Principal Jobs in Durham, NC
Principal jobs in Durham, North Carolina are concentrated in Research Triangle Park, downtown Durham, and the Ninth Street and Duke University corridors, with strong demand across K-12 education, life sciences, and professional services. Employers hiring right now include City of Durham, NC, IQVIA, and Fidelity Investments. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 98+ Principal jobs
$87,367.00 - $135,428.00 Annually
101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC
Full time with benefits
Flexible/Hybrid
26-06188
Environmental & Street Services
10/30/2026
Continuous
Position Description
Work. Serve. Thrive. With the City of Durham
Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.
Salary Range: $87,367 - $135,428
Hiring Range: $87,367 - $104,840
Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday - Friday
This position is eligible for a one-time $5,000 sign-on bonus that will be paid upon successful completion of the new hire’s six-month probationary period. Internal promotional/transfer hires are not eligible.
***This position will also be posted as a Senior Engineer (CE II). Only one position will be filled depending on qualifications. You must apply for both positions to be considered for either the Sr. Engineer (CE II) or the Principal Engineer (CE III).
Top-notch management, highly qualified, competent staff and opportunities for career advancement and professional success make the City of Durham’s Environmental and Street Services a great place to work. We create the foundation on which Durham is built, using innovative methods that support the City’s growth and enhance our quality of life. If growing professionally while serving your community is for you, bring your skills to Durham!
To prepare complex professional civil engineering work performed in the planning, surveying, design, review, contracting, inspection, field supervision, and maintenance of multiple types of municipal engineering projects and systems. These types of systems include but are not limited to roads, water systems, sewer systems, stormwater conveyance systems, stormwater management systems, wastewater treatment systems, water treatment systems, reservoir and pumping systems. Other duties include providing administrative direction to staff, attending meetings on projects with internal and external customers, teaching and instruction of others in entry and advanced level civil engineering work, and development of entry level management skill sets. Work is performed under limited direct supervision.
Duties/Responsibilities
- Responsible for the preparation of professional civil engineering work performed in the planning, surveying, design, review, contracting, inspection, field supervision, and maintenance of multiple types of municipal engineering projects and systems. Develops entry level management skill sets.
- Oversees data analysis by obtaining electronic data; reviewing raw data for accuracy; analyzing data for trends; and developing written reports.
- Attends meetings on all types of engineering systems and interacts with internal and external customers to provide assistance as needed.
- Provides technical and administrative support to supervising professional engineer; responding to and investigating questions or concerns; and typing and sending technical correspondence.
- Completes special projects by preparing presentations; participating in seminars; and updating standards & procedures.
Minimum Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a directly related field.
- Five years of professional engineering experience in the area of assignment.
- A North Carolina Professional Engineer Registration or Professional Engineer Registration from another state.
- Valid North Carolina Class C Driver’s License with a satisfactory driving record acquired within a time frame established by the City.
Additional Preferred Skills
- Prefer candidates with four (4) or more years in site civil engineering as a professional engineer along with some municipal experience; or any equivalent combination of training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. This includes design experience in water lines, sewer lines, storm drainage systems, street plan and profiles, and sidewalks.
- Experience in acquiring local permits (water, sewer, stormwater, stream buffer, NCDOT, railroad, etc.), highly desirable.
- Must be proficient in AUTOCAD 3D 2012 or newer.
- Must be able to design waterlines, sewer lines, streets, storm pipe systems.
- At least one (1) year of supervisory or management experience.
Benefits – General Full-Time Employees
- 12-13 paid holidays per year
- 13 standard work days of vacation per year
- 13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement
- 2 weeks paid military leave per year
- Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans
- State and City retirement plans
- Short and long term disability plans
- Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions
- City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System
- Paid funeral leave
- Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling
- Paid life insurance equal to annual salary
- 48 hours for volunteer work each year*
- 4 hours parental leave each year
- Workman's Compensation Insurance
- 457 Deferred Compensation Plans
- 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
- State retirement plan
- 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
- State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire
- Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire
- Dental and life insurance, after one year of service
- Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service
Durham, North Carolina, 27701
$87,367.00 - $135,428.00 Annually
101 City Hall Plaza, Durham, NC
Full time with benefits
Flexible/Hybrid
26-06188
Environmental & Street Services
10/30/2026
Continuous
Position Description
Work. Serve. Thrive. With the City of Durham
Advance in your career while making a real difference in the community you serve.
Salary Range: $87,367 - $135,428
Hiring Range: $87,367 - $104,840
Hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday - Friday
This position is eligible for a one-time $5,000 sign-on bonus that will be paid upon successful completion of the new hire’s six-month probationary period. Internal promotional/transfer hires are not eligible.
***This position will also be posted as a Senior Engineer (CE II). Only one position will be filled depending on qualifications. You must apply for both positions to be considered for either the Sr. Engineer (CE II) or the Principal Engineer (CE III).
Top-notch management, highly qualified, competent staff and opportunities for career advancement and professional success make the City of Durham’s Environmental and Street Services a great place to work. We create the foundation on which Durham is built, using innovative methods that support the City’s growth and enhance our quality of life. If growing professionally while serving your community is for you, bring your skills to Durham!
