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Senior Principal Design Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Celestica

Senior Principal Power Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$143K - $198K/yr

Senior Principal, Design Engineering Job Code: SPR-ENG-DSGN Summary Thank you for checking us out! If you're reading this, chances are that you're getting this information over at least one piece of ...

Qorvo, Inc.

Sr Principal Design Engineer

Chelmsford, MA · On-site

$168K - $218K/yr

... team of engineers and layout designers to design complex RFICs • Assist with transistor-level layout and modeling for RF design • RF board and module design • Select and simulate optimal ...

Vinci

Principal Design Engineer - Civil

England, AR · On-site

... Design, Senior, Lead designer, Principal) • Engineering Manager • Temporary Works designers and Coordinators. • Client Representatives • Project Managers • Site Manager. • Estimating and ...

Qorvo, Inc.

Sr Principal Design Engineer

Chelmsford, MA · On-site

$168K - $218K/yr

... engineers and layout designers to design complex RFICs Assist with transistor-level layout and modeling for RF design RF board and module design Select and simulate optimal packaging for specific ...

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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 Aug 21, 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.

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What states have the most Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs?

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Senior Principal Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Principal Design Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 2% As Needed, 91% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 94% In-person, 2% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $155,430 per year, or $74.7 per hour.

Sr Principal Design Engineer

Cadence Design Systems Inc.

San Jose, CA • On-site

$154K - $286K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 25 days ago

Cadence Design Systems rating

9.0

Company rating: 9.0 out of 10

Based on 5 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

33rd of 245 rated software companies

Job description

At Cadence, we hire and develop leaders and innovators who want to make an impact on the world of technology.

Join our North America Palladium and Protium HW Development team and help shape the future of system-level chip design verification. In this highly visible, customer-facing role, you will work directly with industry-leading semiconductor and systems companies to develop and deploy Cadence's market-leading hardware emulation and FPGA prototyping platforms. You will bridge the gap between customers, Applications Engineering (AE), Product Engineering (PE), and R&D - develop impactful customer solutions, delivering deep R&D technical support, and pioneering innovative verification methodologies to solve our customers' most complex architectural and high-Speed Protocol challenges.

Key Responsibilities

  • Customer Enablement & Solutions: Collaborate with frontline engineering teams and customers to develop, deploy, productize, and optimize advanced protocol solutions on Palladium and Protium platforms.
  • Requirements & Feature Development: Define and develop customer-specific emulation and prototyping requirements, focusing heavily on leading edge high-speed interfaces and memory protocols (e.g., PCIe, CXL).
  • Advanced Solutions Engineering: Drive the development of advanced acceleration FW + FPGA system solutions, establish robust verification methodologies, and support the operation and maintenance of Cadence emulation tools.
  • Root-Cause Debugging: Triage and resolve complex, systemic issues across the hardware/software boundary, optimizing driver behavior, protocol compliance, and overall system stability.
  • Evaluations & Benchmarking: Lead technical evaluations and develop high-performance benchmarks to demonstrate the competitive advantages of Cadence hardware platforms.
  • Technical Presentation: Create and deliver impactful technical presentations, white papers, and product demonstrations for existing and prospective customers.

What You'll Need

  • BS with a minimum of 10 years of experience or MS with a minimum of 7 years of experience
  • Strong fundamentals in digital design, computer architecture, and systemlevel verification
  • Havedeeptechnicalknowledgeinafewof;Simulation(AdvancedTestbench),Emulation(TBA&ICE)&FPGAPrototyping
  • Experience with hardware description languages (SystemVerilog/Verilog) and/or C/C++
  • Understanding of standard interconnect or IO protocols used in modern chip designs
  • Good debugging skills using waveforms, logs, and protocol analyzers
  • Ability to work across hardware and software boundaries.
  • Excellentcommunication,andinterpersonalskills, ability to work in an international environment

The annual salary range for California is $154,000 to $286,000. You may also be eligible to receive incentive compensation: bonus, equity, and benefits. Sales positions generally offer a competitive On Target Earnings (OTE) incentive compensation structure. Please note that the salary range is a guideline and compensation may vary based on factors such as qualifications, skill level, competencies and work location. Our benefits programs include: paid vacation and paid holidays, 401(k) plan with employer match, employee stock purchase plan, a variety of medical, dental and vision plan options, and more.

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