Principal Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
Principal Engineer jobs in District of Columbia draw from one of the most active markets in the country, concentrated heavily in federal contracting, cybersecurity, and defense systems integration. Most hiring clusters in the District itself and nearby corridors, with major employers including Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and General Dynamics Information Technology maintaining a substantial presence here. Cloud architecture, systems engineering, and software platform development are the specializations in highest demand. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 14+ Principal Engineer jobs
At GuROO our mission is to deliver Enterprise Network Engineering, Enterprise IT, Program Management, and Project Management support to large commercial corporations, government agencies, and government-contracted agencies within the Washington, DC metropolitan area and beyond. We have an innovative approach to helping our customers discover, evaluate, implement, and manage advanced technology projects to enhance our clients needs.
Positions is located at Bolling AFB, Washington DC
· Candidates must possess a current TS/SCI
· Current Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification (full)
· Comptia Security + or equivalent in order to be considered. Position requires candidate meets 8570 requirements
- Translate stakeholder and Government requirements into network solutions, modifications, and support upgrades (network reconfiguration, hardware and software acquisitions, installation, and testing).
- Provide executive level government agency support related to the designing, deploying and efficient and optimal operation of business critical enterprise and network environments.
- Strive to understand the application of current and emerging network software and hardware technology and protocols to provide innovative and new ideas to solve complex engineering challenges.
- Work directly with the client to explore, investigate, analyze and assess new technologies to modernize and improve upon existing Networking solutions.
· Candidates must be highly motivated self-starters with the ability for independent action initiative within established guidelines with excellent communication skills.
· Selectee will provide all facets of Network engineering expertise to support current and future requirements within requisite Enterprise and Tactical Networks.
· Provide Tier 3 and Tier 4 engineering support for all Networks, including hardware and process management, architecture, design, configuration.
· Responsible for the design and development of voice, video, radio-frequency, and/or data communications networks.
· Plans network layouts and configures systems to user environments.
· Analyzes network topologies and traffic and capacity requirements.
· Supports the acquisition of hardware and software as well as subcontractor services as needed.
· Provides guidance and work leadership to less-experienced network personnel.
· Serves as technical team or task leader.
· Maintains current knowledge of relevant technology as assigned.
· Participates in special projects as required.'
'
Work Location:
- One location
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $240,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
License/Certification:
- CompTIA Security+ Certification (Required)
- Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) (Required)
Security clearance:
- Top Secret (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Anacostia Anx, DC 20373 (Required)
Work Location: In person
At GuROO our mission is to deliver Enterprise Network Engineering, Enterprise IT, Program Management, and Project Management support to large commercial corporations, government agencies, and government-contracted agencies within the Washington, DC metropolitan area and beyond. We have an innovative approach to helping our customers discover, evaluate, implement, and manage advanced technology projects to enhance our clients needs.
Positions is located at Bolling AFB, Washington DC
· Candidates must possess a current TS/SCI
· Current Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification (full)
· Comptia Security + or equivalent in order to be considered. Position requires candidate meets 8570 requirements
- Translate stakeholder and Government requirements into network solutions, modifications, and support upgrades (network reconfiguration, hardware and software acquisitions, installation, and testing).
- Provide executive level government agency support related to the designing, deploying and efficient and optimal operation of business critical enterprise and network environments.
- Strive to understand the application of current and emerging network software and hardware technology and protocols to provide innovative and new ideas to solve complex engineering challenges.
- Work directly with the client to explore, investigate, analyze and assess new technologies to modernize and improve upon existing Networking solutions.
· Candidates must be highly motivated self-starters with the ability for independent action initiative within established guidelines with excellent communication skills.
· Selectee will provide all facets of Network engineering expertise to support current and future requirements within requisite Enterprise and Tactical Networks.
· Provide Tier 3 and Tier 4 engineering support for all Networks, including hardware and process management, architecture, design, configuration.
· Responsible for the design and development of voice, video, radio-frequency, and/or data communications networks.
· Plans network layouts and configures systems to user environments.
· Analyzes network topologies and traffic and capacity requirements.
· Supports the acquisition of hardware and software as well as subcontractor services as needed.
· Provides guidance and work leadership to less-experienced network personnel.
· Serves as technical team or task leader.
· Maintains current knowledge of relevant technology as assigned.
· Participates in special projects as required.'
'
Work Location:
- One location
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $240,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
License/Certification:
- CompTIA Security+ Certification (Required)
- Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) (Required)
Security clearance:
- Top Secret (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Anacostia Anx, DC 20373 (Required)
Work Location: In person
See All 14 Principal Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Engineer JobsPrincipal Engineer Jobs by City in District of Columbia
Where District of Columbia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Engineer Job Market in District of Columbia
A snapshot from current District of Columbia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
What District of Columbia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal engineer jobs across District of Columbia.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, engineering, or a closely related technical field
- Ten or more years of progressive software or systems engineering experience in relevant domains
- Active or obtainable security clearance, with many District of Columbia roles requiring Secret or Top Secret
- Demonstrated experience leading technical architecture decisions across large, cross-functional engineering teams
- Proficiency in cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud in an enterprise or government context
- Strong background in agile delivery, CI/CD pipelines, and modern DevSecOps practices
Principal Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal engineer in District of Columbia?
Becoming a principal engineer in District of Columbia typically requires a bachelor's degree in computer science, systems engineering, or a related field, followed by years of progressively senior engineering roles. The District has no state-issued engineering license specific to software principal engineers, but many roles in the federal contracting sector require a government security clearance, which candidates initiate through their sponsoring employer. Demonstrating technical leadership on large-scale, complex systems is the most decisive factor for advancement here.
Which companies hire principal engineers in District of Columbia?
District of Columbia principal engineer roles are posted by Buro Happold, Microsoft, and Amtrak and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. The District's deep federal contracting ecosystem means large systems integrators and defense technology firms account for a significant share of these openings.
Which District of Columbia cities have the most principal engineer jobs?
Washington and Anacostia Anx account for the most principal engineer openings in District of Columbia. The concentration in the District itself reflects the density of federal agencies and the headquarters or major offices of large contractors, while adjacent suburban areas benefit from the same ecosystem of government-facing technology work and cleared-facility campuses.
Are there remote principal engineer jobs in District of Columbia?
Yes, though they are less common than in other tech markets. About 75% of principal engineer openings tied to District of Columbia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with the share limited partly by security clearance requirements and classified program work that mandates on-site presence. Roles focused on cloud architecture, platform engineering, and unclassified software development are the most likely to offer remote or hybrid arrangements.
How can I get hired as a principal engineer in District of Columbia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is securing a mid-level software or systems engineer role with a federal contractor, which provides exposure to the cleared, government-facing work that principal engineer titles in this market require. Large District of Columbia employers such as Booz Allen Hamilton and Leidos run associate and new-grad programs that bring in engineers at earlier career stages. Building toward a security clearance, earning a cloud certification, and contributing to technically complex projects are the credentials that accelerate the path to principal-level consideration here.
Where can I find and apply to principal engineer jobs in District of Columbia?
You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in District of Columbia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings in the District. Search the listings, find roles that fit your background and interests, and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 14 Principal Engineer Jobs in District of Columbia
Find roles in District of Columbia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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