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Senior Principal Engineer Jobs in Alabama (NOW HIRING)

Hazen and Sawyer

Senior Principal Engineer

Birmingham, AL · On-site

$117K - $162K/yr

Seeking Professional Licensed Engineer with 5 - 15 years of experience in the water industry. Background and experience in municipal or industrial water, wastewater, reclaimed water, stormwater ...

TCS

Senior Principal Software Engineer

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$123K - $170K/yr

Huntsville, Alabama, United States TCS is searching for a Senior Principal Software Engineer to join our strong team of Engineers supporting our Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) customer in ...

TCS

Senior Principal Software Engineer

Huntsville, AL · On-site

$123K - $170K/yr

Huntsville, Alabama, United States TCS is searching for a Senior Principal Software Engineer to join our strong team of Engineers supporting our Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) customer in ...

TCS

Senior Principal Systems Engineer

Huntsville, AL · On-site

Huntsville, Alabama, United States TCS is searching for a Senior Principal Systems Engineer to join our strong team of Engineers supporting our Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) customer in ...

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All JobsPrincipal Engineer JobsSenior Principal Engineer JobsSenior Principal Engineer Jobs in Alabama

Senior Principal Engineer information

See Alabama salary details

$74.3K

$140.9K

$194.4K

How much do senior principal engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 28, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior principal engineer in Alabama is $140,880.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $113,800.00 and $156,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a senior principal engineer?

A Senior Principal Engineer is a highly experienced technical leader who is responsible for guiding the overall engineering direction and strategy within an organization. They typically possess deep expertise in their field, provide mentorship to other engineers, and influence major architectural and technical decisions. Senior Principal Engineers often collaborate with cross-functional teams, ensure best practices are followed, and play a critical role in driving innovation. Their work has a significant impact on the company's products and technical vision.

What does a senior principal engineer do?

Senior Principal Engineers often serve as technical leaders on cross-functional projects, collaborating closely with product managers, architects, and development teams to define technical direction and ensure architectural consistency. They provide deep expertise to solve complex engineering challenges, mentor other engineers, and help align project goals with the organization's strategic vision. Their role frequently involves facilitating communication between different departments and ensuring technical decisions support both immediate project needs and long-term scalability.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior principal engineer?

To excel as a Senior Principal Engineer, you need deep technical expertise in your engineering discipline, advanced problem-solving abilities, and typically a bachelor's or master's degree in engineering or a related field. Proficiency with industry-standard design and simulation software, project management tools, and relevant certifications (such as PMP or PE) are often required. Exceptional leadership, strategic thinking, and strong communication skills distinguish top performers in this role. These competencies are vital for leading complex projects, driving innovation, and effectively guiding engineering teams to achieve organizational goals.

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

AspectSenior Principal EngineerLead Engineer
CredentialsTypically requires a bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, with extensive industry experienceSimilar educational background, often with additional certifications or specialized training
Work EnvironmentFocuses on high-level technical strategy, innovation, and mentorship across projectsLeads specific projects or teams, overseeing technical execution and coordination
Industry UsageCommon in large corporations and R&D settingsFound in both startups and established companies, often in project-based roles

While both roles require strong technical expertise, the Senior Principal Engineer typically focuses on strategic technical leadership and innovation at an organizational level, whereas the Lead Engineer manages project execution and team coordination. The Senior Principal Engineer often operates at a higher, more strategic level within the engineering hierarchy.

What are the most commonly searched types of Principal Engineer jobs in Alabama?

The most popular types of Principal Engineer jobs in Alabama are:

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

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

What job categories do people searching Senior Principal Engineer jobs in Alabama look for?

The top searched job categories for Senior Principal Engineer jobs in Alabama are:

What cities in Alabama are hiring for Senior Principal Engineer jobs?

Cities in Alabama with the most Senior Principal Engineer job openings:

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

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

Senior Principal Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Principal Engineer job openings in Alabama as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $140,880 per year, or $67.7 per hour.

Principal Engineer Systems/Sr Principal Engineer Systems - AHT

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Huntsville, AL

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Posted 21 days ago

Northrop Grumman rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 367 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

83rd of 544 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.

Job 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 thefuture andhave 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 (NGDS) isseeking a Principal Systems Engineer or Sr Principal Systems Engineer to join the EmbeddedInfrastructureTeam supporting the development of mission-critical defense systems. This role bridges systems engineering, embedded software, and Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) to define, develop, integrate, and verify embedded computing platforms that enable net-generation capabilities. The successful candidate will have experience with Gitlab, Operating Systems, and/or COMMs to collaborate across software, hardware, cybersecurity, specialty engineering, and program leadership to develop digital engineering solutions and ensure robust system performance throughout the system lifecycle.

This requisition may be filled based on qualifications listed below:

Primary Responsibilities

  • Develop and manage system architectures, requirements, interfaces, and verification strategies using MBSE methodologies.
  • Create and maintain SysML models using Cameo Systems Modeler (or equivalent MBSE tools).
  • Collaborate with embedded software developers to ensure systemarchitecturesare effectively implemented.
  • Define software and hardware interface requirements for embedded computing environments.
  • Support digital engineering initiatives through model-based analysis, architecture development, and requirements traceability.
  • Develop system verification and validation plans while ensuring complete requirements coverage.
  • Partner with software, hardware, cybersecurity, reliability, system safety, and integration teams to resolvetechnical issues.
  • Support Agile development using JIRA, Confluence, and configuration management tools.
  • Participate in technical reviews including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR, and SVR.
  • Evaluate technical risk and recommend mitigation strategies.
  • Mentor junior systems engineering best practices

Basic Qualifications:

  • Principal Engineer Systems (Level 3):5 years with Bachelors in Science; 3 Years with asters; 1 Year with PhD
  • Sr Principal Engineer Systems (Level 4):8 years with Bachelors in Science;6 Years with master's or 3 years PHD
  • Experience developing systems engineering products across the full system lifecycle.
  • Experience supporting embedded software or embedded computing platforms.
  • Experience with Model-Base Systems Engineering (MBSE).
  • Experience using SysML and Cameo System Modeler (or similar modeling tools).
  • Understanding software architecture, software integration, and interface development.
  • Familiarity with requirements management tools.
  • Experience working within Agile software development teams.
  • Active Secret Security Clearance to Start.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Digital Engineering experience.
  • Embedded Linux or Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) knowledge.
  • Software development experience using C++, Python, or Java.
  • Experience with Git, GitLab, Jenkins, or CI/CD pipelines.
  • Knowledge of software safety, reliability engineering, or specialty engineering disciplines.
  • Experience supporting Department of Defense weapon systems or mission systems.
  • Experience withinfrastructureframeworks supporting embedded software development.
  • Active Security+ certification
Primary Level Salary Range: $108,800.00 - $163,200.00Secondary Level Salary Range: $135,800.00 - $203,600.00The 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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