Principal Engineer Jobs in Philadelphia, PA
Principal Engineer jobs in Philadelphia are concentrated in Center City, University City, and the Navy Yard, driven by demand across healthcare technology, financial services, and defense contracting, with employers like Comcast, Temple Health, and Medical Guardian actively hiring. Opportunities range from embedded systems and infrastructure to software architecture roles. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Steer offers a suite of software tools for today's automotive repair shop. We combine a mix of software tools that a repair shop needs to run a highly profitable shop, in one user-friendly, cost-effective platform. Through the Steer suite, we allow the shop owner to get back to focusing on what matters, and to stop worrying about marketing and customer retention.
Steer began as an online directory for drivers to find a local mechanic. Fast forward to today, Steer has launched a complete Customer Relationship Management (CRM) marketing suite, complete with text messaging, email automation, direct mail integration, reputation management, appointment reminders, declined/recommended services, and many other features. We are always innovating and we are proud to be a leader in the automotive repair industry. In August 2024 Steer acquired AutoOps - the leader in modern, intelligent, and fully integrated scheduling software for auto repair shops. AutoOps allows customers to smoothly schedule through a shop's website and Google Business Profile.
About the Role
We're growing our world-class engineering team to usher our CRM platform into the next generation of software — and we're looking for a Principal Engineer, Agentic AI to join our Core Platform Team
Most Lead roles at "Big Tech" companies involve maintaining a single microservice or acting as a small cog in a 100-person machine. At Steer, you aren't just a contributor; you are the architect of a platform aiming for 100% market dominance. This is a high-impact role for someone who doesn't just write great code, but who can see around corners, challenge conventions, and lead entire products from vision to launch.
We are actively refactoring our existing teams to be agentic-first — meaning our engineers don't just use AI as a tool, they architect systems around autonomous, AI-driven workflows. This is not a future initiative; it is how we build today.
We're looking for builders who bring exceptional focus, ownership, and commitment to their work. At Steer, we want engineers who are "all in" on our mission, fully engaged with their work, and invested in our shared success. This means making Steer your primary professional focus and bringing the dedication and accountability needed to deliver exceptional results.
Why Steer?
- True Ownership: You will lead massive products from start to finish within lean, high-velocity teams.
- Hyper-Growth & Vision: We are currently at a fraction of our total addressable market in the automotive industry. The potential for scale is massive, and you will be a leading developer shaping this space
- Freedom to Innovate: You don't need side projects to explore new techniques. We provide the autonomy and the platform to experiment with and implement the latest tech directly into our core product.
- AI-First & Agentic Culture: We are refactoring our teams to be agentic-first. We prioritize high-level problem-solving and AI/LLM expertise, and we actively encourage the use of AI tools to accelerate coding across any language and to power autonomous production workflows.
What You'll Do
- Technical Strategy & Ownership: Focus on the core components of the Steer CRM, specifically optimizing how we ingest and process data to revolutionize our automation tools.
- Architectural Vision: Lead the design of reusable full-stack components and services that ensure our platform remains performant as we scale toward market dominance.
- Adaptive Development: Pivot at a moment's notice based on evolving business needs, shifting focus between new integrations and core infrastructure to keep our ecosystem seamless.
- Customer-Centric Engineering: Partner closely with Product to understand user pain points, ensuring every architectural decision adds tangible value to the auto repair shops we serve.
- Code Excellence: Champion best practices in security, test automation, and maintainability. Conduct deep-dive code reviews that elevate the entire engineering organization.
- Modern DevOps & Agentic Infrastructure: Influence our CI/CD pipelines, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and IaC practices. Design and maintain AI-integrated, agentic-ready infrastructure that enables autonomous workflows.
What You Have
Must Have:
- 7+ years of professional experience building complex, web-based SaaS products.
- The "All-In" Mindset: A deep commitment to Steer's mission and success. We look for engineers who take exceptional pride in their work, hold themselves to high standards, and demonstrate full ownership and accountability for their projects. They approach complex, seemingly impossible challenges with determination, proactively drive solutions, and are committed to delivering exceptional results in a fast-paced environment.
- AI & LLM Integration: Hands-on experience working with LLMs and prompt engineering. You use AI to bridge gaps and accelerate development.
- AI in Production: Proven experience deploying AI-powered features and autonomous (agentic) workflows in production-grade infrastructure.
- AI-Driven CI/CD: Hands-on experience integrating AI tooling into CI/CD pipelines (e.g., automated code review agents, AI-assisted testing, or agentic workflow orchestration).
- Database Expertise: Proficiency with both relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB, Redis) databases, including schema design and query optimization.
- Exceptional Communication: The ability to translate complex technical concepts into product outcomes and collaborate effectively with leadership.
Nice to Have:
- Familiarity with our current stack: .NET, Node.js (TypeScript), and React.
- Experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation).
