1

Senior Principal Design Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Senior / Principal Design Engineer

Riverton, UT · On-site

$119K - $164K/yr

Senior / Principal Design Engineer, Zev Technologies A Note on Role StructureThis position can be structured as an individual-contributor Senior or Principal Design Engineer, or as a Design ...

Senior / Principal Design Engineer

Riverton, UT · On-site

$119K - $164K/yr

Senior / Principal Design Engineer, Zev Technologies A Note on Role Structure This position can be structured as an individual-contributor Senior or Principal Design Engineer, or as a Design ...

Sr Principal Design Engineer Experience Level: Professional Job Type: Regular Location: Greensboro, NC, US, 27409 Apopka, FL, US, 32703 Chandler, AZ, US, 85226 Chelmsford, MA, US, 1824 Requisition ID ...

$168K - $218K/yr

Sr Principal Design Engineer Experience Level: Professional Job Type: Regular Location: Greensboro, NC, US, 27409 Apopka, FL, US, 32703 Chandler, AZ, US, 85226 Chelmsford, MA, US, 1824 Requisition ID ...

$92K - $127K/yr

Senior Principal Design Engineer Experience Level: Professional Job Type: Regular Location: Greensboro, NC, US, 27409 Requisition ID: 10764 Qorvo (Nasdaq: QRVO) supplies innovative semiconductor ...

New

Senior Principal Design Engineer

Greensboro, NC · On-site

$108K - $149K/yr

Senior Principal Design Engineer Experience Level: Professional Job Type: Regular Location: Greensboro, NC, US, 27409 Requisition ID: 10764 Qorvo (Nasdaq: QRVO) supplies innovative semiconductor ...

New

Select how often (in days) to receive an alert: Sr Principal Design Engineer Experience Level: Professional Job Type: Regular Location: Chelmsford, MA, US, 1824 Qorvo (Nasdaq: QRVO) supplies ...

Sr Principal Design Engineer

Apopka, FL · On-site

$168K - $218K/yr

We are looking for a motivated Sr. Principal Design Engineer with a solid background in RF design, excellent communication skills, and strong drive to produce best in class products. The engineer ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Senior Principal Design Engineer information

See salary details

$82K

$155.4K

$214.5K

How much do senior principal design engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 12, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior principal design engineer in the United States is $155,430.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $125,500.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a senior principal design engineer?

A Senior Principal Design Engineer is a highly experienced engineering professional responsible for leading complex design projects and setting technical direction within an organization. They often mentor junior engineers, drive innovation, and ensure that engineering standards are upheld throughout the design process. This role typically requires deep technical expertise, leadership skills, and the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality engineering solutions. Additionally, Senior Principal Design Engineers may be involved in setting long-term strategy, evaluating new technologies, and representing the company in industry forums.

How does a senior principal design engineer typically contribute to cross-functional teams during project development?

As a Senior Principal Design Engineer, you will play a key leadership role in collaborating across departments such as product management, manufacturing, and quality assurance. You will be responsible for guiding the design process, providing technical direction, and ensuring that engineering solutions align with broader business objectives. Regularly, you'll be involved in design reviews, troubleshooting complex issues, and mentoring junior engineers to maintain high standards of technical excellence. Your input is often crucial in balancing innovation with practical constraints like cost, manufacturability, and regulatory requirements.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior principal design engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Principal Design Engineer, you need deep expertise in engineering design principles, advanced problem-solving abilities, and a relevant engineering degree, often with years of specialized experience. Proficiency with CAD software, simulation tools, and familiarity with industry standards or certifications like PE (Professional Engineer) are typically required. Leadership, effective communication, and project management skills help excel in guiding teams and interfacing with stakeholders. These capabilities are crucial for delivering innovative, reliable designs while ensuring project success and engineering excellence.

What is the difference between Senior Principal Design Engineer vs Lead Design Engineer?

