Principal Engineer Jobs in Maryland

Principal Engineer jobs in Maryland are concentrated in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, Annapolis, and the suburban technology hubs of Montgomery and Howard Counties, where defense, cybersecurity, and systems engineering anchor demand at the senior and staff levels. Employers such as Northrop Grumman, Leidos, and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory maintain a lasting presence and consistently recruit principal engineers across software, systems, and hardware disciplines. The market is among the most active in the Mid-Atlantic, with openings at every seniority tier from recently promoted senior engineer to distinguished principal. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.

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Overview

Open roles137+
Top employerNorthrop Grumman
Top cityBaltimore, MD
Cities hiring24
Work type61% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 137+ Principal Engineer jobs

Northrop Grumman
Principal Engineer Industrial
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Northrop Grumman
New 14h ago
Principal Engineer Industrial
Northrop Grumman
Baltimore, Maryland
Project & Program Management
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Technical Program Management
$99k - $148k/yr
Bachelor's degree in engineering
10,000+

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Northrop Grumman
Operations Data Engineer / Principal Operations Data Engineer
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Northrop Grumman
New 14h ago
Operations Data Engineer / Principal Operations Data Engineer
Northrop Grumman
Baltimore, Maryland
Compliance & Risk
Cybersecurity
Security Engineering
$96k - $179k/yr
Master's degree
10,000+

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Northrop Grumman
Principal or Sr Principal Electronics Engineer
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Northrop Grumman
New 14h ago
Principal or Sr Principal Electronics Engineer
Northrop Grumman
Baltimore, Maryland
Customer Service
Customer Support
$109k - $204k/yr
Bachelor's degree in engineering
10,000+

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Secmation
Principal RF Communications & Electronic Warfare Engineer
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Secmation
Added 2d ago
Principal RF Communications & Electronic Warfare Engineer
Secmation
Linthicum Heights, Maryland
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Program Management
Project Management
$185k - $250k/yr
Hybrid
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

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Northrop Grumman
Principal / Sr. Principal Systems Engineer I&T Technical Lead
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Northrop Grumman
Added 2d ago
Principal / Sr. Principal Systems Engineer I&T Technical Lead
Northrop Grumman
Baltimore, Maryland
Customer Support
IT Support
Technical Program Management
$109k - $204k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's degree in engineering
10,000+

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See All 137+ Principal Engineer Jobs in Maryland

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

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Principal Engineer Jobs by City in Maryland

Where Maryland roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Baltimore
38 jobs
Fort Meade
12 jobs
Annapolis
11 jobs
Linthicum Heights
9 jobs
Columbia
7 jobs
Jessup
6 jobs
Laurel
6 jobs
Germantown
6 jobs

Principal Engineer Job Market in Maryland

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

Who's Hiring

  • Northrop Grumman
    Northrop Grumman65
  • Envision Innovative Solutions
    Envision Innovative Solutions5
  • Themis Insight
    Themis Insight4
  • GliaCell Technologies
    GliaCell Technologies4
  • Leidos
    Leidos3

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Medical Devices
  • Aerospace & Defense
  • Electronics & Hardware
  • Consulting & Professional Services

What Maryland Employers Look For

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

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering, computer science, or a closely related technical discipline
  • Ten or more years of progressive engineering experience with demonstrated technical leadership
  • Active or current eligibility for a U.S. security clearance, required by many Maryland defense and federal contractors
  • Deep expertise in a primary discipline such as software architecture, systems engineering, or embedded systems
  • Proven record of defining technical direction and mentoring engineers across multiple project teams
  • Experience collaborating with government or federal agency stakeholders, common in Maryland's contractor ecosystem

Principal Engineer Jobs in Maryland: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a principal engineer in Maryland?

Principal engineer is a seniority designation rather than a state-licensed title in Maryland, so there is no Maryland-specific engineering license required for software or systems principal engineer roles. Candidates pursuing roles at defense contractors or federal agencies typically hold a bachelor's or master's in engineering or computer science and accumulate deep technical experience over many years. Those working in licensed professional engineering domains can obtain a Professional Engineer license through the Maryland State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors, which adds credibility for infrastructure and civil disciplines.

Which companies hire principal engineers in Maryland?

Employers hiring principal engineers in Maryland right now include Northrop Grumman, Envision Innovative Solutions, and Themis Insight, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Maryland's dense concentration of defense contractors, federal agencies, and research institutions means hiring is especially active among large government-adjacent employers anchored in the Baltimore-Washington corridor.

Which Maryland cities have the most principal engineer jobs?

Baltimore, Annapolis Junction, and Fort Meade hold the most principal engineer openings in Maryland. The concentration reflects the dominance of defense contractors, federal agency partners, and technology firms clustered along the I-270 technology corridor and around Annapolis Junction, with Baltimore's anchor institutions and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory driving demand in the eastern part of the state.

Are there remote principal engineer jobs in Maryland?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 39% of principal engineer openings tied to Maryland are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting the strong software and systems architecture emphasis in the state's tech sector. The roles most likely to offer full remote flexibility are those in software architecture and cloud platform engineering, while positions requiring access to classified facilities or laboratory hardware tend to remain on-site.

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

The most realistic path is to enter through an associate or mid-level engineering role at one of Maryland's large defense or technology employers and build toward the principal level over time. Employers such as Northrop Grumman and Leidos run structured new-graduate programs that place candidates into team-based rotations with mentorship tracks. Lateral moves from senior software engineer, systems engineer, or lead developer roles are the most common door into principal-level consideration. Pursuing a Professional Engineer license from the Maryland State Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors strengthens candidacy in regulated engineering disciplines.

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

You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Maryland on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings tied to the state. Search the listings to find roles that match your discipline and experience level, then apply directly to the ones that fit. No sign-up is required to see and apply to the openings.

See All 137+ Principal Engineer Jobs in Maryland

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

Find Principal Engineer Jobs