Principal Engineer Jobs in Alabama

Principal Engineer jobs in Alabama are concentrated in Huntsville, Birmingham, and Decatur, where defense contractors, aerospace firms, and heavy manufacturers anchor the market at every seniority level. Employers such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon Technologies maintain long-term engineering operations in northern Alabama, driving consistent demand for principal engineers in systems engineering, propulsion, and software-defined platforms. The Huntsville corridor in particular ranks among the most active markets in the Southeast for senior technical leadership roles. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.

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Overview

Open roles95
Top employerNorthrop Grumman
Top cityHuntsville, AL
Cities hiring7
Work type80% On-site
Top industryAerospace

Showing 5 of 95+ Principal Engineer jobs

MTSI
Principal Radar Modeling and Simulation Engineer
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MTSI
New 12h ago
Principal Radar Modeling and Simulation Engineer
MTSI
Huntsville, Alabama
Business Operations
Program Management
Project Management
Master's degree
1,001-5,000

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MTSI
GMD Ground Systems Principal Systems Engineer
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MTSI
New 12h ago
GMD Ground Systems Principal Systems Engineer
MTSI
Huntsville, Alabama
Aerospace Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
Master's degree in engineering
1,001-5,000

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Raytheon
Principal ECAD Design Engineer
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Raytheon
New 13h ago
Principal ECAD Design Engineer
Raytheon
Huntsville, Alabama
Backend Engineering
Cybersecurity
Security Engineering
Software Engineering
$108k - $205k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's degree in engineering
10,000+

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Leidos
Principal Solid Propulsion Development Engineer - Hypersonics
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Leidos
Added 1d ago
Principal Solid Propulsion Development Engineer - Hypersonics
Leidos
Huntsville, Alabama
Engineering (Non-Software)
Mechanical Engineering
Product Management
$131k - $237k/yr
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering
10,000+

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AeroVironment
GMD Ground Systems Principal Systems Engineer
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AeroVironment
Added 2d ago
GMD Ground Systems Principal Systems Engineer
AeroVironment
Huntsville, Alabama
Customer Service
Customer Support
Hospitality & Guest Services
Master's degree in engineering
1,001-5,000

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See All 95 Principal Engineer Jobs in Alabama

Find roles in Alabama that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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Principal Engineer Jobs by City in Alabama

Where Alabama roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Huntsville
83 jobs
Birmingham
4 jobs
Montgomery
3 jobs
Foley
1 job
Athens
1 job
Mobile
1 job
Bessemer
1 job

Principal Engineer Job Market in Alabama

A snapshot from current Alabama openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

  • Northrop Grumman
    Northrop Grumman24
  • Raytheon
    Raytheon14
  • TCS
    TCS9
  • MTSI
    MTSI3
  • CVS Health
    CVS Health3

Top Industries Hiring

  • Aerospace & Defense
  • Chemicals & Materials
  • Construction & Real Estate
  • Banking & Financial Services
  • Investment & Asset Management

What Alabama Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in principal engineer jobs across Alabama.

  • Active Alabama PE license or PE license recognized through Alabama reciprocity strongly preferred
  • Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering or a closely related technical discipline required
  • Ten or more years of progressive engineering experience with demonstrated technical leadership
  • Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and own end-to-end engineering design decisions
  • Experience with defense, aerospace, or industrial manufacturing systems common in Alabama programs
  • Strong background in systems integration, requirements development, or embedded software architecture

Principal Engineer Jobs in Alabama: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a principal engineer in Alabama?

Most principal engineer roles in Alabama require a bachelor's degree in engineering plus a decade of progressive experience culminating in technical leadership. Many employers, particularly in defense and government contracting, expect candidates to hold or pursue a Professional Engineer license through the Alabama Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, which administers the PE exam in Alabama. Strong candidates also build a record of owning large-scope technical decisions and mentoring junior engineers.

Which companies hire principal engineers in Alabama?

Employers hiring principal engineers in Alabama right now include Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and TCS, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Alabama's heavy concentration of defense primes, aerospace integrators, and industrial manufacturers means openings appear consistently across Huntsville, the greater Birmingham metro, and established manufacturing corridors along the Tennessee River.

Which Alabama cities have the most principal engineer jobs?

The cities with the most principal engineer openings in Alabama are Huntsville, Birmingham, and Montgomery. Huntsville dominates because of Redstone Arsenal, NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, and the dense cluster of defense contractors those installations attract, while Birmingham draws openings from its large healthcare systems, utilities, and manufacturing base, making even smaller metros in the region viable when large employers anchor local engineering teams.

Are there remote principal engineer jobs in Alabama?

Yes, but they are less common than in purely software-focused fields because principal engineer work in Alabama often involves classified defense programs, physical lab environments, or on-site manufacturing oversight that require in-person presence. About 20% of principal engineer openings tied to Alabama are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, and those tend to cluster in software architecture, systems analysis, and technical program management rather than hardware or propulsion disciplines.

How can I get hired as a principal engineer in Alabama with little or no experience?

The most realistic path is to enter as an associate or staff engineer at one of Alabama's large defense or aerospace employers and advance through increasingly complex technical assignments. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and major federal contractors operating out of Huntsville run structured new-graduate and early-career programs that place engineers on long-cycle programs where they can build the depth the principal title requires. Pursuing your Engineer-in-Training certification through the Alabama Board of Licensure early signals commitment and accelerates eligibility for PE licensure, which opens doors to senior technical roles.

Where can I find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Alabama?

You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Alabama on Migrate Mate, which lists current Alabama openings updated in real time. Search the listings for roles that match your discipline and experience level, then apply directly to the ones that fit.

See All 95 Principal Engineer Jobs in Alabama

Find roles in Alabama that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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