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Senior Principal Design Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Hazen and Sawyer

Senior Principal Engineer

Fairfax, VA · On-site

$128K - $177K/yr

Hazen and Sawyer is seeking a Senior Principal Engineer for our Fairfax, VA office. Key ... Support projects as a critical part of the design team, a design lead, a task manager, and/or a ...

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Senior Principal Design Engineer information

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$81.3K

$154.1K

$212.7K

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

As of Aug 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior principal design engineer in Virginia is $154,097.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $124,400.00 and $171,500.00 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.

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.

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 popular job titles related to Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs in Virginia? For Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Senior Principal Design Engineer job openings:
Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Principal Design Engineer job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 90% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 95% In-person, 2% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $154,097 per year, or $74.1 per hour.

Sr. Principal Design Engineer

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Charlottesville, VA • Hybrid

$111K - $185K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Re-posted 14 days ago

Northrop Grumman rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 361 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

88th of 538 rated manufacturers

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: NoCLEARANCE 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 Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. Our Engineering and Sciences (E&S) organization pushes the boundaries of innovation, redefines engineering capabilities, and drives advances in various sciences. Our team is chartered with providing the skills, innovative technologies to develop, design, produce and sustain optimized product lines across the sector while providing a decisive advantage to the warfighter. Come be a part of our mission!

Northrop Grumman offers challenging career opportunities in Hardware Engineering within the Mission Systems Sector that play a key role in the mission to protect our military personnel. The Hardware Engineering organization is dedicated to consistently providing high quality product designs in support of multiple product areas. The Design Data and Product Integrity Engineering (DDPIE) organization provides engineering support services for all programs at the Rolling Meadows campus including Design Layout Technology, Configuration Management, Data Management, Drafting, Standards and Components, Product Follow, and Product Integrity Engineering.

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is seeking an experienced Sr. Principal Design Engineer to join its Design Layout Technology team.


The Sr. Principal Design Engineer uses their expert knowledge in Circuit Card Assembly (CCA) and Printed Circuit Board (PCB) fabrication to generate and maintain design rules, perform design for manufacturing checks, generate PCB notes for fabrication. Calculates layer stack-up based on industry standards, supplier capabilities, and engineering requirements. Utilizes computer-aided design graphic tools such as Cadence Allegro and Valor NPI to generate the required electronic data file outputs for fabrication and manufacturing and runs design for manufacturing checks. Uses their excellent communication skills to be the team's main interface with CCA and PCB suppliers. Understands technical theories of electrical and mechanical behavior of PCBs to influence layout decisions (i.e. impedance matching, differential pairs, strains and stresses, orientation of components, etc.)

#MSRMTA

This Role is based in Rolling Meadows, IL as the primary work location. However, this role may consider hybrid work capability reporting to one of these other Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Locations: Amherst, NY., Apopka, FL., Charlottesville, VA., Sykesville, MD. or Annapolis, MD.

Basic Qualification for Sr. Principal Design Engineer:


Bachelor's degree in STEM field with 8 years of experience, or Master's degree in STEM field with 6 years of experience OR in lieu of the degree an additional 4 years of relevant work experience.
-Experience in PCB fabrication and layer stack-up for digital, RF, mixed signal, and power supply CCAs
-Experience with Cadence Allegro or similar CAD tool
-Expert knowledge of industry specifications and design for manufacturing (DFM) rules for CCA and PCB design, fabrication and manufacturing
-Must be able to read drawings and schematic diagrams
-US Citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
Preferred Qualifications for Sr. Principal Design Engineer:
- Advanced degree in STEM field
- Experience in quality and testing of CCAs and PCBs

-Good self-organizing, and communication skills

Primary Level Salary Range: $111,700.00 - $185,000.00The 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.

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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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