Principal Software Engineer Jobs in San Diego, CA
Principal Software Engineer jobs in San Diego are concentrated in Sorrento Valley, UTC, and the Torrey Pines corridor, with strong demand across defense technology, biotech software, and cloud-native product companies. Employers hiring right now include Northrop Grumman, Intuit, and Veracyte. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Description
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems is seeking a Senior Principal Software Engineer to join our team on site in San Diego, CA or Oklahoma City, OK. The ideal candidate is a self-starter with experience working in an Integrated Product Team (IPT) environment. In this role, you will be a key member of the Models & Simulation team, leading the planning, integration, and delivery of software releases, as well as diagnosing and resolving complex technical issues.
Roles and Responsibilities will include:
Provide technical leadership for the development, implementation, and maintenance of modular simulation and modeling software (e.g., C++, Python), guiding the team in architecture, standards, and best practices.
Lead the integration of simulation components with system interfaces, middleware, and test harnesses; establish integration strategies and ensure interoperable data flows and real-time performance across the team.
Define and oversee verification and validation strategies, review test plans and results, and direct the resolution of defects to ensure model fidelity, accuracy, and traceability to requirements.
Drive performance and scalability optimization efforts; set priorities for profiling and tuning, reduce latency, and champion CI/CD pipelines for automated builds, testing, and deployments.
Coordinate with systems engineers, testers, and stakeholders to translate requirements into simulation capabilities and scenarios; review and approve technical documentation; and lead technical presentations and demonstrations.
The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility. There is no remote / hybrid / telework available for this position. Travel up to 25% may be required.
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics) discipline and 8 years of related engineering experience; OR a Master’s degree in a STEM discipline and 6 years of related engineering experience; OR a PhD in a STEM discipline and 4 years of related engineering experience.
- Experience with the full SW Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
- Experience with the following programming and scripting languages: C/C++, and Python
- Experience with developing multi-threaded SW
- Experience with two of the following tools: Jira, Crucible, Bitbucket, Gitlab, Subversion, Bamboo, Jenkins, Sonarqube, Fortify, or Coverity
- Experience with Agile SW development, embedded system programming, SW integration and testing
- Familiarity with at least one of the wire data interfaces: 1553, 1394, Serial, CAN, Ethernet/IP, or Fibre Channel, etc.
- Excellent communication, interpersonal skills, and the ability to interface with all levels of employees and management
- Experience and proficiency in software architecture, design, implementation, integration, and debugging C++ SW running on Real-Time Operating systems such as: VxWorks, Integrity, AND/OR Real Time Embedded Linux.
- Ability to collaborate with systems engineers, hardware designers and integration/test engineers to develop and maintain complex SW systems
- Active in-Scope, U.S. Government Top Secret clearance.
- Ability to obtain and maintain initial Special Program Access (SAP/PAR). This SAP/PAR must be obtained prior to commencement of employment and must be obtained within a reasonable amount of time as determined by the company to meet its business needs. (Of note: SAP/PAR will be upgraded once selected candidate is in role. Therefore, candidate must also be able to obtain and maintain upgraded SAP/PAR.)
Preferred Qualifications:
- Current applicable Special Access Program (SAP) clearance.
- Active U.S. Government Top Secret SCI clearance (with a background investigation within the past 5 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
- Differentiating characteristics include demonstrated leadership, teamwork capabilities, excellent oral and written communications skills, and strong interpersonal communication skills.
- Demonstrated professional experience developing software Java
- Can identify moderate execution defects by only reading code
- Understanding of how their embedded SW component will fit into a larger SW system / architecture
- Able to document, capture, and present software architectural components in modeling or diagramming tools
- Experience with Static & Dynamic Code Analysis
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Find JobsPrincipal Software Engineer Job Market in San Diego
Who's Hiring
- Northrop Grumman253

- Intuit11

- Veracyte11

- ZoomInfo11

- Shield AI11

Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software22
- Marketing & Advertising11
- Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals11
Principal Software Engineer Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a principal software engineer job in San Diego?
The most direct path is targeting San Diego's defense technology and cybersecurity contractors clustered in Sorrento Valley and Miramar, where senior engineering leadership roles open frequently. Biotech and life sciences software companies along Torrey Pines Road also hire principal engineers to build clinical data platforms. Candidates with distributed systems experience or security clearances have a clear edge in this market over generalist profiles.
Which companies hire principal software engineers in San Diego?
Companies currently hiring principal software engineers in San Diego include Northrop Grumman, Intuit, and Veracyte, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. San Diego's employer mix leans toward defense primes, genomics and biotech software firms, and mid-size SaaS companies based in UTC and Sorrento Mesa.
Are there remote principal software engineer jobs in San Diego?
Yes, though the share varies: principal software engineer roles at defense contractors typically require on-site presence due to security protocols, while SaaS and cloud product companies in San Diego post more flexible arrangements. About 30% of principal software engineer openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of August 2026, with remote options most common in product engineering and platform infrastructure roles.
How can I get a principal software engineer job in San Diego with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is landing a senior software engineer role first, particularly at one of San Diego's mid-size defense tech or healthtech firms where internal promotion to principal is common. Companies in Sorrento Mesa and Carmel Mountain Ranch frequently grow their own principal engineers from senior hires. Building expertise in embedded systems, cloud architecture, or bioinformatics tooling aligns well with what local employers promote into principal-level positions.
Which industries hire the most principal software engineers in San Diego?
The sectors hiring the most principal software engineers in San Diego are Technology & Software, Marketing & Advertising, and Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of August 2026. San Diego's concentration of defense contractors, genomics companies, and venture-backed SaaS firms drives consistent senior engineering demand across those sectors year-round.
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