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TCS

Senior Principal Software Engineer

Huntsville, AL

$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 ...

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

As of Jul 22, 2026, the average yearly pay for sr principal software 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.

How does a Sr Principal Software Engineer typically contribute to technical leadership and mentorship within a development team?

As a Sr Principal Software Engineer, you are expected to set technical direction, establish best practices, and mentor less experienced engineers. You'll often lead architectural discussions, review code for quality and scalability, and help resolve complex technical challenges. Beyond hands-on development, your role involves fostering collaboration across multidisciplinary teams, ensuring alignment with business objectives, and supporting the professional growth of team members. This position provides a unique opportunity to influence both the technical roadmap and the culture of engineering excellence.

What is the difference between Sr Principal Software Engineer vs Staff Software Engineer?

AspectSr Principal Software EngineerStaff Software Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in CS or related, extensive experienceBachelor's/Master's in CS or related, significant experience
Work EnvironmentLeadership roles, strategic projects, cross-team collaborationTechnical leadership, complex project execution, mentorship
Industry UsageUsed across tech companies for senior technical leadershipCommon in large tech firms for advanced technical roles
Comparison FocusStrategic impact, cross-team influenceTechnical depth, project complexity

The main difference between a Sr Principal Software Engineer and a Staff Software Engineer lies in scope and influence. Sr Principal roles focus on strategic leadership and cross-team impact, while Staff Engineers emphasize technical expertise and project execution. Both roles require extensive experience and technical skills, but Sr Principal positions typically involve higher-level decision-making and organizational influence.

What is a Sr Principal Software Engineer?

A Sr Principal Software Engineer is a highly experienced technical leader responsible for designing, developing, and overseeing complex software projects. They typically set technical direction, mentor engineering teams, and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure software meets business goals. In addition to hands-on coding, they often define architectural standards, review code, and lead innovation efforts within their organization. This role requires deep expertise in software engineering, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to guide large-scale technical initiatives.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Sr Principal Software Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Sr Principal Software Engineer, you need deep expertise in software architecture, advanced programming skills, and a strong background in computer science, often supported by a bachelor's or master's degree. Proficiency with cloud platforms, modern development frameworks, and relevant certifications (such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect) is typically required. Exceptional leadership, problem-solving, and communication skills help you guide teams and collaborate across departments. These abilities are crucial for delivering robust technical solutions, mentoring engineers, and aligning technology with business goals.
What states have the most Sr Principal Software Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Sr Principal Software Engineer jobs include:
Sr Principal Software Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Sr Principal Software Engineer job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 96% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $155,430 per year, or $74.7 per hour.
Senior Principal Software Engineer

Senior Principal Software Engineer

TCS

Huntsville, AL

$123K - $170K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 13 days ago

Job description

Clearances Required: Active DoD Secret

Location: Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Job Description

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 Huntsville, AL. The GMD program is a portion of the Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) system to protect the US and our allies from ballistic missile attacks. The selected candidate will use modern tools to further the development and sustainment of the GMD system.

This is an in-office position. Remote work is not available.

Role:

The selected Senior Principal Software Engineer responsibilities will include the support of the Ground Weapons System (GWS) program as an individual contributor on the Ground Fire Control (GFC) product.

Essential Functions:

  • The Senior Principal Software Engineer will be responsible for understanding, implementing, and testing both existing and new capabilities and algorithms, which include complex mathematics and physics-based solutions, that directly support GWS capabilities on behalf of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).
  • As a Senior Principal Software Engineer on the GFC team, you will be part of a team that writes the software (currently ~1.5 million lines of code) that evaluates and manages the threat scene for the missile defense system that protects the US.
  • The selected candidate should thrive in a fast-paced work environment with high expectations, significantly diverse assignments, and collaborative/teams comprised of all experience levels.

Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelors Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline preferred from an accredited university and 8 years of related work experience, or a Master's Degree and 6 years of related work experience, or 4 years of related work experience with a PhD.
  • Recent experience developing software in C++ or Java or Ada
  • Willingness to become proficient with Ada software development
  • Applicants must possess good communication skills.
  • Applicants must demonstrate ability to think critically and capture concepts in work products, presentations, and discussions.
  • Capable of working both independently and within a team environment.
  • Must be able to support an in-person / closed-area work environment.
  • Ability and willingness to travel up to 10% of the time to support business needs.
  • Applicants must have a current active in-scope DoD-issued Secret security clearance at the time of application, which is required to start.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Highly experienced with Linux, scripting, and operations
  • Recent MATLAB and Python experience
  • Experience on a large-scale missile defense system like GMD.
  • Advanced degree or strong background in Mathematics or Physics
  • Battle Management or Fire Control experience.
  • Experience with Agile Project Management tools (Jira/Confluence) and DevSecOps tools and methods (Jenkins, Ansible, Git/Gitlab) of continuous integration/continuous delivery and deployment (CI/CD) automation.

Benefits:

  • Highlights of our benefits include BC/BS Health, Dental, Vision, 401(k) match, Profit Sharing, Flexible Time Off, STD/LTD/Life Insurance, Referral Bonuses, professional development reimbursement, vacation, sick leave, and maternity/paternity leave.

Apply online or visit us at www.tcs-inc.com/careers

TCS, Inc. is an EEO Employer.

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