Principal Engineer Jobs in Rhode Island
Principal Engineer jobs in Rhode Island concentrate in defense systems, biomedical technology, and marine engineering, with the state's compact geography keeping most openings within the Providence metro and the East Bay corridor. Major employers with lasting hiring footprints here include Raytheon Technologies, Amgen, and Textron Systems, all of which regularly recruit at the senior individual-contributor and staff-engineer levels. The most in-demand specialties are systems engineering, embedded software, and mechanical design for defense and life-sciences platforms. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 22+ Principal Engineer jobs
Description
Principal Software Engineer
Job Summary
The Principal Software Engineer is responsible for leading the design, development, and evolution of scalable, resilient, reliable, and intelligent software systems. This role combines deep technical leadership with hands-on engineering expertise and requires a customer-centric, forward-looking mindset to integrate AI-driven development practices and agent-based architectures into modern software delivery.
The Principal Software Engineer serves as a technical authority and innovation leader, shaping architecture, mentoring engineers, and driving engineering excellence. Expertise in cloud-native architectures, modern development frameworks, and software engineering best practices is essential for delivering high-quality, secure, and scalable solutions.
Key Responsibilities
Software Engineering & Delivery
- Design and develop full-stack applications while ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture standards.
- Participate in Agile software development practices and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
- Design, modify, develop, and implement modern application components, tools, and services that support strategic business objectives.
- Build scalable, maintainable, resilient, and highly available distributed systems.
- software security best practices throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
- Identify, prevent, and remediate security vulnerabilities to protect systems and sensitive data.
- Serve as a technical leader and mentor, promoting innovation, accountability, and engineering excellence.
- Contribute to architectural decisions and technology strategy.
AI-Driven Development & Agentic Engineering
- Leverage AI-assisted development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot and similar technologies) to improve engineering productivity and code quality.
- Design and implement agentic workflows throughout the software development lifecycle.
- Utilize AI technologies for:
- Code generation
- Code refactoring
- Code optimization
- Automated code review
- Quality analysis
- Intelligent test generation
- Defect detection
- Develop and integrate AI-powered applications and services.
- Build customer-facing solutions utilizing Large Language Models (LLMs).
- Implement AI-driven automation for engineering and operational processes.
- Develop multi-agent workflows for orchestration and automated decision-making.
- advanced AI solution patterns including:
- Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)
- Prompt engineering
- Context management
- Agent orchestration
- Tool integration
- Ensure secure, compliant, and responsible use of AI technologies, particularly when handling regulated financial data.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related technical discipline.
- 7+ years of hands-on software development experience delivering and supporting commercial software applications.
- Demonstrated experience leading, mentoring, and developing engineering talent.
- Strong experience developing applications using Node.js and modern Node.js frameworks.
- Hands-on experience with Java, Spring, and Spring Boot.
- Experience with modern front-end frameworks such as Angular, React, or similar technologies.
- Strong understanding of authentication and security protocols including OAuth and SAML.
- Experience implementing security controls and protecting enterprise systems and data.
- Experience building and supporting containerized applications using Docker, Kubernetes, and/or OpenShift.
- Cloud platform experience with AWS, Microsoft Azure, and/or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
- Experience developing and deploying solutions that manage sensitive or regulated data.
- Strong knowledge of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) processes.
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps tooling, including:
- Jenkins
- Harness
- Git
- Bitbucket
- Nexus
- Experience with relational databases including:
- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
- Oracle
- Experience with NoSQL databases such as MongoDB.
- Strong understanding of data structures and algorithms.
- Experience utilizing code quality and code coverage tools.
- Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Hands-on experience using AI-assisted development tools such as GitHub Copilot or equivalent.
- Familiarity with Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI application development concepts.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience developing applications with Go and/or Python.
- Experience working with streaming and event-driven platforms including:
- Kafka
- Amazon Kinesis
- Amazon SQS
- Apache Storm
- 3+ years of experience within financial services, consumer banking, wealth management, or trading environments.
