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Senior Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Washington

Bigbear.ai

Principal Software Engineer

Columbia, MD · On-site

$151K - $227K/yr

Overview BigBear.ai is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to support the exciting Advanced ... Mentor senior and mid-level engineers and provide technical guidance across teams. * Collaborate ...

Alarm.com

Principal Software Engineer

Tysons Corner, VA

$135K - $182K/yr

Principal Software Engineer -- emPower Do you love working with connected devices, automation, and real-world systems? Have you automated your own home, built integrations across smart devices, or ...

Alarm.com

Principal Software Engineer

Mclean, VA

$136K - $183K/yr

Principal Software Engineer -- emPower Do you love working with connected devices, automation, and real-world systems? Have you automated your own home, built integrations across smart devices, or ...

Alarm.com

Principal Software Engineer

Washington, DC

$152K - $205K/yr

Principal Software Engineer -- emPower Do you love working with connected devices, automation, and real-world systems? Have you automated your own home, built integrations across smart devices, or ...

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All JobsPrincipal Software Engineer JobsSenior Principal Software Engineer JobsSenior Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Washington

Senior Principal Software Engineer information

See Washington salary details

$92.9K

$176K

$242.9K

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

As of Aug 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior principal software engineer in Washington is $176,039.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $142,100.00 and $195,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a senior principal software engineer do?

A senior principal software engineer leads complex software development projects, designs system architecture, and mentors engineering teams. They focus on technical strategy, ensure code quality, and often collaborate with product managers to align technical solutions with business goals. Strong expertise in programming, system design, and problem-solving is essential for this role.

What is a senior principal software engineer?

A Senior Principal Software Engineer is a highly experienced and skilled professional who leads the design, architecture, and development of complex software systems. They often act as technical experts, providing guidance on best practices, code quality, and system scalability. In addition to coding, they mentor other engineers, influence technology strategy, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver business-critical solutions. Their role typically requires extensive industry experience and a deep understanding of both software engineering and business requirements.

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

To thrive as a Senior Principal Software Engineer, you need deep expertise in software development, architecture design, and advanced problem-solving, typically supported by a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or a related field. Mastery of programming languages (such as Java, C++, or Python), cloud platforms (like AWS or Azure), and experience with CI/CD tools or architectural frameworks is essential, with certifications like AWS Certified Solutions Architect being advantageous. Exceptional leadership, communication, and mentorship skills set outstanding candidates apart by enabling them to guide teams and influence technical direction. These competencies ensure the delivery of robust, scalable solutions and drive organizational innovation and efficiency.

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

AspectSenior Principal Software EngineerLead Software Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in CS or related field, extensive experienceBachelor's/Master's in CS or related field, significant experience
Work EnvironmentStrategic, architecture, and high-level technical leadershipProject management, team coordination, technical guidance
Industry UsageResearch, enterprise, large-scale tech companiesProduct teams, startups, mid-sized companies

The Senior Principal Software Engineer typically focuses on strategic technical direction and architecture, often working across teams and influencing company-wide technology decisions. In contrast, the Lead Software Engineer manages project execution and team coordination. Both roles require advanced technical skills, but their focus areas differ, with the Senior Principal emphasizing long-term vision and the Lead emphasizing project delivery.

How does a senior principal software engineer typically contribute to strategic decision-making within a technology organization?

Senior Principal Software Engineers play a key role in shaping technical direction and architecture at an organizational level. They often collaborate closely with engineering leadership, product managers, and cross-functional teams to evaluate technology choices and align projects with long-term business goals. This role involves mentoring other engineers, driving adoption of best practices, and proactively identifying technical risks and opportunities. By influencing architectural decisions and setting technical standards, Senior Principal Software Engineers help ensure the scalability, reliability, and maintainability of critical systems.
What cities in Washington are hiring for Senior Principal Software Engineer jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Senior Principal Software Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Senior Principal Software Engineer job openings in Washington as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $176,039 per year, or $84.6 per hour.

Senior Principal Software Engineer - (Secret Clearance Preferred - Onsite Required)

GDIT

Oakton, VA • On-site

$161K - $218K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 24 days ago

General Dynamics Information Technology rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 63 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

88th of 223 rated it services

Job description

Type of Requisition:

Regular

Clearance Level Must Currently Possess:

None

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:

Secret

Public Trust/Other Required:

None

Job Family:

Software Engineering

Job Qualifications:

Skills:

C++ STL, Data ETL, Data Warehouse, Linux Bash, Multithreaded Application Development

Certifications:

None

Experience:

10 + years of related experience

US Citizenship Required:

Yes

Job Description:

SOFTWARE ENGINEER SR PRINCIPAL

GDIT is seeking a Principal Software Engineer to join our team.

