Principal Jobs in Santa Clara, CA

Principal jobs in Santa Clara are concentrated in the Central Expressway corridor, the Lawrence Expressway tech belt, and the Mission District, driven by demand from semiconductor firms, enterprise software companies, and defense contractors. Employers posting openings right now include Marvell Technology, Palo Alto Networks, and NVIDIA. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.

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Overview

Open roles786+
Top employerMarvell Technology
Work type77% Hybrid
Top credentialBachelor's degree in electrical engineering
Companies hiring17

Showing 5 of 786+ Principal jobs

Principal Engineer Software (Device Security - Generative AI Back End)
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Added 2d ago
Principal Engineer Software (Device Security - Generative AI Back End)
Palo Alto Networks
Santa Clara, California
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Product Management
Software Engineering
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
$156k - $253k/yr
Bachelor of Science
10,000+

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Principal Outbound Product Manager
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Added 3d ago
Principal Outbound Product Manager
BMC Software
Santa Clara, California
Compliance & Risk
IT Support
Project Management
Experience equivalent to degree accepted
5,001-10,000

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Principal Software Engineer (AI Posture)
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Added 3d ago
Principal Software Engineer (AI Posture)
Palo Alto Networks
Santa Clara, California
AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Data Science
Software Engineering
$156k - $253k/yr
10,000+

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Principal Infrastructure Architect – Cloud & SaaS Platforms
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Added 3d ago
Principal Infrastructure Architect – Cloud & SaaS Platforms
McAfee
Santa Clara, California
Cloud Architecture
Network Engineering
Solutions Architecture
$172k - $283k/yr
Hybrid
1,001-5,000

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Sr Principal DevOps Engineer (AIOps)
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Added 3d ago
Sr Principal DevOps Engineer (AIOps)
Palo Alto Networks
Santa Clara, California
Cloud Architecture
Network Engineering
Solutions Architecture
$178k - $287k/yr
10,000+

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See All 786+ Principal Jobs in Santa Clara

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

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Principal Job Market in Santa Clara

Who's Hiring

  • Marvell Technology184
  • Palo Alto Networks184
  • NVIDIA112
  • Upscale82
  • Oracle51

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software

Principal Jobs in Santa Clara: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get a principal job in Santa Clara?

Focus on Santa Clara's dominant sectors: semiconductor design, enterprise software, and defense technology, which concentrate along the Lawrence Expressway corridor and the Central Expressway strip. Candidates who stand out typically bring deep domain expertise in one of these verticals, experience leading cross-functional initiatives at scale, and familiarity with the fast-paced engineering culture common at Santa Clara's largest employers. Tailoring your application to show technical depth and leadership scope gives you a clear edge locally.

Which companies hire principals in Santa Clara?

Santa Clara principal roles are posted by Marvell Technology, Palo Alto Networks, and NVIDIA and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. The local market skews heavily toward large semiconductor manufacturers, cloud infrastructure firms, and defense primes that maintain significant engineering operations within Santa Clara city limits.

Are there remote principal jobs in Santa Clara?

Yes, though availability depends heavily on the type of principal role, with strategy and program-focused positions far more remote-friendly than lab, hardware, or facilities-based ones. About 92% of principal openings tied to Santa Clara are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the mix of on-site and distributed work common across the city's tech employers. Product and software principal roles tend to offer the most scheduling flexibility locally.

How can I get a principal job in Santa Clara with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is moving into a senior individual contributor role at one of Santa Clara's mid-size semiconductor or enterprise software companies and building toward principal designation from within. Look for senior engineer, senior architect, or senior program manager titles at growing Santa Clara firms that promote from within rather than only hiring externals. Contract or project-based roles with local defense contractors can also provide the high-visibility work needed to build a portfolio that supports a principal-level candidacy.

Which industries hire the most principals in Santa Clara?

The sectors hiring the most principals in Santa Clara are Technology & Software, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Santa Clara's status as a global hub for semiconductor fabrication and enterprise cloud infrastructure means these sectors consistently generate principal-level demand well above what you'd find in comparable Bay Area cities.

See All 786+ Principal Jobs in Santa Clara

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

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