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Principal Support Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Aveva

Tech Support Principal Engineer

Lake Forest, CA · Hybrid

$82K - $170K/yr

Job Title: Tech Support Principal Engineer Location: USA - Houston, TX/ Lake Forest, CA/ Philadelphia, PA Employment Type: Full Time The job AVEVA Unified Supply Chain has an established reputation ...

Wsgr

Principal Solutions Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site +1

The Principal Solutions Engineer will lead the development of complex, integrated business ... Assess and recommend tools and technologies to support the firm's business development and ...

Wsgr

Principal Solutions Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

The Principal Solutions Engineer will lead the development of complex, integrated business ... Assess and recommend tools and technologies to support the firm's business development and ...

Wsgr

Principal Solutions Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site +1

The Principal Solutions Engineer will lead the development of complex, integrated business ... Assess and recommend tools and technologies to support the firm's business development and ...

Wsgr

Principal Solutions Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site +1

The Principal Solutions Engineer will lead the development of complex, integrated business ... Assess and recommend tools and technologies to support the firm's business development and ...

Celestica

Senior Principal Power Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $198K/yr

Senior Principal (SPR) Job Title: Senior Principal, Design Engineering Job Code: SPR-ENG-DSGN ... Support engineering technical leads, power engineers, and SI engineers on constraints, components ...

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Principal Support Engineer information

See California salary details

$73K

$145.3K

$209.7K

How much do principal support engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal support engineer in California is $145,292.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $116,900.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a principal support engineer do?

A principal support engineer provides advanced technical assistance to customers, resolving complex issues related to a company's products or services. They often lead troubleshooting efforts, collaborate with development teams, and may develop support documentation or training materials to improve customer experience and product reliability.

What is a principal support engineer?

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?

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.

What are popular job titles related to Principal Support Engineer jobs in California? For Principal Support Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Support Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Support Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Principal Support Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Principal Support Engineer job openings:
Principal Support Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Support Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 71% Full Time, 23% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,292 per year, or $69.9 per hour.

Principal/Sr Principal Flight Test Engineer -FTO (4/10 - 2ndShift)

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Edwards, CA

$129K - $193K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Re-posted 25 days ago

Northrop Grumman rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 361 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

87th of 537 rated manufacturers

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescriptionAt Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Principal / Senior Principal Flight Test Engineer-FTO Aircraft Ship-Side Support Team to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals within our Test and Evaluation organization.

In this role, the selected candidate will be a member of a team of aircraft ship-side support engineers and test conductors. This team is responsible for coordination between the Flight Test maintenance organization and the Flight Test engineering organization. Tasking will include initial troubleshooting support, procedure development and re-test procedure development.

Successful candidate will coordinate support between maintenance leadership team and engineering leadership team. Additionally successful candidate will be responsible for general aircraft knowledge training for new engineering staff to include flight test and ground test engineers. Successful candidate will be responsible for the adjudication of desired maintenance procedures and delayed actions.

Candidate will be a self-starter that needs little to no direction from leadership to operate in a dynamic, fast paced environment.

This position is 100% located at Edwards AFB, CA for 4x10 second shift.

This requisition may be filled at a higher grade based on qualifications listed below.

Basic Qualifications

This requisition may be filled at either a Principal or Sr Principal level.

Basic Qualifications for Principal:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) discipline from an accredited university.
  • 5 years with a Bachelors; 3 Years with Masters; 0 Years with PhD
  • Must have an active DoD Secret or higher clearance (with a background investigation completed within the last 6 years or currently enrolled into Continuous Evaluation)
  • Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance prior to the commencement of employment
  • Must be willing and able to work 4/10 2nd shift

Basic Qualifications for Senior Principal:

  • Bachelor's Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics) discipline from an accredited university.
  • 8 years engineering experience with Bachelors; 6 years engineering experience with a Masters; 4 years of engineering experience with a PhD and Previous Test and Evaluation knowledge and experience.
  • Must have an active DoD Secret or higher clearance (with a background investigation completed within the last 6 years or currently enrolled into Continuous Evaluation)
  • Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance prior to the commencement of employment
  • Must be willing and able to work 4/10 2nd Shift

Preferred Qualifications:

In depth knowledge of or test experience, to include control room monitoring.

Top Secret clearance

Primary Level Salary Range: $103,600.00 - $155,400.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $129,300.00 - $193,900.00The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

What Northrop Grumman employees say

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About Northrop Grumman

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible.

Industry

Space research administration

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Falls Church, VA, US

Year founded

1939

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