To prepare complex professional civil engineering work performed in the planning, surveying, design, review, contracting, inspection, field supervision, and maintenance of multiple types of municipal engineering projects and systems. These types of systems include but are not limited to roads, water systems, sewer systems, stormwater conveyance systems, stormwater management systems, wastewater treatment systems, water treatment systems, reservoir and pumping systems. Other duties include providing administrative direction to staff, attending meetings on projects with internal and external customers, teaching and instruction of others in entry and advanced level civil engineering work, and development of entry level management skill sets. Work is performed under limited direct supervision.
Duties/Responsibilities
- Responsible for the preparation of professional civil engineering work performed in the planning, surveying, design, review, contracting, inspection, field supervision, and maintenance of multiple types of municipal engineering projects and systems. Develops entry level management skill sets.
- Oversees data analysis by obtaining electronic data; reviewing raw data for accuracy; analyzing data for trends; and developing written reports.
- Attends meetings on all types of engineering systems and interacts with internal and external customers to provide assistance as needed.
- Provides technical and administrative support to supervising professional engineer; responding to and investigating questions or concerns; and typing and sending technical correspondence.
- Completes special projects by preparing presentations; participating in seminars; and updating standards & procedures.
Minimum Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a directly related field.
- Five years of professional engineering experience in the area of assignment.
- A North Carolina Professional Engineer Registration or Professional Engineer Registration from another state.
- Valid North Carolina Class C Driver’s License with a satisfactory driving record acquired within a time frame established by the City.
Additional Preferred Skills
- Prefer candidates with four (4) or more years in site civil engineering as a professional engineer along with some municipal experience; or any equivalent combination of training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. This includes design experience in water lines, sewer lines, storm drainage systems, street plan and profiles, and sidewalks.
- Experience in acquiring local permits (water, sewer, stormwater, stream buffer, NCDOT, railroad, etc.), highly desirable.
- Must be proficient in AUTOCAD 3D 2012 or newer.
- Must be able to design waterlines, sewer lines, streets, storm pipe systems.
- At least one (1) year of supervisory or management experience.
Benefits – General Full-Time Employees
- 12-13 paid holidays per year
- 13 standard work days of vacation per year
- 13 standard work days of sick leave per year, which accumulates indefinitely; sick leave may be used toward early retirement
- 2 weeks paid military leave per year
- Medical, dental, vision, and supplemental life insurance plans
- State and City retirement plans
- Short and long term disability plans
- Paid temporary disability leave for specified conditions
- City contribution of 13.6% into the N.C. State Retirement System
- Paid funeral leave
- Employee Assistance Program - personal and family counseling
- Paid life insurance equal to annual salary
- 48 hours for volunteer work each year*
- 4 hours parental leave each year
- Workman's Compensation Insurance
- 457 Deferred Compensation Plans
- 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
- State retirement plan
- 401(k) retirement plan (5.0% of salary)
- State retirement plan effective first day of the month following date of hire
- Health insurance effective first day of the month following date of hire
- Dental and life insurance, after one year of service
- Pro-rated vacation, pro-rated sick, pro-rated floating holiday, parttime holiday pay (based on scheduled hours for that day) after one year of service
Durham, North Carolina, 27701
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Who's Hiring
- City of Durham, NC30
- IQVIA15
- Fidelity Investments15
- Google8
- MAXX Potential8
Principal Jobs in Durham: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a principal job in Durham?
Focus your search on Durham's K-12 public and charter school systems, the research and administrative operations anchored near Duke University and Research Triangle Park, and the growing life sciences and professional services firms downtown. Candidates who demonstrate direct leadership experience in Durham's specific demographics and a familiarity with its community-centered school culture consistently stand out. Networking through Durham Public Schools and local education nonprofits also opens doors that online applications alone rarely do.
Which companies hire principals in Durham?
Durham principal roles are posted by City of Durham, NC, IQVIA, and Fidelity Investments and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Durham's employer mix is distinctive, pulling from a combination of large public institutions, charter networks, research-driven organizations near Research Triangle Park, and an expanding base of corporate offices that use the principal title for senior technical and product leadership.
Are there remote principal jobs in Durham?
Yes, though availability depends heavily on the type of principal role. School-based principal positions are almost entirely on-site by nature, while principal engineers, principal scientists, and principal consultants tied to Durham's tech and life sciences sectors are far more likely to offer flexibility. About 100% of principal openings tied to Durham are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with the highest share found in software, data, and research-oriented roles connected to the Research Triangle Park corridor.
How can I get a principal job in Durham with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in Durham is building toward the role through assistant or vice principal positions within Durham Public Schools or the city's charter networks, which actively develop internal candidates. For corporate principal titles in Durham's tech and life sciences sectors, lateral moves from senior individual contributor roles at Research Triangle Park employers are common stepping stones. Volunteering with Durham education nonprofits or joining mentorship programs tied to Duke and North Carolina Central University also builds the local visibility that hiring managers notice.
Related Jobs in North Carolina
See All 98 Principal Jobs in Durham
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