Principal Engineer Jobs in Oklahoma
Principal Engineer jobs in Oklahoma are concentrated in energy, defense, and aerospace, with steady demand for senior technical leadership in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and growing activity in the Lawton and Norman corridors. Major employers with lasting principal engineer hiring in Oklahoma include Devon Energy, L3Harris Technologies, and the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. The most in-demand specializations are systems engineering, petroleum and process engineering, and embedded software engineering for defense programs. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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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 Aeronautics Systems has an opening for a Sr Principal Simulation Software Engineer to join our team of qualified, diverse individuals within our Software organization onsite in Melbourne, Florida or Oklahoma City, OK, where we define possible.
Accomplish:
In this role you will design, develop, integrate and test software for our end-user customers and businesses. Specifically, you will be responsible for the design, architecture, application development, and flight simulation. You will work with multi-disciplinary teams, such as with Systems Engineering, Cloud & Application, Test Automation, DevSecOps and Systems Test, in an Agile software development environment.
Our simulation software is critical to the current and future company projects. You will analyze system capabilities to resolve problems on program intent, output requirements, input data acquisition, programming techniques and controls.
Essential Functions:
Work in an innovative environment, on significantly diverse assignments, and in collaborative team settings across all levels
Participate in the full software development life cycle including requirements, design, implementation, qualification, and delivery of software products to our customers
Architect and develop applications in a simulated training environment
Be a part of Agile Scrum teams to develop software products for multiple software baselines
Succeed:
The individual we seek will be self-motivated, proactive, goal-oriented to help us grow our services, become even better at what we do and will possess the following qualifications.
Basic Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in a STEM discipline (Science, Technology, Engineering or Math) with 8 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master’s degree in STEM with 6 years of related engineering experience; OR a PHD in STEM with 4 years of related engineering experience
Experience with the full Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) - software design requirements, application development, integration, testing, and deployment
Experience with at least one of the following programming or scripting languages: C, C++, and Python
Experience with two or more of the following tools: Jira, Crucible, Bitbucket, Subversion, Bamboo, Jenkins, Gitlab, Ansible, Fortify, or Coverity
Must have an active U.S. Government Secret or higher clearance.
Must have the ability to obtain and maintain Special Access Program (SAP) clearance prior to the commencement of employment.
Preferred Qualifications:
Strong understanding of C and C++ languages including templates, memory storage, and compiler/linker
Experience with or knowledge of Joint Simulation Environment (JSE), Distributed Interactive Simulation (DIS), or High-Level Architecture (HLA)
Experience with Full-Motion Flight Training Systems
Experience with simulated threat environments such as AFSIM or NGTS
Ability to collaborate with systems engineers, hardware designers and integration/test engineers to develop and maintain complex software systems
Excellent communication, interpersonal skills, and the ability to interface with all levels of employees and management
See All 39 Principal Engineer Jobs in Oklahoma
Find roles in Oklahoma that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Engineer JobsPrincipal Engineer Jobs by City in Oklahoma
Where Oklahoma roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Engineer Job Market in Oklahoma
A snapshot from current Oklahoma openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman31

- CVR ENERGY2
- Halliburton2

- Olsson1

- Arcadis1

Top Industries Hiring
- Consulting & Professional Services4
- Manufacturing1
- Construction & Real Estate1
What Oklahoma Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal engineer jobs across Oklahoma.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering with registration as a Professional Engineer in Oklahoma
- Ten or more years of progressive engineering experience with demonstrated technical leadership
- Proven ability to own complex system architecture decisions from concept through delivery
- Experience leading cross-functional engineering teams and mentoring mid-level engineers
- Proficiency in relevant domain tools such as CAD platforms, simulation software, or systems modeling
- Strong communication skills for presenting technical recommendations to executive stakeholders
Principal Engineer Jobs in Oklahoma: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal engineer in Oklahoma?
Most paths to a principal engineer role in Oklahoma run through a bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline followed by licensure as a Professional Engineer through the Oklahoma State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors. After passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam and accumulating the required years of supervised experience, candidates sit for the Principles and Practice of Engineering exam. Employers in energy and defense additionally look for deep domain specialization before promoting engineers to principal-level roles.
Which companies hire principal engineers in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma principal engineer roles are posted by Northrop Grumman, CVR ENERGY, and Halliburton and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Oklahoma's energy sector and defense contracting base generate the most consistent principal engineer demand, with Tulsa and Oklahoma City anchoring the largest share of openings.
Which Oklahoma cities have the most principal engineer jobs?
Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Wynnewood have the most principal engineer openings in Oklahoma. Oklahoma City dominates because it hosts major energy company headquarters, federal agencies, and Tinker Air Force Base, while Tulsa draws from its industrial manufacturing and aerospace maintenance base, and Norman and Stillwater benefit from research-driven institutions like the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.
Are there remote principal engineer jobs in Oklahoma?
Yes, and more than many technical fields, particularly for software and systems principal engineers whose work is design and review rather than hands-on. About 36% of principal engineer openings tied to Oklahoma are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, though roles tied to physical plant operations, defense facilities with security clearance requirements, or on-site testing tend to require in-person presence. Software architecture and cloud infrastructure principal engineer roles offer the strongest remote availability.
How can I get hired as a principal engineer in Oklahoma with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is joining a large Oklahoma employer as an associate or staff engineer and building toward principal level through demonstrated ownership of progressively complex projects. Energy companies like Devon Energy and defense contractors operating out of Tinker Air Force Base regularly hire new engineers into structured rotation or development programs. Earning your Engineer-in-Training certification through the Oklahoma State Board immediately strengthens your application, and contributing to system design documentation or leading a sub-team project creates the portfolio evidence Oklahoma hiring managers expect before elevating someone to principal.
Where can I find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Oklahoma?
You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Oklahoma on Migrate Mate, which lists current Oklahoma openings across energy, defense, aerospace, and technology sectors. Search the roles that fit your specialization and experience level and apply directly to the ones that match.
See All 39 Principal Engineer Jobs in Oklahoma
Find roles in Oklahoma that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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