Principal Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Principal Engineer jobs in Tennessee are concentrated in advanced manufacturing, defense and aerospace, energy infrastructure, and enterprise software, with demand reaching from mid-level technical leads through senior staff and distinguished engineer levels. Nashville, Knoxville, and Huntsville-adjacent corridor communities anchor most of the hiring, and established employers such as Bridgestone Americas, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and HCA Healthcare regularly carry open principal engineer requisitions. Systems architecture, embedded software, and mechanical and civil infrastructure engineering draw the strongest and most consistent demand from Tennessee hiring managers. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 36+ Principal Engineer jobs
INTRODUCTION
In this role, you will design, integrate, and support enterprise physical security systems protecting people, facilities, data centers, and critical assets. Technologies include access control, video management, biometric authentication, cabinet security, and electronic key and asset management.
This senior individual-contributor role requires expertise across physical security applications, databases, servers, and networks. You will work with Lenel Access Control, Alcatraz AI, Digitus, Traka, Milestone, and related technologies throughout their design, deployment, operation, and lifecycle.
You will partner with Physical Security, IT, Cybersecurity, Facilities, Data Center Operations, project teams, and vendors to deliver secure, scalable, and reliable solutions.
Responsibilities
- Design and engineer enterprise access control, video surveillance, biometric authentication, cabinet security, and key-management solutions.
- Administer and integrate Lenel Access Control, Alcatraz AI, Digitus, Traka, Milestone, and associated infrastructure.
- Develop architecture, technical standards, specifications, and implementation plans for installations, upgrades, and system modernization.
- Lead technical work from requirements and design through testing, commissioning, and production support.
- Integrate physical security platforms with identity systems, directories, databases, networks, APIs, and monitoring tools.
- Use SQL queries to analyze data, validate system behavior, support integrations, and troubleshoot issues.
- Apply knowledge of TCP/IP, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, routing, switching, firewalls, ports, protocols, and network segmentation.
- Use approved AI tools, including ChatGPT and Codex, for research, analysis, documentation, scripting, automation, and troubleshooting.
- Verify AI-generated work for accuracy, security, privacy, and compliance before use.
- Troubleshoot complex issues across applications, servers, databases, networks, integrations, controllers, cameras, readers, and biometric devices.
- Partner with IT and Cybersecurity teams on network segmentation, system hardening, patching, monitoring, and vulnerability management.
- Evaluate new technologies through technical assessments, proof-of-concept testing, and risk analysis.
- Produce and maintain architecture diagrams, configurations, operating procedures, deployment guides, and support documentation.
- Provide technical oversight to vendors and integrators and review designs, proposals, and completed work.
- Lead technical incident response, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions.
- Serve as a senior escalation point and mentor engineers, analysts, and operational teams.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Five or more years of experience designing, implementing, or supporting enterprise physical security systems or comparable integrated technologies.
- Hands-on experience with access control, video management, biometric security, cabinet security, or electronic key management.
- Experience with Lenel Access Control and one or more of the following: Alcatraz AI, Digitus, Traka, or Milestone.
- Ability to use SQL queries for data analysis, integrations, and troubleshooting.
- Strong understanding of enterprise IP networking, including TCP/IP, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, routing, switching, firewalls, and network segmentation.
- Working knowledge of Windows servers, databases, virtualization, APIs, authentication, certificates, and enterprise integrations.
- Ability to use ChatGPT, Codex, or similar AI tools productively while protecting confidential information and validating outputs.
- Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex issues spanning applications, databases, servers, networks, integrations, and field devices.
- Experience developing technical designs, standards, implementation plans, and operational documentation.
- Ability to independently lead complex technical initiatives and influence decisions across teams.
- Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- LenelS2 OnGuard certification or equivalent access-control platform training.
- Milestone Certified Integration Technician, Milestone Certified Integration Engineer, or comparable certification.
- Manufacturer-authorized training for Alcatraz AI, Digitus, Traka, or other relevant platforms.
- ASIS Physical Security Professional or another recognized physical security credential.
- Cisco CCNA or equivalent networking knowledge.
- Experience integrating physical security systems with identity, HR, directory, visitor-management, or monitoring platforms.
- Experience with APIs, scripting, automation, SQL, and AI-assisted engineering tools.
- Knowledge of cybersecurity and lifecycle-management practices for physical security systems.
- Experience supporting geographically distributed, datacenter, high-availability, or mission-critical environments.
INTRODUCTION
In this role, you will design, integrate, and support enterprise physical security systems protecting people, facilities, data centers, and critical assets. Technologies include access control, video management, biometric authentication, cabinet security, and electronic key and asset management.
This senior individual-contributor role requires expertise across physical security applications, databases, servers, and networks. You will work with Lenel Access Control, Alcatraz AI, Digitus, Traka, Milestone, and related technologies throughout their design, deployment, operation, and lifecycle.
You will partner with Physical Security, IT, Cybersecurity, Facilities, Data Center Operations, project teams, and vendors to deliver secure, scalable, and reliable solutions.
Responsibilities
- Design and engineer enterprise access control, video surveillance, biometric authentication, cabinet security, and key-management solutions.
- Administer and integrate Lenel Access Control, Alcatraz AI, Digitus, Traka, Milestone, and associated infrastructure.
- Develop architecture, technical standards, specifications, and implementation plans for installations, upgrades, and system modernization.
- Lead technical work from requirements and design through testing, commissioning, and production support.
- Integrate physical security platforms with identity systems, directories, databases, networks, APIs, and monitoring tools.
- Use SQL queries to analyze data, validate system behavior, support integrations, and troubleshoot issues.
- Apply knowledge of TCP/IP, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, routing, switching, firewalls, ports, protocols, and network segmentation.
