1

Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Columbus, OH

Principal Engineer, Software

Columbus, OH · On-site

$126.10K - $169.10K/yr

As a Principal Engineer, you will be the senior-most technical voice on the US engineering team for ... operates its software. This is a high-visibility, high-impact role that requires both deep ...

Principal Cloud Platform Software Engineer

Columbus, OH · On-site

$126.10K - $169.10K/yr

About the Role We are seeking a Principal Cloud Platform Software Engineer in Enterprise Solutions and Experience (ESE) org to lead the architecture and development of a cloud-native onboarding ...

Software Sr. Principal Engineer L3

Raymond, OH · On-site

$121.70K - $167.80K/yr

Software Sr. Principal Engineer L3 Are you looking to work for a company that provides an innovative work environment, and your voice is heard? We have a position for a Software Sr. Principal ...

Software Principal Engineer L2

Raymond, OH · On-site

$130.90K - $175.60K/yr

Responsibilities: * 8+ years of experience in software development. * Proficient in programming languages such as Java, Python, and C++, with the ability to apply them across diverse development ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Principal Software Engineer information

See Columbus, OH salary details

$58.4K

$155.4K

$223.1K

How much do principal software engineer jobs pay per year?

As of May 28, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal software engineer in Columbus, OH is $155,448.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $130,400.00 and $174,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Is Principal Software Engineer?

A principal software engineer is in charge of software development. In this career, you guide the software design process and inspect software programs to make suggestions for improvements. Principal software engineers also process complex data and may need to enforce software design, development, and maintenance requirements. Your job requires a high level of technical knowledge and skills and a thorough understanding of the software development process. Your employer may require you to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in software development. Similar job titles include software architect and principal software developer.

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

To thrive as a Principal Software Engineer, you need deep expertise in software architecture, programming languages, and system design, often supported by a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or a related field. Advanced proficiency with development frameworks, cloud platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure), and familiarity with DevOps tools and agile methodologies are typically required. Exceptional leadership, mentorship, and communication skills help facilitate cross-functional collaboration and guide technical teams. These skills are crucial for driving technical vision, ensuring scalable solutions, and fostering innovation within complex projects.

How does a Principal Software Engineer typically balance hands-on coding with leadership responsibilities?

Principal Software Engineers often split their time between technical contributions—such as designing system architecture and reviewing complex code—and guiding teams through mentorship, technical direction, and cross-functional collaboration. While they may not code as much as junior engineers, they remain highly involved in critical implementations and code reviews. Balancing these responsibilities requires strong time management, clear communication, and the ability to prioritize tasks that have the highest impact on project and team success.

What are Principal Software Engineers?

Principal Software Engineers are highly experienced technical leaders responsible for designing, developing, and overseeing complex software systems. They set technical direction, mentor engineering teams, and often collaborate with stakeholders to align technology solutions with business goals. In addition to coding, they play a key role in establishing best practices, reviewing architectural decisions, and ensuring high-quality software delivery. Their expertise and leadership are critical in driving innovation and maintaining technical excellence within an organization.

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

AspectPrincipal Software EngineerSenior Software Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in CS or related field; extensive experienceBachelor's or Master's in CS; several years of experience
Work EnvironmentLeadership roles, strategic planning, cross-team collaborationDesign, develop, and troubleshoot software; mentorship
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, large enterprises, startupsMost industries, including tech, finance, healthcare

The main difference between a Principal Software Engineer and a Senior Software Engineer lies in their level of responsibility and scope. Principal Software Engineers typically lead technical strategy, influence architecture decisions, and mentor multiple teams, whereas Senior Software Engineers focus on coding, design, and individual project contributions. Both roles require strong technical skills, but the Principal role emphasizes leadership and strategic impact.

