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Principal Validation Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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Principal Validation Engineer information

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$74K

$147.2K

$212.5K

How much do principal validation engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal validation 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 validation engineer?

A Principal Validation Engineer is a senior-level professional responsible for leading and overseeing the validation processes within engineering projects, particularly in industries like pharmaceuticals, electronics, or manufacturing. They ensure that products, equipment, or systems meet regulatory standards and function as intended through rigorous testing and documentation. Principal Validation Engineers often develop validation protocols, analyze test results, and mentor junior engineers. Their work is crucial for quality assurance and compliance with industry regulations.

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

AspectPrincipal Validation EngineerValidation Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires advanced degrees (BSc, MSc, or PhD) and extensive industry experienceUsually requires a bachelor's degree in engineering, science, or related field
Work EnvironmentLeads validation projects, oversees teams, and collaborates with cross-functional departmentsPerforms validation tasks, executes protocols, and documents results under supervision
Industry UsageCommonly found in pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device industriesWidely used across similar regulated industries for validation activities

The main difference between a Principal Validation Engineer and a Validation Engineer lies in experience, responsibilities, and leadership scope. The Principal Validation Engineer typically holds advanced credentials, leads validation strategies, and manages teams, whereas the Validation Engineer focuses on executing validation tasks under guidance. Both roles are essential in regulated industries like pharmaceuticals and medical devices, but the Principal role involves higher-level planning and oversight.

Do principal validation engineers make good money?

Principal validation engineers typically earn high salaries due to their advanced expertise in testing and quality assurance, often with specialized skills in automation tools and validation processes. Compensation varies by industry and location but generally reflects senior-level responsibilities and experience. They may also receive benefits such as bonuses and stock options depending on the company.

How does a principal validation engineer typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during new product development?

As a Principal Validation Engineer, you will frequently work alongside design, manufacturing, and quality assurance teams to ensure that products meet regulatory and performance standards. Collaboration often involves participating in design reviews, establishing validation strategies, and communicating test results to stakeholders. Your expertise will be crucial in troubleshooting issues and recommending design modifications, making strong communication and teamwork skills essential. This collaborative approach not only ensures product reliability but also streamlines the development process and supports continuous improvement.

What skills and qualifications are needed to thrive as a principal validation engineer?

To thrive as a Principal Validation Engineer, you need deep expertise in validation protocols, regulatory compliance (such as FDA or ISO standards), and a relevant engineering or science degree. Familiarity with validation lifecycle documentation, risk management tools, and computerized systems validation (CSV) is typically required, along with certifications like Six Sigma or ASQ CQA being advantageous. Strong leadership, analytical thinking, and effective communication are crucial for guiding teams and collaborating across departments. These competencies ensure that products and processes consistently meet quality standards, regulatory requirements, and organizational goals.
More about Principal Validation Engineer jobs
What states have the most Principal Validation Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Principal Validation Engineer jobs include:
Infographic showing various Principal Validation Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 73% Full Time, and 27% Contract. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $147,220 per year, or $70.8 per hour.

PCIe, CXL and Highspeed IO Validation Engineer

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

$170K/yr

Full-time

Posted 10 days ago


Advanced Micro Devices rating

8.6

Company rating: 8.6 out of 10

Based on 13 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

27th of 156 rated electronics manufacturers


Job description

ADVANCE YOUR CAREER. ADVANCE THE WORLD.
At AMD, we believe technology can change lives for the better. It can heal us, entertain us, and make us more connected, productive, and understanding of the world around us. And we're looking for talent who feel the same: people who want to leave the planet better than they found it, those who don't shy away from humanity's challenges but are determined to help solve them.
AMD is powering the next generation of supercomputing, high-performance computing, cloud, and AI. Whether you're designing next-gen processors, enabling AI breakthroughs, or creating go-to-market plans, every role at AMD contributes to something bigger - technology that moves the world forward.
PCIe, CXL and Highspeed IO Validation Engineer
THE ROLE:
We are looking for a dynamic, energetic, and visionary principal validation engineer to join our growing datacenter CPU post silicon validation team, in particular in the areas of highspeed IO such as PCI Express and Compute Express Link (CXL), multi-socket and inter-die interfaces. As a key contributor to the success of AMD's product, you will be part of a leading team to drive and improve AMD's abilities to deliver the highest quality, industry leading technologies to market. The Systems Design Engineering and validation team fosters and encourages continuous technical innovation to showcase successes as well as facilitate continuous career development.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Develop and execute feature enablement and validation test plans for SoC- and system-level SoC features across all AMD Server products for High-Speed IO
  • Develop test content for both focus testing as well as system level stress testing of IO domain plus cross product stress testing
  • Develop post-silicon validation infrastructure (software, hardware, automation environment, and lab setup)
  • Test interactions between various SoC features using validation infrastructure
  • Debug and drive root-cause analysis for SoC related issues
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams in developing tools to improve SoC validation and debug
  • Work with cross-functional teams to improve post-silicon validation test strategy, methodology, and process

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
  • Proven hands on experience in soc design or validation of high speed IO interfaces
  • Has experience in PCIe Gen5/6+, CXL, UCIe or proprietary inter-die and multi-socket server interface in either electrical or functional or both.
  • Understanding of modern x86 microprocessor architecture and Server platform architecture is highly desired
  • Experience developing validation methodologies and infrastructure
  • Test plan and workload development experience
  • Participated in silicon bring up and debug, support to internal engineering teams
  • Able to execute and drive success of programs with multiple projects on the go
  • Debug skills at both SoC and system level
  • Familiarity with programming / scripting language (C/C++, Python, Perl, ...)
  • Working knowledge of Server OSes (Linux, Windows)
  • Must be a self-starting team player with excellent communication skills who can work with minimal guidance
  • Forward thinker that drives improvement to development process, code architecture and fosters a spirit of innovation and continuous improvement
  • Strong verbal and written English communication skills
  • Extensive experience with common lab equipment, including protocol/logic analyzers, oscilloscopes, etc.
  • Extensive experience with board/platform-level debug, including delivery, sequencing, analysis, and optimization
  • Extensive knowledge of system architecture, technical debug, and validation strategy
  • Strong analytical/problem-solving skills and pronounced attention to details

ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS:
  • BSEE/CSE/CS with 7+ years of experience or
  • MSEE/CSE/CS with 5+ years of experience

LOCATION:
Austin, TX
Santa Clara, CA
This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.
#LI-LM1
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Benefits offered are described: AMD benefits at a glance.
AMD does not accept unsolicited resumes from headhunters, recruitment agencies, or fee-based recruitment services. AMD and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity, inclusive employers and will consider all applicants without regard to age, ancestry, color, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, race, religion, political and/or third-party affiliation, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates and will accommodate applicants' needs under the respective laws throughout all stages of the recruitment and selection process.
AMD may use Artificial Intelligence to help screen, assess or select applicants for this position. AMD's "Responsible AI Policy" is available here.
This posting is for an existing vacancy.

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