Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Florida

Principal Software Engineer jobs in Florida are in strong demand, with active hiring concentrated in defense and aerospace technology, fintech, healthcare IT, and enterprise software across a market that ranges from mid-senior contributors to distinguished technical leads. Miami, Tampa, and Orlando anchor most of the hiring, with major employers such as Lockheed Martin, Fidelity Investments, and AdventHealth running substantial engineering organizations across the state. Distributed systems architecture, cloud platform engineering, and embedded software for aerospace and defense applications are among the most sought-after specialties. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles34
Top employerNorthrop Grumman
Top cityMelbourne, FL
Cities hiring12
Work type42% On-site
Top industryTechnology

Showing 5 of 34+ Principal Software Engineer jobs

FIS
Principal Software Engineer, Agentic AI Architecture
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FIS
Added 4d ago
Principal Software Engineer, Agentic AI Architecture
FIS
Jacksonville, Florida
Cloud Engineering
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Technical Program Management
Experience equivalent to degree accepted
10,000+

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Northrop Grumman
Principal / Senior Principal Software Engineer (Virtualization)
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Northrop Grumman
Added 5d ago
Principal / Senior Principal Software Engineer (Virtualization)
Northrop Grumman
Melbourne, Florida
Compliance & Legal
Compliance & Risk
Security & Protective Services
$98k - $184k/yr
Bachelor of Science
10,000+

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Disney Experiences
Principal Software Engineer
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Disney Experiences
Added 1w ago
Principal Software Engineer
Disney Experiences
Orlando, Florida
Business Development
Customer Success
Program Management
Project Management
$180k - $241k/yr
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

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Integrated Solutions for Systems
Senior Principal Embedded Software Engineer
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Integrated Solutions for Systems
Added 1w ago
Senior Principal Embedded Software Engineer
Integrated Solutions for Systems
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Cloud Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Solutions Engineering & Architecture
Technical Program Management
$100k - $200k/yr
Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering
201-500

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Collins Aerospace
Senior Principal Software Project Engineer - Advanced Processing Architectures
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Collins Aerospace
Added 2w ago
Senior Principal Software Project Engineer - Advanced Processing Architectures
Collins Aerospace
Melbourne, Florida
Aerospace Engineering
Engineering (Non-Software)
Manufacturing Engineering
$132k - $252k/yr
10,000+

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See All 34 Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Florida

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Principal Software Engineer Jobs by City in Florida

Where Florida roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Melbourne
19 jobs
Orlando
2 jobs
Tallahassee
2 jobs
Jacksonville
2 jobs
Miami
1 job
Tampa
1 job
Jupiter
1 job
Sunrise
1 job
Maitland
1 job

Principal Software Engineer Job Market in Florida

A snapshot from current Florida openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

  • Northrop Grumman
    Northrop Grumman17
  • Collins Aerospace
    Collins Aerospace2
  • ADP
    ADP1
  • FIS
    FIS1
  • UKG
    UKG1

Top Industries Hiring

  • Technology & Software
  • Agriculture & Farming
  • Healthcare & Medical Services

What Florida Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in principal software engineer jobs across Florida.

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a closely related field
  • Ten or more years of software engineering experience with at least three in a technical leadership role
  • Demonstrated experience designing and delivering large-scale distributed systems or cloud-native applications
  • Proficiency in one or more of Java, Python, C++, or Go with deep knowledge of system design patterns
  • Experience guiding engineering teams through architecture decisions, code reviews, and technical roadmaps
  • Familiarity with cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or GCP and modern DevOps or CI/CD practices

Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Florida: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a principal software engineer in Florida?

Florida does not require a state-issued license to work as a principal software engineer in private industry. The typical path is a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science or software engineering, followed by a decade or more of progressive engineering experience that includes technical leadership. In Florida, employers in defense and aerospace often expect a security clearance, so starting at a contractor like Lockheed Martin or a government systems integrator near Cape Canaveral or Orlando is a common route to the level.

How much do principal software engineers make in Florida?

Principal software engineers in Florida earn a median of about $130,980 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $80,050 for the lowest 10% to over $204,400 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire principal software engineers in Florida?

Employers hiring principal software engineers in Florida right now include Northrop Grumman, Collins Aerospace, and ADP, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Florida's deep defense, fintech, and healthcare IT sectors mean large engineering organizations at contractors, regional bank technology centers, and hospital system digital teams are consistently among the most active.

Which Florida cities have the most principal software engineer jobs?

Melbourne, Orlando, and Tallahassee are the cities with the most principal software engineer openings in Florida. Miami draws fintech and enterprise software employers, Tampa hosts a growing mix of healthcare IT and financial services engineering teams, and Orlando benefits from both defense contractor presence near Kennedy Space Center and a large healthcare and hospitality technology ecosystem.

Are there remote principal software engineer jobs in Florida?

Yes, and more than most fields. About 58% of principal software engineer openings tied to Florida are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how thoroughly distributed software work has become at senior levels. Architecture review, technical strategy, and most individual-contributor work can be done remotely, though principal engineers embedded in defense programs often face on-site requirements tied to classified environments.

How can I get hired as a principal software engineer in Florida with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is targeting associate or mid-level software engineer roles at Florida's large technology employers, then building toward the principal level over time. Employers like AdventHealth, Fidelity, and defense contractors running programs near Orlando and the Space Coast hire new graduates and junior engineers into rotational or structured development programs. Moving from a senior engineer or staff engineer title into a principal role by leading a high-visibility project internally is the most common progression. A strong portfolio of system design work or open-source contributions gives candidates a concrete edge.

Where can I find and apply to principal software engineer jobs in Florida?

You can find and apply to principal software engineer jobs in Florida on Migrate Mate, which lists current Florida openings. Find the roles that fit your experience and apply directly.

See All 34 Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Florida

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