Principal Engineer Jobs in Colorado Springs, CO
Principal Engineer jobs in Colorado Springs are concentrated in the defense and aerospace corridor along the north side of the city, particularly around the Briargate and Powers areas, as well as near the military installations that anchor much of the region's advanced engineering demand. Employers actively hiring include Northrop Grumman, SAIC, and Raytheon. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
Find Principal Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 175+ Principal Engineer jobs











Description
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 Space Systems is seeking a Sr. Principal Software Signal Processing Engineer to join our team supporting our DARC program. This position would be based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This role will work with us on the Deep Space Advanced Capabilities contract developing new radar digital signal processing software in support of identification and tracking of objects in geosynchronous orbit.
Job responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Designs, develops, documents, tests, and debugs applications software, and systems that contain logical and mathematical solutions.
- Conducts multidisciplinary research and collaborates with equipment designers and/or hardware engineers in the planning, design, development, and utilization of electronic data processing systems for product and commercial software.
- Determines computer user needs; analyzes system capabilities to resolve problems on program intent, output requirements, input data acquisition, programming techniques, and controls; prepares operating instructions; designs and develops compilers and assemblers, utility programs, and operating systems.
- Demonstrated experience developing and optimizing radar signal processing algorithms and pipelines (DSP), including use of common engineering toolchains such as DSP System Toolbox / Signal Processing Toolbox / Phased Array System toolsets.
- Demonstrated experience with GPGPU acceleration (e.g., CUDA) for performance-critical signal processing and/or analytics workloads.
- Experience using AI-enabled engineering tooling (e.g., an AI coding assistant) to accelerate development tasks such as code explanation, refactoring, and test generation—while maintaining engineer accountability for reviewed code.
Basic Qualifications
- 8 years with a Bachelors in Science, 6 years with a Masters in Science degree, and 4 years with the PHD
- Active DoD Secret clearance at the time of application
- Experience with C++, Java, Python and CUDA
- Experience with Linux
- Experience with RF Signal Processing
- Experience with GPU optimization
- Experience with NVIDIA MatX library
- Experience with AI Tooling
- Experience with high side development and processes
See All 175+ Principal Engineer Jobs in Colorado Springs
Find roles in Colorado Springs that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Engineer JobsPrincipal Engineer Job Market in Colorado Springs
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman72

- SAIC31

- Raytheon18

- Caribou Thunder13

- Auria4

Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware
Principal Engineer Jobs in Colorado Springs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a principal engineer job in Colorado Springs?
Focus your search on the defense, aerospace, and cybersecurity sectors that dominate Colorado Springs hiring, particularly employers clustered near Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever, and the north-side technology corridors in Briargate and Powers. Candidates with active security clearances move to the front of the line faster here than in most U.S. cities. Systems engineering, embedded software, and program leadership experience are consistently in demand across the local contractor and government-adjacent employer base.
Which companies hire principal engineers in Colorado Springs?
Companies currently hiring principal engineers in Colorado Springs include Northrop Grumman, SAIC, and Raytheon, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Colorado Springs draws a mix of large defense primes, mid-size government contractors, and growing commercial technology firms, all of which regularly recruit at the principal engineer level.
Are there remote principal engineer jobs in Colorado Springs?
Yes, though it varies by specialty. Principal engineer roles involving classified systems, lab environments, or on-site program delivery are almost always on-site, while architecture, software, and analytical roles carry more flexibility. About 17% of principal engineer openings tied to Colorado Springs are remote or hybrid as of September 2026. Commercial technology employers on the north side of the city tend to offer the most remote-friendly arrangements locally.
How can I get a principal engineer job in Colorado Springs with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in Colorado Springs is starting as a senior engineer with a local defense contractor or aerospace firm and building toward principal through program visibility and cross-functional ownership. Employers near the Space Force installations regularly hire developing engineers into structured advancement tracks. Earning or holding a security clearance at any level is a significant differentiator in this market and can accelerate your timeline to principal-level roles considerably.
Which industries hire the most principal engineers in Colorado Springs?
The sectors hiring the most principal engineers in Colorado Springs are Electronics & Hardware, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Colorado Springs's concentration of military installations and space operations commands creates sustained demand from defense primes and government contractors that consistently outpaces hiring in most comparable-size U.S. cities.
Related Jobs in Colorado
See All 175+ Principal Engineer Jobs in Colorado Springs
Find roles in Colorado Springs that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Engineer Jobs