- Use approved AI tools, including ChatGPT and Codex, for research, analysis, documentation, scripting, automation, and troubleshooting.
- Verify AI-generated work for accuracy, security, privacy, and compliance before use.
- Troubleshoot complex issues across applications, servers, databases, networks, integrations, controllers, cameras, readers, and biometric devices.
- Partner with IT and Cybersecurity teams on network segmentation, system hardening, patching, monitoring, and vulnerability management.
- Evaluate new technologies through technical assessments, proof-of-concept testing, and risk analysis.
- Produce and maintain architecture diagrams, configurations, operating procedures, deployment guides, and support documentation.
- Provide technical oversight to vendors and integrators and review designs, proposals, and completed work.
- Lead technical incident response, root-cause analysis, and corrective actions.
- Serve as a senior escalation point and mentor engineers, analysts, and operational teams.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Five or more years of experience designing, implementing, or supporting enterprise physical security systems or comparable integrated technologies.
- Hands-on experience with access control, video management, biometric security, cabinet security, or electronic key management.
- Experience with Lenel Access Control and one or more of the following: Alcatraz AI, Digitus, Traka, or Milestone.
- Ability to use SQL queries for data analysis, integrations, and troubleshooting.
- Strong understanding of enterprise IP networking, including TCP/IP, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, routing, switching, firewalls, and network segmentation.
- Working knowledge of Windows servers, databases, virtualization, APIs, authentication, certificates, and enterprise integrations.
- Ability to use ChatGPT, Codex, or similar AI tools productively while protecting confidential information and validating outputs.
- Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex issues spanning applications, databases, servers, networks, integrations, and field devices.
- Experience developing technical designs, standards, implementation plans, and operational documentation.
- Ability to independently lead complex technical initiatives and influence decisions across teams.
- Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- LenelS2 OnGuard certification or equivalent access-control platform training.
- Milestone Certified Integration Technician, Milestone Certified Integration Engineer, or comparable certification.
- Manufacturer-authorized training for Alcatraz AI, Digitus, Traka, or other relevant platforms.
- ASIS Physical Security Professional or another recognized physical security credential.
- Cisco CCNA or equivalent networking knowledge.
- Experience integrating physical security systems with identity, HR, directory, visitor-management, or monitoring platforms.
- Experience with APIs, scripting, automation, SQL, and AI-assisted engineering tools.
- Knowledge of cybersecurity and lifecycle-management practices for physical security systems.
- Experience supporting geographically distributed, datacenter, high-availability, or mission-critical environments.
See All 36 Principal Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Principal Engineer JobsPrincipal Engineer Jobs by City in Tennessee
Where Tennessee roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Engineer Job Market in Tennessee
A snapshot from current Tennessee openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Oracle18
- OHM Advisors4
- CVS Health2
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital2
- Qualus1
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software11
- Healthcare & Medical Services2
- Retail1
- Construction & Real Estate1
- E-Commerce & Online Marketplaces1
What Tennessee Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal engineer jobs across Tennessee.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in engineering or a closely related technical discipline required
- Ten or more years of progressive engineering experience with demonstrated technical leadership
- Ability to obtain or hold Professional Engineer licensure recognized by the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners
- Proven experience owning system-level design decisions across complex, multi-team engineering programs
- Proficiency in architecture or design tools relevant to the specialty, such as CAD, MATLAB, or cloud platforms
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional stakeholder engagement and design documentation
Principal Engineer Jobs in Tennessee: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal engineer in Tennessee?
Most principal engineer roles in Tennessee require a bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline and many years of progressively senior technical experience, typically a decade or more. For roles in civil, structural, mechanical, or related fields, licensure as a Professional Engineer through the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners strengthens candidacy significantly and is required for certain public-sector and infrastructure roles. Employers in defense and energy sectors often also expect relevant domain certifications or security clearances.
Which companies hire principal engineers in Tennessee?
Employers hiring principal engineers in Tennessee right now include Oracle, OHM Advisors, and CVS Health, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Tennessee's concentration of defense contractors near Oak Ridge, large manufacturing headquarters around Nashville, and growing enterprise technology operations across the state means the employer mix tends to skew toward established industrial and infrastructure organizations rather than early-stage startups.
Which Tennessee cities have the most principal engineer jobs?
Nashville, Memphis, and Tennessee account for the largest concentration of principal engineer openings in Tennessee. Nashville drives volume through its headquarters-heavy corporate base and growing technology sector, Knoxville benefits from proximity to Oak Ridge National Laboratory and University of Tennessee research partnerships, and smaller metros round out the list where anchor manufacturers or utilities maintain large engineering campuses that generate consistent senior-level demand.
Are there remote principal engineer jobs in Tennessee?
Yes, though availability varies considerably by specialty. About 31% of principal engineer openings tied to Tennessee are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, reflecting the mixed nature of the role. Software and cloud architecture specialties carry the most remote flexibility, while principal engineers in manufacturing, facilities, or embedded hardware are almost always required on-site given the hands-on coordination their work demands.
How can I get hired as a principal engineer in Tennessee with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is through an associate or staff engineer role at a large Tennessee employer, building toward the principal level over time. Employers such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory and major Nashville-area manufacturers run structured new-graduate and early-career programs that place candidates in rotational or mentored positions. Pursuing a Professional Engineer license through the Tennessee Board of Architectural and Engineering Examiners, even while still at the engineer-in-training stage, signals long-term commitment and accelerates progression toward principal-level consideration.
Where can I find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Tennessee?
You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Tennessee on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers hiring across the state right now. Search the listings for roles that match your specialty and experience level, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 36 Principal Engineer Jobs in Tennessee
Find roles in Tennessee that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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