NextChapter

Principal Software Engineer jobs: 377 open roles

Open principal software engineer jobs taken from employers’ own career sites and checked to still be open. Listings that state pay show a median of $270,000 a year.

The market for principal software engineer work

Every figure names its source. Skills and AI-skill shares describe the whole Engineering function this title sits in. Outlook, pay and AI-use figures are for the government category “Software developers”, the closest occupation to this title.

Verified open principal software engineer jobs
377

Source: NextChapter, checked against employer career sites, last 7 days.

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Median pay in listings that state it
$270,000

Source: NextChapter verified openings.

Employment outlook
Projected to grow 10% from 2025 to 2035 (much faster than average).

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035.

National median pay, all levels
$135,980

Source: BLS OEWS, 2025.

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Openings a year nationally, growth plus replacement
95,300

Source: BLS Employment Projections.

AI use at work
Among software developers, AI is already used for some of the tasks.

Source: Anthropic Economic Index.

Engineering openings that ask for AI skills
8%

Source: NextChapter verified openings.

Engineering openings that are remote
3%

Source: NextChapter verified openings.

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Skills most often named in openings

  1. 1. python10%
  2. 2. project management5%
  3. 3. linux4%
  4. 4. c++4%
  5. 5. aws4%
  6. 6. agile4%
  7. 7. supply chain4%
  8. 8. procurement3%

AI skills worth building for this work

  1. 1. ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow)
  2. 2. LLM application engineering
  3. 3. RAG and vector search
  4. 4. Model fine-tuning
  5. 5. Model training and deep learning
  6. 6. MLOps

More on Engineering roles

Where principal software engineer experience can go next

Career moves the skills carry over to, closest fit first. Time is how long a move usually takes.

  • Technical program management

    Close fit · A few months

    TPMs who can read the code earn trust quickly with engineering teams.

    Carries over: Systems knowledge, Estimation, Working across engineering teams

  • Engineering management

    Close fit · A few months

    The usual next step for engineers who like people and want to grow others: you trade writing code for building the team.

    Carries over: Technical judgment, Code review and mentoring, Delivery

  • Solutions consulting and sales engineering

    Adjacent · A few months

    Sales engineers and solutions architects are engineers who like talking to customers; pay includes a bonus.

    Carries over: Deep technical knowledge, Debugging, Architecture

  • Product management

    Adjacent · Longer (6+ months)

    Technical product managers are in steady demand, especially for platform and AI products.

    Carries over: Technical depth, Trade-off thinking, Shipping software

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Open principal software engineer jobs

Verified against the employer’s own career site within the last week.

Showing the newest 15 of about 377 verified open jobs here. Search all jobs

Search all principal software engineer jobs

Principal Software Engineer salary

The middle half of principal software engineer listings that state pay run from $206,500 to $320,000. See the full principal software engineer salary breakdown.

Engineering jobs in the rankings

Rankings about engineering jobs

Engineering jobs · Top Engineering employers · All rankings

Where principal software engineer jobs are

Between jobs? Unemployment benefits and severance rules in these states, or in every state.

Principal Software Engineer jobs by city and state

Employers hiring principal software engineers

  • Roblox 29
  • Oracle 18
  • RTX 17
  • SpaceX 13
  • JPMorgan Chase 12
  • BAE Systems 11
  • Northrop Grumman 10
  • CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA Insurer 10
  • Riot Games 8
  • Intuit 8

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