This challenging and interesting software engineering and development position is a chance to participate in the development and operation of a high-performance big data system, and join a longstanding, stable program consisting of a team of individuals using defined Agile software principles and practices.

As a Senior Principal Software Engineer, you will lead and perform software requirements analysis, design, development, testing, maintenance and participate in research of an operational big data system. The Senior Principal Software Engineer focuses on proficiency and quality of software and application development and programming to deliver solutions to complex problems. You will tailor cutting-edge solutions to the unique requirements of our clients. Additionally, the Senior Principal Software Engineer may mentor and coach other software engineers.

US Citizenship is required. DoW active Secret clearance is preferred. If candidate does not have an active clearance, GDIT will sponsor the clearance upon contingent offer. The work must be performed onsite (no remote work).


WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO SUCCEED
Bring your engineering expertise along with a drive for innovation to GDIT. The Software Engineer Sr Principal must have:

  • Demonstrated understanding and technical expertise in applied software engineering concepts, principles and applications

  • Experience with database technologies, SQL, ETL, indexing and performance including contextual data

  • In-depth understanding of object-oriented and functional programming, design patterns, data structures and algorithms

  • Proven ability to create high performance applications using Modern C++ (versions 11/14/17/20) applied in a Linux development environment

  • Proven experience in scripting languages including Bash, Ruby and Python

  • Experience with data modeling and NoSQL database technologies such as MongoDB

  • Experience with parallel and multi-threaded programming and multi-process applications

  • Proven experience with very large databases/big data/enterprise data warehouses

  • Experience with memory architectures (NUMA) and caching

  • Expertise in applying techniques for improving performance such as profiling, avoiding memory allocation/de-allocation, parallelization and algorithms

  • Required Experience: 10+ years of related experience

Preferred Skills:

  • Education: Bachelor's (4 year) degree in software engineering or related technical field OR a minimum of 14 years of equivalent work experience

  • Experience with Azure Cloud development

What sets you apart:

  • Ability to interact and collaborate effectively with project teams, managers, and end users

  • Maintain commitment to ongoing professional development

  • Be able to grasp and apply new information quickly and handle increasing responsibilities with growing complexity

  • Be a creative and innovative thinker with the ability to multi-task

CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Department of War Secret security clearance is required before starting on program. Applicants selected will be subject to a government background investigation and must meet eligibility and suitability requirements. Due to the nature of work performed within our facilities, U.S. citizenship is required.

GDIT IS YOUR PLACE:

  • 401K with company match

  • Comprehensive health and wellness packages

  • Internal mobility team dedicated to helping you own your career

  • Professional growth opportunities including paid education and certifications

  • Cutting-edge technology you can learn from

  • Rest and recharge with paid vacation and holiday

The likely salary range for this position is $161,500 - $218,500. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Travel Required:

Less than 10%

Telecommuting Options:

Onsite

Work Location:

USA VA Oakton

Additional Work Locations:

Total Rewards at GDIT:

Our benefits package for all US-based employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, dental plan options, a vision plan, and a 401(k) plan offering the ability to contribute both pre and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match. To encourage work/life balance, GDIT offers employees full flex work weeks where possible and a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long-term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance are provided or available. We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.

Our Identity Verification Process:

As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete an identity verification process that leverages advanced biometrics and artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during virtual interviews. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud. By proceeding, you authorize the collection, processing, and use of your biometric data for identity verification and security purposes.

About Our Work:

We are GDIT. A global technology and professional services company that delivers technology solutions and mission services to every major agency across the U.S. government, defense and intelligence community. Our 26,000 experts extract the power of technology to create immediate value and deliver solutions at the edge of innovation. We operate across 50+ countries worldwide, offering leading mission-ready capabilities in AI, cloud, cyber and software development.Join our Talent Community to stay up to date on our career opportunities and events at

gdit.com/tc.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans

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About General Dynamics Information Technology

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GDIT is a global technology and professional services company that delivers technology solutions and mission services to every major agency across the U.S. government, defense, and intelligence community. Its 30,000 experts extract the power of technology to create immediate value and deliver solutions at the edge of innovation. The company operates across 50+ countries worldwide, offering leading capabilities in digital modernization, AI/ML, cloud, cyber, and application development.

Industry

It services

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Falls Church, VA, US

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