- Understanding of banking systems, operations, and financial services processes.
- Experience with Domain-Driven Design (DDD).
- Experience implementing Command Query Responsibility Segregation (CQRS).
- Cloud certifications such as:
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect
- AWS Certified Developer
- Equivalent Azure or GCP certifications
Technical Skills
Programming Languages
- Node JS
- Java
- Python
- GO
Front-End Technologies
- Angular
- React
Frameworks
- Spring
- Spring Boot
- Node.js Frameworks
Cloud Platforms
- AWS
- Azure
- GCP
Containerization & Orchestration
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- OpenShift
Databases
- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
- Oracle
- MongoDB
DevOps & CI/CD
- Jenkins
- Harness
- Git
- Bitbucket
- Nexus
Security
- OAuth
- SAML
- Secure SDLC Practices
AI & Emerging Technology
- GitHub Copilot
- Large Language Models (LLMs)
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
- Prompt Engineering
- Agentic AI Workflows
- Agent Orchestration
- AI Automation
What Sets This Role Apart
- Lead digital-first banking transformation initiatives.
- Drive adoption of AI-powered and agentic software engineering practices.
- Influence enterprise architecture and next-generation development methodologies.
- Partner with engineering leaders to shape the future of software delivery and innovation.
Hours & Work Schedule
- Hours per Week: 40
- Work Schedule: Monday - Friday
Some job boards have started using jobseeker-reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.
Background Check
Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the candidate successfully passing a background check, which may include initial credit, motor vehicle record, public record, prior employment verification, and criminal background checks. Results of the background check are individually reviewed based upon legal requirements imposed by our regulators and with consideration of the nature and gravity of the background history and the job offered. Any offer of employment will include further information.
Benefits
We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more.
Awards We've Received
Glassdoor Best Place to Work in Consulting, Finance & Insurance
Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index 100 Award
Newsweek America's Most Charitable Company
The Banker's
US Bank of the Year
Dave Thomas Foundation’s Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace
Disability:IN Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion
Description
Principal Software Engineer
Job Summary
The Principal Software Engineer is responsible for leading the design, development, and evolution of scalable, resilient, reliable, and intelligent software systems. This role combines deep technical leadership with hands-on engineering expertise and requires a customer-centric, forward-looking mindset to integrate AI-driven development practices and agent-based architectures into modern software delivery.
The Principal Software Engineer serves as a technical authority and innovation leader, shaping architecture, mentoring engineers, and driving engineering excellence. Expertise in cloud-native architectures, modern development frameworks, and software engineering best practices is essential for delivering high-quality, secure, and scalable solutions.
Key Responsibilities
Software Engineering & Delivery
- Design and develop full-stack applications while ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture standards.
- Participate in Agile software development practices and collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
- Design, modify, develop, and implement modern application components, tools, and services that support strategic business objectives.
- Build scalable, maintainable, resilient, and highly available distributed systems.
- software security best practices throughout the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
- Identify, prevent, and remediate security vulnerabilities to protect systems and sensitive data.
- Serve as a technical leader and mentor, promoting innovation, accountability, and engineering excellence.
- Contribute to architectural decisions and technology strategy.
AI-Driven Development & Agentic Engineering
- Leverage AI-assisted development tools (e.g., GitHub Copilot and similar technologies) to improve engineering productivity and code quality.
- Design and implement agentic workflows throughout the software development lifecycle.
- Utilize AI technologies for:
- Code generation
- Code refactoring
- Code optimization
- Automated code review
- Quality analysis
- Intelligent test generation
- Defect detection
- Develop and integrate AI-powered applications and services.
- Build customer-facing solutions utilizing Large Language Models (LLMs).
- Implement AI-driven automation for engineering and operational processes.
- Develop multi-agent workflows for orchestration and automated decision-making.