- Previous experience as a founding engineer or in an early-stage startup environment.
- Experience building or integrating with Claude marketplace plugins (Anthropic ecosystem), including prompt chaining, tool use, or MCP integrations.
Interview Process
- Initial Screen — 30 min with Lead Recruiter
- Hiring Manager Interview — 60 min with the Head of Engineering & Product
- Technical Interview — 60 min with a Principal Engineer
- Collaborative Interview — 30 min with Lead Product Manager
What We Offer
- Equity Options: Own a piece of the company's success.
- 100% Remote: Work from anywhere in the US.
- 100% Employer-Paid Medical Insurance.
- Flexible PTO: With a 15-day minimum.
- FSA, HSA, and 401k options.
- Learning Stipend & WFH Equipment: Everything you need for a world-class home office.
- Innovative Culture: A seat at the table to influence the latest AI technology in a collaborative, agentic-first environment.
Why Join Steer?
At Steer, we align our mission of transforming the auto repair experience for shop owners and their customers with your passion for growth, innovation, and excellence.
Here, you'll find opportunities to expand your skills, take on career-shaping challenges, and contribute to the future of the auto repair industry, all while enjoying comprehensive benefits and flexible work arrangements to support your well-being.
Join Steer to be part of a forward-thinking, flexible, and collaborative culture where you are empowered to do meaningful and impactful work.
We value diversity and believe that forming teams in which everyone can be their authentic self is key to our success. We welcome applications from those with diverse backgrounds and industries.
Our hiring process looks beyond just credentials. The school you went to at 18 doesn't define your potential to thrive and enrich our culture. Even if you don't meet every requirement, we invite you to apply.
Steer offers a suite of software tools for today's automotive repair shop. We combine a mix of software tools that a repair shop needs to run a highly profitable shop, in one user-friendly, cost-effective platform. Through the Steer suite, we allow the shop owner to get back to focusing on what matters, and to stop worrying about marketing and customer retention.
Steer began as an online directory for drivers to find a local mechanic. Fast forward to today, Steer has launched a complete Customer Relationship Management (CRM) marketing suite, complete with text messaging, email automation, direct mail integration, reputation management, appointment reminders, declined/recommended services, and many other features. We are always innovating and we are proud to be a leader in the automotive repair industry. In August 2024 Steer acquired AutoOps - the leader in modern, intelligent, and fully integrated scheduling software for auto repair shops. AutoOps allows customers to smoothly schedule through a shop's website and Google Business Profile.
About the Role
We're growing our world-class engineering team to usher our CRM platform into the next generation of software — and we're looking for a Principal Engineer, Agentic AI to join our Core Platform Team
Most Lead roles at "Big Tech" companies involve maintaining a single microservice or acting as a small cog in a 100-person machine. At Steer, you aren't just a contributor; you are the architect of a platform aiming for 100% market dominance. This is a high-impact role for someone who doesn't just write great code, but who can see around corners, challenge conventions, and lead entire products from vision to launch.
We are actively refactoring our existing teams to be agentic-first — meaning our engineers don't just use AI as a tool, they architect systems around autonomous, AI-driven workflows. This is not a future initiative; it is how we build today.
We're looking for builders who bring exceptional focus, ownership, and commitment to their work. At Steer, we want engineers who are "all in" on our mission, fully engaged with their work, and invested in our shared success. This means making Steer your primary professional focus and bringing the dedication and accountability needed to deliver exceptional results.
Why Steer?
- True Ownership: You will lead massive products from start to finish within lean, high-velocity teams.
- Hyper-Growth & Vision: We are currently at a fraction of our total addressable market in the automotive industry. The potential for scale is massive, and you will be a leading developer shaping this space
- Freedom to Innovate: You don't need side projects to explore new techniques. We provide the autonomy and the platform to experiment with and implement the latest tech directly into our core product.
- AI-First & Agentic Culture: We are refactoring our teams to be agentic-first. We prioritize high-level problem-solving and AI/LLM expertise, and we actively encourage the use of AI tools to accelerate coding across any language and to power autonomous production workflows.
What You'll Do
- Technical Strategy & Ownership: Focus on the core components of the Steer CRM, specifically optimizing how we ingest and process data to revolutionize our automation tools.
- Architectural Vision: Lead the design of reusable full-stack components and services that ensure our platform remains performant as we scale toward market dominance.
- Adaptive Development: Pivot at a moment's notice based on evolving business needs, shifting focus between new integrations and core infrastructure to keep our ecosystem seamless.
- Customer-Centric Engineering: Partner closely with Product to understand user pain points, ensuring every architectural decision adds tangible value to the auto repair shops we serve.
- Code Excellence: Champion best practices in security, test automation, and maintainability. Conduct deep-dive code reviews that elevate the entire engineering organization.
