Principal Engineer Jobs in California

Principal Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in technology, aerospace, semiconductors, and defense systems, with openings at every level from mid-career through distinguished staff engineer. The largest hiring markets are the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where employers like Qualcomm, Lockheed Martin, and Apple maintain deep engineering organizations. Demand is strongest in hardware systems design, software infrastructure, and embedded systems. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

Find Principal Engineer Jobs

Overview

Open roles884+
Top employerNorthrop Grumman
Top citySanta Clara, CA
Cities hiring91
Work type63% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 884+ Principal Engineer jobs

Form Energy
Principal Battery Engineer
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Form Energy
New 11h ago
Principal Battery Engineer
Form Energy
Berkeley, California
Business Strategy
Compliance & Risk
Consulting & Professional Services
$196k - $257k/yr
Master of Science
501-1,000

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Walmart
(USA) Principal, Software Engineer
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Walmart
New 13h ago
(USA) Principal, Software Engineer
Walmart
Sunnyvale, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Mechanical Engineering
Specialized Engineering
$143k - $286k/yr
High school
10,000+

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Rocket Lab USA
Principal Electric Propulsion Engineer
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Rocket Lab USA
New 13h ago
Principal Electric Propulsion Engineer
Rocket Lab USA
Long Beach, California
Customer Service
Customer Success
Customer Support
$162k - $243k/yr
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering
1,001-5,000

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Roblox
Principal Security Software Engineer, IAM
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Roblox
New 13h ago
Principal Security Software Engineer, IAM
Roblox
San Mateo, California
IT Support
Project Management
Technical Program Management
$326k - $385k/yr
Bachelor's degree
1,001-5,000

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Viasat
Principal Communications Engineer
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Viasat
New 13h ago
Principal Communications Engineer
Viasat
Carlsbad, California
Customer Service
Customer Success
Customer Support
$181k - $337k/yr
Master's degree
5,001-10,000

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See All 884+ Principal Engineer Jobs in California

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

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Principal Engineer Jobs by City in California

Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Palmdale
38 jobs

Principal Engineer Job Market in California

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

Who's Hiring

  • Northrop Grumman
    Northrop Grumman231
  • Palo Alto Networks
    Palo Alto Networks54
  • Roblox
    Roblox25
  • Marvell Technology
    Marvell Technology23
  • Raytheon
    Raytheon21

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software89
  • Electronics & Hardware50
  • Agriculture & Farming30
  • Manufacturing17
  • Consulting & Professional Services13

What California Employers Look For

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

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical field
  • 10 or more years of progressive engineering experience including technical leadership responsibilities
  • Demonstrated ability to set technical direction and drive architecture decisions across large systems
  • Experience leading cross-functional teams and mentoring senior and staff engineers
  • Deep expertise in at least one domain such as hardware design, distributed systems, or embedded software
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills for executive audiences and cross-organizational alignment

Principal Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a principal engineer in California?

Becoming a principal engineer in California typically requires a bachelor's or master's degree in engineering or computer science, followed by a sustained record of technical leadership at the senior engineer level. California employers generally promote into principal roles based on demonstrated scope of impact, system ownership, and influence across teams rather than a state-issued license. Civil and structural principal engineers may hold a California Professional Engineer license issued by the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists.

Which companies hire principal engineers in California?

Employers hiring principal engineers in California right now include Northrop Grumman, Palo Alto Networks, and Roblox, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. California's concentration of major technology headquarters, aerospace primes, and semiconductor companies means demand for principal-level engineers is distributed across both large public companies and well-funded growth-stage firms throughout the Bay Area and Southern California.

Which California cities have the most principal engineer jobs?

Santa Clara, San Diego, and San Jose account for the largest share of principal engineer openings in California. The Bay Area's concentration of major technology and semiconductor headquarters drives the volume there, while Los Angeles and San Diego attract principal engineers through aerospace, defense, and hardware companies including those clustered in corridors like the South Bay and Sorrento Valley.

Are there remote principal engineer jobs in California?

Yes, and more than most engineering roles, because principal engineers focus heavily on architecture, design review, and cross-team technical guidance rather than hands-on lab or manufacturing work. About 37% of principal engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting the desk-and-collaboration nature of the role. Systems design, software infrastructure, and platform architecture positions see the highest proportion of fully remote arrangements.

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

The most realistic path for someone earlier in their career is to target senior engineer roles at California technology or aerospace employers and build toward principal through demonstrated scope expansion. Companies like Apple, Qualcomm, and Northrop Grumman hire new graduates and associate engineers into structured programs and promote from within. Strengthening a portfolio with open-source contributions, patents, or published system designs and earning a Professional Engineer license through the California Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists can meaningfully differentiate a candidate moving toward principal-level consideration.

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

You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across technology, aerospace, semiconductors, and other industries. Search the listings for roles that match your specialization and experience level, then apply directly to the ones that fit.

See All 884+ Principal Engineer Jobs in California

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

Find Principal Engineer Jobs