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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Overview

Open roles330+
Top employerNorthrop Grumman
Work type79% On-site
Top credentialMaster's degree
Companies hiring9

Showing 5 of 330+ Principal Software Engineer jobs

Mantra Labs
Principal Software Engineer
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Mantra Labs
Added 1d ago
Principal Software Engineer
Mantra Labs
Los Angeles, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Mechanical Engineering
Product Management
$50 - $150/hr
On-Site
Bachelor's degree
11-50

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Riot Games
Principal Software Engineer, Services/DevOps - Wild Rift
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Riot Games
Added 6d ago
Principal Software Engineer, Services/DevOps - Wild Rift
Riot Games
Los Angeles, California
Business Strategy
Product Management
Project & Program Management
Project Management
Bachelor of Science
1,001-5,000

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Northrop Grumman
Principal Software Engineer
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Northrop Grumman
Added 6d ago
Principal Software Engineer
Northrop Grumman
Los Angeles, California
Engineering (Non-Software)
Mechanical Engineering
Product Management
$114k - $171k/yr
Master's degree
10,000+

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CD Baby
Principal Software Engineer, Back End
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CD Baby
Added 1w ago
Principal Software Engineer, Back End
CD Baby
Los Angeles, California
Business Strategy
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Product Management
$180k - $205k/yr
Remote (US)
51-200

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Northrop Grumman
Principal / Sr. Principal Engineer Software Quality
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Northrop Grumman
Added 2w ago
Principal / Sr. Principal Engineer Software Quality
Northrop Grumman
Los Angeles, California
Backend Engineering
Full-stack Engineering
Software Engineering
$104k - $194k/yr
On-Site
Bachelor's degree in engineering
10,000+

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See All 330+ Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Los Angeles

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Principal Software Engineer Job Market in Los Angeles

Who's Hiring

  • Northrop Grumman
    Northrop Grumman135
  • Riot Games
    Riot Games90
  • General Dynamics Information Technology
    General Dynamics Information Technology30
  • CD Baby
    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.

See All 330+ Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Los Angeles

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