- Modern DevOps & Agentic Infrastructure: Influence our CI/CD pipelines, containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and IaC practices. Design and maintain AI-integrated, agentic-ready infrastructure that enables autonomous workflows.
What You Have
Must Have:
- 7+ years of professional experience building complex, web-based SaaS products.
- The "All-In" Mindset: A deep commitment to Steer's mission and success. We look for engineers who take exceptional pride in their work, hold themselves to high standards, and demonstrate full ownership and accountability for their projects. They approach complex, seemingly impossible challenges with determination, proactively drive solutions, and are committed to delivering exceptional results in a fast-paced environment.
- AI & LLM Integration: Hands-on experience working with LLMs and prompt engineering. You use AI to bridge gaps and accelerate development.
- AI in Production: Proven experience deploying AI-powered features and autonomous (agentic) workflows in production-grade infrastructure.
- AI-Driven CI/CD: Hands-on experience integrating AI tooling into CI/CD pipelines (e.g., automated code review agents, AI-assisted testing, or agentic workflow orchestration).
- Database Expertise: Proficiency with both relational (PostgreSQL, MySQL) and NoSQL (MongoDB, Redis) databases, including schema design and query optimization.
- Exceptional Communication: The ability to translate complex technical concepts into product outcomes and collaborate effectively with leadership.
Nice to Have:
- Familiarity with our current stack: .NET, Node.js (TypeScript), and React.
- Experience with Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, CloudFormation).
- Previous experience as a founding engineer or in an early-stage startup environment.
- Experience building or integrating with Claude marketplace plugins (Anthropic ecosystem), including prompt chaining, tool use, or MCP integrations.
Interview Process
- Initial Screen — 30 min with Lead Recruiter
- Hiring Manager Interview — 60 min with the Head of Engineering & Product
- Technical Interview — 60 min with a Principal Engineer
- Collaborative Interview — 30 min with Lead Product Manager
What We Offer
- Equity Options: Own a piece of the company's success.
- 100% Remote: Work from anywhere in the US.
- 100% Employer-Paid Medical Insurance.
- Flexible PTO: With a 15-day minimum.
- FSA, HSA, and 401k options.
- Learning Stipend & WFH Equipment: Everything you need for a world-class home office.
- Innovative Culture: A seat at the table to influence the latest AI technology in a collaborative, agentic-first environment.
Why Join Steer?
At Steer, we align our mission of transforming the auto repair experience for shop owners and their customers with your passion for growth, innovation, and excellence.
Here, you'll find opportunities to expand your skills, take on career-shaping challenges, and contribute to the future of the auto repair industry, all while enjoying comprehensive benefits and flexible work arrangements to support your well-being.
Join Steer to be part of a forward-thinking, flexible, and collaborative culture where you are empowered to do meaningful and impactful work.
We value diversity and believe that forming teams in which everyone can be their authentic self is key to our success. We welcome applications from those with diverse backgrounds and industries.
Our hiring process looks beyond just credentials. The school you went to at 18 doesn't define your potential to thrive and enrich our culture. Even if you don't meet every requirement, we invite you to apply.
See All 75 Principal Engineer Jobs in Philadelphia
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Find Principal Engineer JobsPrincipal Engineer Job Market in Philadelphia
Who's Hiring
- Comcast17
- Temple Health12T
- Medical Guardian12
- HDR6
- Airco6
Principal Engineer Jobs in Philadelphia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a principal engineer job in Philadelphia?
Focus on Philadelphia's dominant hiring sectors: healthcare IT anchored around University City hospital systems, financial technology firms in Center City, and defense and government contractors clustered near the Navy Yard and suburban Philadelphia. Candidates who demonstrate cross-functional technical leadership and experience guiding engineering teams through complex system design stand out. Building connections through local tech meetups and Philadelphia-area engineering communities also accelerates the search.
Which companies hire principal engineers in Philadelphia?
Companies currently hiring principal engineers in Philadelphia include Comcast, Temple Health, and Medical Guardian, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Philadelphia's mix of large health systems, mid-size fintech firms, and defense contractors means opportunities exist across a wide range of technical environments and company scales.
Are there remote principal engineer jobs in Philadelphia?
Yes, though availability depends on the role, principal engineering positions tied to software architecture and platform work are more frequently remote than those in hardware, infrastructure, or regulated defense environments. About 57% of principal engineer openings tied to Philadelphia are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with hybrid arrangements most common among Center City fintech and healthtech employers.
How can I get a principal engineer job in Philadelphia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through senior engineer roles at Philadelphia's mid-size technology companies or health system IT departments, where promotion tracks to principal are more defined than at large enterprises. University City employers affiliated with Penn Medicine or CHOP occasionally offer structured engineering development programs. Building a portfolio of system design work and leading at least one major technical initiative internally will help make the transition to a principal-level role.
Related Jobs in Pennsylvania
See All 75 Principal Engineer Jobs in Philadelphia
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