Principal Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Principal Engineer jobs in Virginia are in high demand, with active hiring concentrated in defense and national security contracting, cloud infrastructure, and systems engineering across a wide seniority range from senior staff to distinguished engineering levels. Northern Virginia, the Richmond metro, and Hampton Roads account for the largest share of openings, with established employers like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Northrop Grumman among the most consistent hirers in the state. Software architecture, systems integration, and embedded systems are the specializations drawing the most sustained interest from Virginia employers. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

Find Principal Engineer Jobs

Overview

Open roles162+
Top employerNorthrop Grumman
Top cityChantilly, VA
Cities hiring34
Work type58% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 162+ Principal Engineer jobs

Northrop Grumman
Sr Principal AI Engineer Systems
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Northrop Grumman
Added 1d ago
Sr Principal AI Engineer Systems
Northrop Grumman
Chantilly, Virginia
Cloud Engineering
DevOps
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
$172k - $258k/yr
AWS Certification
10,000+

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Iridium Satellite, LLC
Principal Security Design Engineer
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Iridium Satellite, LLC
Added 2d ago
Principal Security Design Engineer
Iridium Satellite, LLC
McLean, Virginia
Cloud & DevOps
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Technical Program Management
Hybrid

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E Logic
Land Mobile Radio Engineer – Principal
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E Logic
Added 2d ago
Land Mobile Radio Engineer – Principal
E Logic
Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Customer Support
IT Support
Technical Program Management
Remote (US)
Bachelor's degree in information technology

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E Logic
NG-911 PSAP Voice Engineer – Principal
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E Logic
Added 2d ago
NG-911 PSAP Voice Engineer – Principal
E Logic
Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Customer Support
IT Support
Technical Program Management
Remote (US)
Bachelor's degree in information technology

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E Logic
NG-911 PSAP Engineer – Principal
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E Logic
Added 2d ago
NG-911 PSAP Engineer – Principal
E Logic
Fort Belvoir, Virginia
Customer Support
IT Support
Technical Program Management
Remote (US)
Bachelor's degree in engineering

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See All 162+ Principal Engineer Jobs in Virginia

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

Find Principal Engineer Jobs

Principal Engineer Jobs by City in Virginia

Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Chantilly
28 jobs
Arlington
17 jobs
Reston
11 jobs
Sterling
11 jobs
Manassas
10 jobs
McLean
9 jobs
Herndon
9 jobs
Fairfax
8 jobs
Dulles
7 jobs

Principal Engineer Job Market in Virginia

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

Who's Hiring

  • Northrop Grumman
    Northrop Grumman19
  • SAIC
    SAIC14
  • General Dynamics Information Technology
    General Dynamics Information Technology11
  • Trident Systems
    Trident Systems7
  • MITRE
    MITRE6

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software

What Virginia Employers Look For

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

  • Active Secret or Top Secret clearance required or eligibility to obtain one
  • Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or related engineering discipline
  • Ten or more years of progressive software or systems engineering experience
  • Demonstrated experience leading technical design decisions across large cross-functional teams
  • Deep expertise in cloud platforms, distributed systems, or embedded systems architecture
  • Strong communication skills to present technical direction to senior leadership and stakeholders

Principal Engineer Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a principal engineer in Virginia?

Most principal engineer roles in Virginia are reached through cumulative technical experience rather than a state-issued license, though engineers working on public infrastructure or civil systems may pursue a Professional Engineer license through the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation. Hiring managers in defense contracting and tech expect a bachelor's or master's in an engineering discipline, deep domain expertise, and a portfolio of architecture or system design decisions that demonstrate technical leadership at scale.

Which companies hire principal engineers in Virginia?

Employers hiring principal engineers in Virginia right now include Northrop Grumman, SAIC, and General Dynamics Information Technology, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Virginia's concentration of federal contractors and technology firms in the Northern Virginia corridor makes it one of the most active states for senior engineering talent.

Which Virginia cities have the most principal engineer jobs?

Chantilly, Arlington, and Reston have the most principal engineer openings in Virginia. Northern Virginia dominates because of its proximity to federal agencies and the dense cluster of defense and intelligence contractors headquartered there, while Richmond and Hampton Roads draw hiring from state government technology modernization projects and large naval and aerospace employers respectively.

Are there remote principal engineer jobs in Virginia?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 42% of principal engineer openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how much of the work involves architecture, code review, and system design that travels well. Roles tied to classified government programs or on-site infrastructure are the most likely to require in-person presence in Northern Virginia or Hampton Roads.

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

The most realistic entry path is through a staff or senior engineer role at a large Virginia defense contractor or technology firm, where internal promotion tracks allow engineers to grow into principal-level scope over time. Employers like Leidos, Booz Allen Hamilton, and MITRE run new-graduate and rotational programs that place engineers on complex federal programs early. Building a portfolio of system design work, contributing to open-source architecture projects, or earning a cloud certification strengthens candidacy significantly in the Virginia market.

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

You can find and apply to principal engineer jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from Virginia employers. Find the roles that fit your background and apply directly from the listings.

See All 162+ Principal Engineer Jobs in Virginia

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

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