- advanced AI solution patterns including:
- Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG)
- Prompt engineering
- Context management
- Agent orchestration
- Tool integration
- Ensure secure, compliant, and responsible use of AI technologies, particularly when handling regulated financial data.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Engineering, Mathematics, or a related technical discipline.
- 7+ years of hands-on software development experience delivering and supporting commercial software applications.
- Demonstrated experience leading, mentoring, and developing engineering talent.
- Strong experience developing applications using Node.js and modern Node.js frameworks.
- Hands-on experience with Java, Spring, and Spring Boot.
- Experience with modern front-end frameworks such as Angular, React, or similar technologies.
- Strong understanding of authentication and security protocols including OAuth and SAML.
- Experience implementing security controls and protecting enterprise systems and data.
- Experience building and supporting containerized applications using Docker, Kubernetes, and/or OpenShift.
- Cloud platform experience with AWS, Microsoft Azure, and/or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
- Experience developing and deploying solutions that manage sensitive or regulated data.
- Strong knowledge of Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) processes.
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps tooling, including:
- Jenkins
- Harness
- Git
- Bitbucket
- Nexus
- Experience with relational databases including:
- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
- Oracle
- Experience with NoSQL databases such as MongoDB.
- Strong understanding of data structures and algorithms.
- Experience utilizing code quality and code coverage tools.
- Strong verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Hands-on experience using AI-assisted development tools such as GitHub Copilot or equivalent.
- Familiarity with Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI application development concepts.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience developing applications with Go and/or Python.
- Experience working with streaming and event-driven platforms including:
- Kafka
- Amazon Kinesis
- Amazon SQS
- Apache Storm
- 3+ years of experience within financial services, consumer banking, wealth management, or trading environments.
- Understanding of banking systems, operations, and financial services processes.
- Experience with Domain-Driven Design (DDD).
- Experience implementing Command Query Responsibility Segregation (CQRS).
- Cloud certifications such as:
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect
- AWS Certified Developer
- Equivalent Azure or GCP certifications
Technical Skills
Programming Languages
- Node JS
- Java
- Python
- GO
Front-End Technologies
- Angular
- React
Frameworks
- Spring
- Spring Boot
- Node.js Frameworks
Cloud Platforms
- AWS
- Azure
- GCP
Containerization & Orchestration
- Docker
- Kubernetes
- OpenShift
Databases
- MySQL
- PostgreSQL
- Oracle
- MongoDB
DevOps & CI/CD
- Jenkins
- Harness
- Git
- Bitbucket
- Nexus
Security
- OAuth
- SAML
- Secure SDLC Practices
AI & Emerging Technology
- GitHub Copilot
- Large Language Models (LLMs)
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
- Prompt Engineering
- Agentic AI Workflows
- Agent Orchestration
- AI Automation
What Sets This Role Apart
- Lead digital-first banking transformation initiatives.
- Drive adoption of AI-powered and agentic software engineering practices.
- Influence enterprise architecture and next-generation development methodologies.
- Partner with engineering leaders to shape the future of software delivery and innovation.
Hours & Work Schedule
- Hours per Week: 40
- Work Schedule: Monday - Friday
Some job boards have started using jobseeker-reported data to estimate salary ranges for roles. If you apply and qualify for this role, a recruiter will discuss accurate pay guidance.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Citizens, its parent, subsidiaries, and related companies (Citizens) provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all colleagues and applicants for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, citizenship, physical or mental disability, perceived disability or history or record of a disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, genetic characteristic, marital or domestic partner status, victim of domestic violence, family status/parenthood, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, pregnancy/childbirth/lactation, colleague’s or a dependent’s reproductive health decision making, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by federal, state and/or local laws. At Citizens, we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that enables all colleagues to bring their best selves to work every day and everyone is expected to be treated with respect and professionalism. Employment decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications, performance and capability.
Background Check
Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the candidate successfully passing a background check, which may include initial credit, motor vehicle record, public record, prior employment verification, and criminal background checks. Results of the background check are individually reviewed based upon legal requirements imposed by our regulators and with consideration of the nature and gravity of the background history and the job offered. Any offer of employment will include further information.
