Principal Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA

Principal Engineer jobs in San Diego are in strong and consistent demand, concentrated in Sorrento Valley, UTC/La Jolla, and the Torrey Pines corridor across defense technology, biotech, telecommunications, and enterprise software. Employers hiring right now include Northrop Grumman, Qualcomm, and Intuit. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.

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Overview

Open roles906+
Top employerNorthrop Grumman
Work type54% Hybrid
Top credentialMaster's degree
Companies hiring26

Showing 4 of 906+ Principal Engineer jobs

Principal Subsystems Engineer
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Added 2d ago
Principal Subsystems Engineer
Northrop Grumman
San Diego, California
Aerospace Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
$114k - $171k/yr
Hybrid
Master's degree
10,000+

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Sr Principal Engineer Industrial
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Added 2d ago
Sr Principal Engineer Industrial
Northrop Grumman
San Diego, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
Specialized Engineering
$129k - $194k/yr
Bachelor of Science
10,000+

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Principal Electrical Engineer
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Added 2d ago
Principal Electrical Engineer
SAIC
San Diego, California
Customer Support
IT Support
Technical Program Management
$120k - $160k/yr
On-Site
J-STD-001 Certification
10,000+

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Principal Engineer Systems RQ-4 FMS IFC Manager
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Added 3d ago
Principal Engineer Systems RQ-4 FMS IFC Manager
Northrop Grumman
San Diego, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Product Management
Project & Program Management
Project Management
$114k - $171k/yr
Bachelor of Science
10,000+

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See All 906+ Principal Engineer Jobs in San Diego

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Principal Engineer Job Market in San Diego

Who's Hiring

  • Northrop Grumman499
  • Qualcomm66
  • Intuit33
  • Teradata33
  • Blue Origin33

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software

Principal Engineer Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a principal engineer job in San Diego?

The strongest path into a principal engineer role in San Diego runs through the city's defense and aerospace contractors, biotech firms, and wireless technology companies, which cluster in Sorrento Valley, UTC, and the Torrey Pines area. Candidates who combine deep technical specialization with cross-functional leadership experience stand out here. Demonstrating system-level ownership on complex programs gives you a clear edge over generalist applicants in this market.

Which companies hire principal engineers in San Diego?

San Diego principal engineer roles are posted by Northrop Grumman, Qualcomm, and Intuit and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. The local market is anchored by large defense primes, wireless and semiconductor firms, and a growing layer of biotech and healthtech companies, all of which hire principal engineers at multiple seniority levels.

Are there remote principal engineer jobs in San Diego?

Yes, though remote availability varies significantly by specialization. About 57% of principal engineer openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with the highest share in software-focused and cloud infrastructure roles. Defense and hardware-intensive positions in the San Diego market tend to require on-site presence due to facility access requirements.

How can I get a principal engineer job in San Diego with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is moving up from a senior engineer role inside a San Diego company that promotes from within, particularly at mid-size defense contractors and biotech firms that regularly grow their own technical leaders. Contributing to large-scale system design projects and taking ownership of cross-team deliverables is what local hiring managers look for when evaluating engineers for principal-level consideration.

Which industries hire the most principal engineers in San Diego?

San Diego principal engineer roles concentrate in Technology & Software, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. San Diego's strong military presence, world-class research institutions, and established wireless technology heritage have made these sectors the primary drivers of senior engineering demand across the region.

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