Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Los Angeles, CA
Principal Software Engineer jobs in Los Angeles are concentrated in Silicon Beach neighborhoods like Santa Monica, Venice, and Playa Vista, as well as downtown and the Westside corridor, across entertainment technology, streaming platforms, fintech, e-commerce, and defense tech. Employers hiring right now include Northrop Grumman, Riot Games, and Riot Games. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Job Summary
Analyzes, designs, programs, debugs, and modifies software enhancements and/or new products used in local, networked, cloud-based or Internet-related computer programs. Code may be used in commercial or end-user applications, such as materials management, financial management, HRIS, mobile apps or desktop applications products. Using current programming language and technologies, writes code, completes programming, and performs testing and debugging of applications. Completes documentation and procedures for installation and maintenance. May interact with users to define system requirements and/or necessary modifications.
· Lead development of backend services and APIs to support Firewire platform operations including release engineering, DevOps pipelines, and system integrations.
· Collaborate with cross-functional teams including QA, Security, and Infrastructure to ensure seamless deployment and performance of Firewire services.
· Lead technical initiatives to improve CI/CD workflows, observability, and platform reliability.
· Implement monitoring and alerting solutions to ensure SLA adherence and rapid incident response.
· Mentor junior engineers and contribute to engineering best practices across the Firewire domain.
· Partner with business stakeholders to translate platform requirements into scalable technical solutions.
· Operate in an Al driven SDLC environment and familiarity with Al code assistants like GitHub Copilot or similar tools.
· Implement intelligent testing frameworks that auto-generate test cases, predict bugs, and enable self-healing.
· Leads and builds test automation frameworks using Standard API testing tools for rest-based APIs hosted on Azure cloud.
· Integrate test suites into CI/CD pipelines
· Leads the creation of test strategy, test planning, and test execution related to all aspects of testing like functional, integration, systems, end-to-end testing, accessibility, database validations and automation.
Qualifications
· 8+ years of software engineering experience, with 2+ years in a technical lead role.
· Bachelors degree in computer science or related field, or equivalent work experience acceptable.
· Proficiency in several languages/platforms/libraries such as C#, NET, SQL Server, and Azure Cloud solutions.
· Strong understanding of RESTful API design, OAuth2, and microservices architecture.
· Familiarity with DevOps tools such as GitHub Actions.
· Strong understanding of Queuing mechanism, multithreading/Multi-Tasking, Distributed computing.
· Knowledge of container orchestration, release automation, and platform observability tools (e.g., Datadog).
· Experience implementing secure coding practices and compliance workflows in regulated environments.
· Strong analytical, multitasking, and organizational skills to manage testing on multiple projects.
· Experience with Agile methodology and concepts using JIRA or similar Agile tools.
· Understanding of secure development processes in regulated environments (e.g. PCI DSS, SOC 2)
· Methodologies- Agile, Scrum
Preferred Qualifications
· Experience in fast paced fintech organization.
· Familiarity with peer-to-peer payment processing domains, stability and release management experience.
· Contributions to open-source projects or technical publications.
· Demonstrated leadership in building scalable platform engineering practices.
Pay: $50.00 - $150.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Relocation assistance
Work Location: In person
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Find JobsPrincipal Software Engineer Job Market in Los Angeles
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman135

- Riot Games90

- General Dynamics Information Technology30

- CD Baby15

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Los Angeles: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a principal software engineer job in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles hires principal software engineers most heavily in entertainment tech, streaming, gaming, fintech, e-commerce, and aerospace, with the densest concentrations in Silicon Beach, the Westside, and downtown. Candidates who stand out here tend to have deep distributed systems or platform engineering experience, since many Los Angeles employers operate at consumer scale. Building visibility at local tech meetups and targeting companies expanding their LA engineering hubs also helps.
Which companies hire principal software engineers in Los Angeles?
Los Angeles principal software engineer roles are posted by Northrop Grumman, Riot Games, and Riot Games and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. The employer mix reflects the city's strengths, from major streaming and media tech firms in Burbank and Culver City to fintech startups and defense contractors in El Segundo and the South Bay.
Are there remote principal software engineer jobs in Los Angeles?
Yes, though principal software engineer roles that involve cross-functional leadership or team mentorship are more often hybrid than fully remote. About 21% of principal software engineer openings tied to Los Angeles are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, with fully remote postings most common at product and platform companies headquartered in Silicon Beach.
How can I get a principal software engineer job in Los Angeles with little or no experience?
The most realistic path is building depth as a senior software engineer at a mid-size Los Angeles tech company before stepping into a principal role. Entertainment tech firms, gaming studios, and growth-stage startups in the Westside and Culver City cluster tend to promote from within and offer technical lead tracks. Contributing to open-source projects used by local employers and presenting at LA-area engineering events also builds the credibility hiring managers look for.
Which industries hire the most principal software engineers in Los Angeles?
The sectors hiring the most principal software engineers in Los Angeles are Technology & Software, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. Los Angeles's combination of major streaming and media companies, a dense fintech startup scene, and significant aerospace and defense contractors creates unusually broad demand for senior engineering leadership across multiple verticals.
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