What are popular job titles related to Principal Software Engineer jobs in Columbus, OH? For Principal Software Engineer jobs in Columbus, OH, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Software Engineer jobs in Columbus, OH look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Software Engineer jobs in Columbus, OH are:
What cities near Columbus, OH are hiring for Principal Software Engineer jobs? Cities near Columbus, OH with the most Principal Software Engineer job openings:
Infographic showing various Principal Software Engineer job openings in Columbus, OH as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 89% Physical, 8% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $155,448 per year, or $74.7 per hour.
Senior Principal Software Engineer, Global Customer Platform

Senior Principal Software Engineer, Global Customer Platform

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Columbus, OH • On-site

$204.25K - $300K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement

Posted 21 days ago


JPMorgan Chase & Co. rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 466 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

46th of 141 rated banks


Job description

Job Description
We're looking for a tech leader ready to take their career to new heights. Join the ranks of top talent at one of the world's most influential companies.
As a Senior Principal Software Engineer at JPMorganChase within Global Customer Platform, you provide deep engineering expertise and work across agile teams to enhance, build, and deliver trusted market-leading technology products in a secure, stable, and scalable way. Leverage your deep expertise to consistently challenge the status quo, innovate for business impact, lead the strategic development behind new and existing products and technology portfolios, and remain at the forefront of industry trends, best practices, and technological advances.
Job responsibilities
  • Advises and leads on the strategy and development of multiple products, applications, and technologies across a portfolio
  • Creates novel code solutions and drives the development of new production code capabilities across teams and functions
  • Translates highly complex technical issues, trends, and approaches to leadership to drive the firm's innovation and enable leaders to make strategic, well-informed decisions about technology advancements
  • Drives adoption and implementation of technical methods in specialized fields in line with the latest product development methodologies
  • Creates durable, reusable software frameworks that are leveraged across teams and functions
  • Influences across business, product, and technology teams and successfully manages senior stakeholder relationships
  • Champions the firm's culture of diversity, opportunity, inclusion, and respect

Required qualifications, capabilities, and skills
  • 12+ years of hands-on software engineering experience with a track record of leading technical strategy and delivering complex distributed systems
  • Deep expertise in building and operating high-throughput, resilient data platforms with strong consistency guarantees, including API and event-streaming (Kafka) architectures
  • Experience applying AI/ML technologies to accelerate engineering outcomes, improve platform intelligence, or drive innovation in data-intensive systems
  • Practical experience delivering system design, application development, testing, and operational stability
  • Expert in one or more programming language(s)
  • Demonstrated prior experience with influencing across functions and teams and delivering value at scale
  • Experience applying expertise and new methods to determine solutions for complex technology problems across various technical disciplines
  • Extensive practical cloud native experience
  • Expertise in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mathematics, or a related technical field

Preferred qualifications, capabilities, and skills
  • Experience designing and evolving customer data platforms, system-of-record architectures, or master data management solutions at enterprise scale
  • Expertise in distributed systems patterns such as event sourcing, CQRS, eventual consistency, and idempotent processing
  • Proven ability to create reusable frameworks, SDKs, or platform abstractions adopted across multiple teams and product lines
  • Experience with observability, SLO-driven engineering, chaos engineering, and production reliability practices for mission-critical systems
  • Background in financial services or other highly regulated industries with understanding of data governance, privacy, and compliance requirements
  • Track record of mentoring and growing senior engineers and establishing technical standards across an engineering organization

About Us
Chase is a leading financial services firm, helping nearly half of America's households and small businesses achieve their financial goals through a broad range of financial products. Our mission is to create engaged, lifelong relationships and put our customers at the heart of everything we do. We also help small businesses, nonprofits and cities grow, delivering solutions to solve all their financial needs.
We offer a competitive total rewards package including base salary determined based on the role, experience, skill set and location. Those in eligible roles may receive commission-based pay and/or discretionary incentive compensation, paid in the form of cash and/or forfeitable equity, awarded in recognition of individual achievements and contributions. We also offer a range of benefits and programs to meet employee needs, based on eligibility. These benefits include comprehensive health care coverage, on-site health and wellness centers, a retirement savings plan, backup childcare, tuition reimbursement, mental health support, financial coaching and more. Additional details about total compensation and benefits will be provided during the hiring process.
We recognize that our people are our strength and the diverse talents they bring to our global workforce are directly linked to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. We also make reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as mental health or physical disability needs. Visit our FAQs for more information about requesting an accommodation.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veterans
About the Team
Our Consumer & Community Banking Group depends on innovators like you to serve consumers, small businesses, municipalities and non-profits. You'll support the delivery of award winning tools and services that cover everything from personal and small business banking as well as lending, mortgages, credit cards, payments, auto finance and investment advice. This group is also focused on developing and delivering cutting edged mobile applications, digital experiences and next generation banking technology solutions to better serve our clients and customers.

What JPMorgan Chase & Co. employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom