a total rewards package that goes above and beyond with compensation; healthcare, wellness, retirement and work/life benefits; career development and recognition programs. Some of the benefits we offer include parental (including paternal) leave, flexible work schedules, achievement awards, educational assistance and child/adult backup care.

Additional Information:

This position is an Onsite role. Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products.

As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in-person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on-site, hybrid or remote.

The salary range for this role is 86,800 USD - 165,200 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

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