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Senior Principal Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Senior Principal Engineer

Columbus, OH · On-site

$120.40K - $166K/yr

Senior Principal Engineer / Project Manager Hazen and Sawyer is seeking a qualified and experienced Senior Principal Engineer to join our team on a full-time basis to support the design and ...

Sr. Principal Engineer

Plano, TX

$120.10K - $165.60K/yr

Our Sr. Principal Engineers are leading experts in their domains, helping devise practical and reusable solutions to complex problems. You will drive innovation at multiple levels, helping optimize ...

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Senior Principal Engineer information

See salary details

$82K

$155.4K

$214.5K

How much do senior principal engineer jobs pay per year?

As of May 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior principal 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.

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

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.

How does a Senior Principal Engineer typically contribute to cross-functional projects within an organization?

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 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 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.

More about Senior Principal Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Senior Principal Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Senior Principal Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Principal Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Principal Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Senior Principal Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Senior Principal Engineer jobs include:
What are popular job titles related to Senior Principal Engineer jobs? For Senior Principal Engineer jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Senior Principal Engineer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 82% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 17% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $155,430 per year, or $74.7 per hour.
Sr Principal Engineer Manufacturing

Sr Principal Engineer Manufacturing

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Annapolis, MD • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Life, PTO

Posted 21 days ago


Northrop Grumman rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 336 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

104th of 511 rated manufacturers


Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescription
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. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.
Northrop Grumman Mission Systems is a trusted provider of mission-enabling solutions for global security. We have a wide portfolio of secure, affordable, integrated, and multi-domain systems and technologies. Our differentiated battle management and Cyber solutions deliver timely, mission-enabling information and provide superior situational awareness and understanding to protect the U.S. and its global allies.
Northrop Grumman Oceanic Systems is seeking a Sr Principal Engineer Manufacturing to support the design, manufacturing, and sustainment of Sonar and Undersea Systems in Annapolis, Maryland.
What You Will Get To Do:
The Sr Principal Engineer Manufacturing will lead Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Continual Improvement (CI) efforts thru all stages of the product lifecycle for complex undersea electromechanical assemblies. The chosen candidate will provide guidance to Engineering regarding design concepts and specification requirements to best utilize equipment and manufacturing techniques. They will support detailed design drawing reviews for manufacturability, including appropriate GD&T, product structure, inspection, and test requirements. The Sr Principal Engineer Manufacturing will develop and maintain the product manufacturing plan including manufacturing processes, procedures, shop floor layouts, equipment installation, design of new tooling, machining, material handling, inspection and test requirements, and assembly.
The Sr Principal Engineer Manufacturing will monitor and improve manufacturing performance on the shop floor. They will investigate and initiate corrective action of problems and deficiencies to ensure product quality. Lastly, they will support repair and refurbishment of returned equipment.
The Sr Principal Engineer Manufacturing must be able to work individually as well as collaborate, share, and engage in teamwork with a diverse group of individuals. He/she must be able to work tactically; be aware of the future strategy; and have solid communication skills, strong leadership, collaboration, interpersonal, and team-building skills.
Roles and Responsibilities:
• Designs manufacturing processes, procedures and production layouts for assemblies, equipment installation, processing, machining, and material handling.
• Designs sequence of operations and specifies procedures for the fabrication of tools and equipment and other functions that affect product performance.
• Adapts machine or equipment design to factory and production conditions.
• Incorporate inspection and test requirements into the production plan.
• Inspects performance of machinery, equipment, and tools to verify their efficiency, and investigates and initiates corrective action of problems and deficiencies to ensure product quality.
• Develops manufacturing processes that are applicable to statistical process control, and may develop those techniques.
• Provides guidance to engineering regarding design concepts and specification requirements to best utilize equipment and manufacturing techniques.
• Ensures processes and procedures comply with regulations.
Qualifications:
Basic Qualifications for Sr Principal Engineer Manufacturing:
• Bachelor of Science in Engineering or related STEM degree and a minimum of 8 years of Manufacturing/Engineering experience or equivalent OR a Masters degree in Engineering or related STEM degree and a minimum of 6 years Manufacturing/Engineering experience or equivalent
• US Citizenship
• Ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance
• Experience reviewing mechanical design drawings with a solid understanding of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T)
• Experience reviewing design drawings for manufacturability, specifically machinability and mechanical assembly
• Experienced with tool and fixture design for machining and/or mechanical assembly
• 3D Solid Modeling experience using CAD software
Preferred Qualifications for Sr Principal Engineer Manufacturing:
• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and/or metallurgical specialties.
• Active Secret or Top Secret Security Clearance
• Naval systems design and/or manufacturing experience
• Electromechanical system manufacturing experience
• Experience working with 2 to 5 axis CNC machines
• Siemens NX modeling and drafting experience
• Six Sigma or Lean-Agile Certification
• Mastercam programming experience
• Automated manufacturing experience
• Welding experience
• Dimensional and NDT inspection experience
#MPR
What We Can Offer You:
Northrop Grumman provides a comprehensive benefits package and a work environment which encourages your growth and supports the mutual success of our people and our company. Northrop Grumman benefits give you the flexibility and control to choose the benefits that make the most sense for you and your family.
Your benefits will include the following: Health Plan, Savings Plan, Paid Time Off, and Additional Benefits including Education Assistance, Training and Development, 9/80 Work Schedule (where available), and much more!
Primary Level Salary Range: $123,400.00 - $185,000.00
The 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