What does a senior principal engineer do?
A senior principal engineer is responsible for leading engineering tasks within an organization and reports project updates to senior management. Senior principal engineers develop strategic methods and principles to improve the technical stability and efficiency of the company's systems, creating business proposals according to clients' specifications, and negotiating contracts with suppliers and other service providers. They also train new staff and identify innovations and business opportunities that would generate more revenue resources for the company.
Senior principal engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior principal engineer resumes:
- Help hire temporary workers, manage hours and tasks relate to insurance claim data extraction.
- Lead DoD clients in the achievement of business objectives through the implementation of software and business process solutions.
- Lead technology teams charge with full life cycle development processes involving system requirements and system architecture.
- Support software development of IR tools on UNIX base workstation environment.
- Serve as backup SME for RCRA, CERCLA, CAA, and OSHA (HAZWOPER).
- Assist coding & debugging of various external interface hardware blocks.
- Assist with most Unix and Linux system deployments company wide.
- Utilize python to create scripts for test media and performance testing.
- Develop 4K Linux video player using FFmpeg to demonstrate WiGig 802.11ad.
- Work with the UI group to develop interfaces that are user friendly.
- Provide SME input for all new single use systems implement on site.
- Spearhead development of CSC's evolving global IP policies and global IP portfolio.
- Develop Matlab tools (expert level) for image processing and image quality enhancement.
- Cooperate with METRON to improve Raytheon s foliage penetrating (FOPEN) radar capabilities.
- Define decoupling capacitor implementation at the block and top level to decrease dynamic IR drop.
Senior principal engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 8% of Senior Principal Engineers are proficient in Python, Architecture, and Java. They’re also known for soft skills such as Mechanical skills, Creativity, and Listening skills.
We break down the percentage of Senior Principal Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Python, 8%
Use C/C++ and Python to develop new policy features: folder, content inspection, Mongo b-fetch.
- Architecture, 7%
Provided architecture, designed and developed a VeUML Meta-Architecture maximizing the amount of automatically generated and validated code for Real-Time systems.
- Java, 7%
Embedded Java Platform: implement Java SDK by JNI; redesign and port existing C libraries and applications to Java.
- Cloud, 6%
Defined pricing strategies to optimize profitability; mentored Solution Directors on Oracle Retail Cloud licensing and migration strategies.
- DOD, 5%
Demonstrated technical experience supporting a DoD program office.
- Software Development, 5%
Performed initial audit on software development process through a primitive CMM checklist and questionnaire from Carnegie-Mellon.
"python," "architecture," and "java" are among the most common skills that senior principal engineers use at work. You can find even more senior principal engineer responsibilities below, including:
Mechanical skills. One of the key soft skills for a senior principal engineer to have is mechanical skills. You can see how this relates to what senior principal engineers do because "mechanical skills allow engineers to apply basic engineering concepts and mechanical processes to the design of new devices and systems." Additionally, a senior principal engineer resume shows how senior principal engineers use mechanical skills: "provided mechanical technical expertise for customer proposals and after sales support. "
Creativity. Another essential skill to perform senior principal engineer duties is creativity. Senior principal engineers responsibilities require that "mechanical engineers design and build complex pieces of equipment and machinery." Senior principal engineers also use creativity in their role according to a real resume snippet: "worked with installation contractors: wrote installation and test procedures, kept inventory of equipment. "
Listening skills. senior principal engineers are also known for listening skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to senior principal engineer responsibilities, because "mechanical engineers often work on projects with others, such as architects and computer scientists." A senior principal engineer resume example shows how listening skills is used in the workplace: "created project plans and schedules, conducted design reviews, and communicated progress to management. "
Math skills. A big part of what senior principal engineers do relies on "math skills." You can see how essential it is to senior principal engineer responsibilities because "mechanical engineers use the principles of calculus, statistics, and other advanced subjects in math for analysis, design, and troubleshooting in their work." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical senior principal engineer tasks: "developed java applets for frame relay statistics presentation. "
Problem-solving skills. A commonly-found skill in senior principal engineer job descriptions, "problem-solving skills" is essential to what senior principal engineers do. Senior principal engineer responsibilities rely on this skill because "mechanical engineers need good problem-solving skills to take scientific principles and discoveries and use them to design and build useful products." You can also see how senior principal engineer duties rely on problem-solving skills in this resume example: "led dod clients in the achievement of business objectives through the implementation of software and business process solutions. "
The three companies that hire the most senior principal engineers are:
- Northrop Grumman439 senior principal engineers jobs
- Oracle192 senior principal engineers jobs
- Salesforce174 senior principal engineers jobs
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Compare different senior principal engineers
Senior principal engineer vs. Engineer
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, senior principal engineer responsibilities require skills like "architecture," "dod," "software development," and "infrastructure." Meanwhile a typical engineer has skills in areas such as "aws," "troubleshoot," "javascript," and "git." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Engineers tend to make the most money working in the automotive industry, where they earn an average salary of $97,672. In contrast, senior principal engineers make the biggest average salary, $123,997, in the professional industry.engineers tend to reach lower levels of education than senior principal engineers. In fact, engineers are 8.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 4.0% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Senior principal engineer vs. Team lead engineer
A team leads engineer is in charge of spearheading and overseeing the efforts of an engineering team, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Although the duties may depend on one's industry of employment, it typically includes designing and developing systems according to project requirements, setting objectives and construction guidelines, delegating tasks, managing budgets and schedules, and monitoring the workflow, performing corrective measures as needed. Furthermore, as a team leads engineer, it is essential to encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while enforcing the company's safety standards and regulations.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that senior principal engineer responsibilities requires skills like "cloud," "dod," "software development," and "program management." But a team lead engineer might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "san," "javascript," "database," and "troubleshoot."
Team lead engineers may earn a lower salary than senior principal engineers, but team lead engineers earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $117,918. On the other hand, senior principal engineers receive higher pay in the professional industry, where they earn an average salary of $123,997.In general, team lead engineers achieve lower levels of education than senior principal engineers. They're 6.4% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 4.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for senior principal engineers in the next 3-5 years?
Andrea Welker Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, College of Engineering Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Villanova University
Senior principal engineer vs. Staff engineer
Staff engineers are responsible for designing, developing, and inspecting various products, equipment, or structures. These professionals may perform varied duties depending on their specialization that includes overseeing the design and construction of buildings, bridges, sewer systems, and other infrastructure, estimating the financial costs of construction projects, and ensuring compliance with health and safety laws and regulations. Other duties include designing and developing machinery, tools, and engines, solving design problems, and building the manufacturing equipment needed to create their products.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from senior principal engineer resumes include skills like "cloud," "c #," "dod," and "infrastructure," whereas a staff engineer is more likely to list skills in "cad," "ongoing development," "microservices," and "javascript. "
Staff engineers earn the best pay in the telecommunication industry, where they command an average salary of $119,079. Senior principal engineers earn the highest pay from the professional industry, with an average salary of $123,997.Most staff engineers achieve a lower degree level compared to senior principal engineers. For example, they're 5.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 2.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Senior principal engineer vs. Research engineer
Research Engineers are responsible for a wide range of duties, including researching and developing new technologies and prototypes, and finding solutions to improve techniques, procedures, and technologies.
Types of senior principal engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