Benefits
We offer competitive pay, comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, maternity/paternity leave, flexible work arrangements, education reimbursement, wellness programs and more.
Awards We've Received
Glassdoor Best Place to Work in Consulting, Finance & Insurance
Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index 100 Award
Newsweek America's Most Charitable Company
The Banker's
US Bank of the Year
Dave Thomas Foundation’s Best Adoption-Friendly Workplace
Disability:IN Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion
See All 22 Principal Engineer Jobs in Rhode Island
Find roles in Rhode Island that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Engineer JobsPrincipal Engineer Jobs by City in Rhode Island
Where Rhode Island roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Engineer Job Market in Rhode Island
A snapshot from current Rhode Island openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Raytheon7
- CVS Health5
- Citizens4
- Fidelity Investments2
- Nordson1
Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services4
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals4
- Manufacturing1
- Electronics & Hardware1
- Investment & Asset Management1
What Rhode Island Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal engineer jobs across Rhode Island.
- Bachelor's degree in engineering recognized by ABET, with Rhode Island PE licensure preferred for infrastructure or systems roles
- Eight or more years of hands-on engineering experience with at least three in a lead or staff-level capacity
- Demonstrated ownership of full product or system lifecycle from concept through production or deployment
- Experience mentoring junior engineers and driving technical roadmaps across cross-functional teams
- Proficiency in relevant domain tools such as MATLAB, SolidWorks, CAD platforms, or embedded development environments
- Active or eligible U.S. security clearance for defense-sector roles, particularly those tied to Naval Station Newport
Principal Engineer Jobs in Rhode Island: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal engineer in Rhode Island?
Reaching a principal engineer level in Rhode Island typically requires a bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline and several years of progressively senior technical experience. For roles in civil, structural, or environmental work, the Rhode Island State Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors issues the Professional Engineer license required to stamp drawings and lead public projects. Defense and biomedical employers generally look for deep domain expertise and a history of leading complex technical programs rather than a state license.
Which companies hire principal engineers in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island principal engineer roles are posted by Raytheon, CVS Health, and Citizens and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Rhode Island's defense corridor around Providence and Newport drives a steady share of these openings, alongside life-sciences employers concentrated in the Wrentham and East Providence areas.
Which Rhode Island cities have the most principal engineer jobs?
Portsmouth, Johnston, and Rhode Island have the most principal engineer openings in Rhode Island right now. Providence anchors the market as the state's largest city and home to major defense contractors and biomedical firms, while smaller cities like Woonsocket and East Greenwich show up because of established corporate campuses and manufacturing sites that employ sizable engineering teams.
Are there remote principal engineer jobs in Rhode Island?
Yes, and more than most hands-on engineering fields, particularly for software-focused or systems-architecture principal roles. About 44% of principal engineer openings tied to Rhode Island are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, reflecting demand from technology and defense-software employers. The portions of the role most amenable to remote work are design review, architecture planning, and cross-team technical leadership, while lab, hardware, or classified work typically requires on-site presence.
How can I get hired as a principal engineer in Rhode Island with little or no experience?
The most realistic path is entering through an associate or junior engineer role and building toward the principal level over several years. Raytheon Technologies and Textron Systems in Rhode Island both run structured rotational and new-graduate programs that place early-career engineers on senior-led project teams. Gaining Rhode Island PE licensure early signals commitment and opens doors on infrastructure and defense programs. Lateral moves from adjacent roles such as senior software engineer, systems engineer, or technical project manager at mid-size Rhode Island manufacturers are also common stepping stones.
Where can I find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Rhode Island?
You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Rhode Island on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings in the state. Search the roles that match your background and apply directly to whichever ones fit your experience and preferred location.
See All 22 Principal Engineer Jobs in Rhode Island
Find roles in Rhode Island that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Engineer Jobs