AspectSenior Principal Design EngineerLead Design Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Engineering, professional certifications often preferredBachelor's or Master's in Engineering, certifications may be beneficial
Work EnvironmentResearch and development, cross-functional teams, strategic planningProject teams, technical leadership, hands-on design work
Industry UsageUsed across industries like aerospace, automotive, electronicsCommon in engineering firms, manufacturing, product development
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding senior technical roles, career progressionClarifying leadership in design projects, technical expertise

The Senior Principal Design Engineer typically focuses on high-level technical strategy and innovation, often working across multiple projects and guiding teams. The Lead Design Engineer is more involved in direct project leadership and hands-on design work. Both roles require strong engineering credentials, but the Senior Principal often emphasizes strategic influence, while the Lead Design Engineer concentrates on project execution and team coordination.

More about Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs

What cities are hiring for Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs?

Cities with the most Senior Principal Design Engineer job openings:

What states have the most Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs?

For Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Senior Principal Design Engineer job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 87% Full Time, 9% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 81% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 15% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $155,430 per year, or $74.7 per hour.

Principal/ Sr. Principal Design Engineer - TDP (17937)

Roy, UT • On-site

Northrop Grumman
Space Research Administration • 10K+ employees

$111K - $167K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Posted 13 days ago


Northrop Grumman rating

8.3

Company rating: 8.3 out of 10

Based on 372 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time Description 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. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history. Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is seeking a Principal/Sr Principal Design Engineering - TDP to join our team and support the Sentinel Program.

This role will be based in Roy, UT. What You'll Get To Do: The selected candidate will become a Principal/Sr. Principal Design Engineer on the Infrastructure Design Team (INF).

This role supports the design, modeling, and integration efforts for various design element releases for Sentinel Launch Facilities, Launch Centers, or Test Facilities. Specific duties to include, but are not limited to the following: Responsible for coordinating facility design artifact releases with impacted stakeholders for the Sentinel infrastructure and facilities. Interpret and verify industry standards, guidelines, and codes for project deliverables.

Participate in project design/model reviews. Review subcontractors design product quality/accuracy by reviewing facility designs and validating that current standards are applied and integrated into the design solution. Support the delivery of Construction Drawings and Specifications Technical Data Packages (TDPs), Issue-for-Construction (IFC) packages, as-built TDPs, Product Definition Package (PDPs), interface models, and additional design artifacts.

Supporting structured trade studies to evaluate alternative design solutions to resolve technical issues Developing and presenting design change requests, coordinating with impacted internal and external stakeholders, and ensuring configuration control of the technical baseline. Developing and maturing facility designs that meet applicable codes and regulations. You'll Bring These Qualifications: This position may be filled at either a Principal or Senior Principal level.

Principal Design Engineer: Bachelor's degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) with 5 years' experience; 3 years' experience with a Master's degree; or 1 year' experience with a PhD. Sr. Principal Design Engineer: Bachelor's degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) with 8 years' experience; 6 years' experience with a Master's degree; or 4 years' experience with a PhD.

Both levels require the following: Must be a U.S. Citizen and with the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance Must be able to obtain and maintain Special Access Programs (SAP) clearance as a condition of continued employment. Experience in one or more of the following: Civil/Structural, Mechanical, electrical design on MILCON or major infrastructure/building projects

Knowledge of engineering deliverables, such as drawings and construction specifications. Knowledge of one or more of the following: American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), American Concrete Institute (ACI), International Building Code (IBC) Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) and MIL-STD codes and standards. Knowledge of construction materials and construction details and techniques.

Experience with Microsoft (MS) Word, Excel, Power Point, and Engineering Scheduling tools and applications, and be able to use the Internet as an information gathering and communications tool. Excellent interpersonal, written communication, and presentation skills, including the ability to clearly and succinctly communicate complex concepts to both Government and corporate leadership Ability to work independently, function in a dynamic environment, and be flexible to changing direction These Qualifications Would Be Nice To Have: Professional Engineering (PE) or Structural Engineering (SE) License with any state Proficiency with Revit, Siemens NX and Teamcenter Active DoD Secret security clearance with the most recent investigation completed in the last 5 years. Primary Level Salary Range: $89,400.00 - $134,200.00 Secondary Level Salary Range: $111,700.00 - $167,500.00 The 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

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


Northrop Grumman logo

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