Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Minnesota
Principal Software Engineer jobs in Minnesota are in strong demand, concentrated in enterprise technology, financial services, healthcare IT, and defense and aerospace systems, with openings at senior and staff-level for architects and technical leads alike. The Twin Cities metro anchors most hiring, with Rochester and Duluth adding meaningful volume, and employers such as Best Buy, UnitedHealth Group, and Medtronic maintaining consistent demand for principal-level engineers. The most sought-after specialties include cloud platform engineering, distributed systems architecture, and embedded or safety-critical software. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
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Showing 5 of 19+ Principal Software Engineer jobs
Cargill’s size and scale allows us to make a positive impact in the world. Our purpose is to nourish the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way.
Cargill is a family company providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions and industrial products that are vital for living. We connect farmers with markets so they can prosper. We connect customers with ingredients so they can make meals people love. And we connect families with daily essentials — from eggs to edible oils, salt to skincare, feed to alternative fuel. Our 160,000 colleagues, operating in 70 countries, make essential products that touch billions of lives each day. Join us and reach your higher purpose at Cargill.
This position is in Cargill’s agricultural supply chain business. We sit at the heart of the supply chain, partnering with farmers and customers to source, make and deliver essential products.
Job Purpose and Impact
Key Accountabilities
- SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT: Leads and advises the design and implementation of robust trading systems, applying appropriate technologies to write clean, efficient and maintainable code, integrating market data feeds from financial providers and exchanges to process real time data, and customizing solutions to align with trading strategies and regulatory requirements.
- TECHNICAL GUIDANCE: Applies expertise in software development and deployment automation to mentor and support the software engineering team, improving trading applications' performance, scalability and reliability, and validating software architecture to support high frequency trading, real time data processing and low latency communications.
- QUALITY ASSURANCE: Leads and advises adherence to the highest standards of quality and performance in all trading software applications through rigorous testing, comprehensive code reviews, and strict adherence to best in class industry standards to prevent system failures that lead to significant financial losses.
- TESTING & DEBUGGING: Leads the development of comprehensive test plans, including unit and integration tests, to validate functionality and performance, applying mastery debugging skills to resolve software defects and maintain system integrity, performing highly complex testing to ensure the system handles high transaction volumes, and engaging with quality assurance teams members to ensure software meets standards before deployment.
- COLLABORATION: Reviews to align technical solutions with business goals, engaging with traders, analysts, and other teams to gather requirements and deliver needed solutions, influencing agile practices like standups and sprint planning for effective communication, leading knowledge sharing through code reviews to foster learning and best in class industry standard, and articulating technical concepts clearly to nontechnical team members.
- CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT: Advocates the commitment to improving system performance, scalability and reliability to ensure systems evolve with changing needs, influencing teams to stay current with industry trends and best in class industry practices, leading continuous improvements to development processes and tools, and integrating users and stakeholders feedback to refine software solutions.
- DOCUMENTATION: Leads establishing and maintaining technical documentation of system architecture and development processes, ensuring clear technical guides and operation manuals to facilitate ease of use, maintaining compliance with regulations and policies, and building the knowledge base for delivering onboarding and training new team members.
- TECHNICAL SUPPORT: Leads and mentors monitoring live trading systems for optimal performance, including addressing real time issues promptly, responding quickly to resolve highly complex operational problems, minimizing downtime and risk, mentoring routine maintenance to keep systems secure and efficient, and leading disaster recovery planning to ensure business continuity during system failures or crises.
Qualifications
- Minimum requirement of 6 years of relevant work experience. Typically reflects 10 years or more of relevant software development experience, with a strong focus on C++.
Preferred:
Technical Skills
- Deep expertise in C++ (modern standards, e.g., C++11/14/17/20).
- Extensive experience with the FIX protocol (Financial Information eXchange).
- Proven track record in designing, developing, and maintaining high-performance, low-latency trading systems.
- Strong understanding of multithreading, concurrency, and performance optimization.
- Experience with network programming and messaging protocols.
- Familiarity with Linux/Unix environments.
Trading Domain Knowledge
- In-depth knowledge of electronic trading systems and financial markets.
- Experience with order management, market data, and execution systems.
Leadership & Communication
- Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor cross-functional engineering teams.
- Experience conducting code reviews and sharing technical knowledge.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills.
Modernization & Best Practices
- Experience modernizing legacy trading systems and adopting new technologies.
- Familiarity with software development best practices, CI/CD, and agile methodologies.
Other
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, mission-critical environment.
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
#LI-KK1
Compensation Data
Minnesota Sick and Safe Leave accruals of one hour for every 30 worked, up to 48 hours per calendar year unless otherwise provided by law
Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disability/Vet.
To apply using chat/text, please click Apply Now button OR use this link to create a login to apply.
Cargill’s size and scale allows us to make a positive impact in the world. Our purpose is to nourish the world in a safe, responsible and sustainable way.
Cargill is a family company providing food, ingredients, agricultural solutions and industrial products that are vital for living. We connect farmers with markets so they can prosper. We connect customers with ingredients so they can make meals people love. And we connect families with daily essentials — from eggs to edible oils, salt to skincare, feed to alternative fuel. Our 160,000 colleagues, operating in 70 countries, make essential products that touch billions of lives each day. Join us and reach your higher purpose at Cargill.
This position is in Cargill’s agricultural supply chain business. We sit at the heart of the supply chain, partnering with farmers and customers to source, make and deliver essential products.
Job Purpose and Impact
Key Accountabilities
- SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT: Leads and advises the design and implementation of robust trading systems, applying appropriate technologies to write clean, efficient and maintainable code, integrating market data feeds from financial providers and exchanges to process real time data, and customizing solutions to align with trading strategies and regulatory requirements.
- TECHNICAL GUIDANCE: Applies expertise in software development and deployment automation to mentor and support the software engineering team, improving trading applications' performance, scalability and reliability, and validating software architecture to support high frequency trading, real time data processing and low latency communications.
- QUALITY ASSURANCE: Leads and advises adherence to the highest standards of quality and performance in all trading software applications through rigorous testing, comprehensive code reviews, and strict adherence to best in class industry standards to prevent system failures that lead to significant financial losses.
- TESTING & DEBUGGING: Leads the development of comprehensive test plans, including unit and integration tests, to validate functionality and performance, applying mastery debugging skills to resolve software defects and maintain system integrity, performing highly complex testing to ensure the system handles high transaction volumes, and engaging with quality assurance teams members to ensure software meets standards before deployment.
- COLLABORATION: Reviews to align technical solutions with business goals, engaging with traders, analysts, and other teams to gather requirements and deliver needed solutions, influencing agile practices like standups and sprint planning for effective communication, leading knowledge sharing through code reviews to foster learning and best in class industry standard, and articulating technical concepts clearly to nontechnical team members.
- CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT: Advocates the commitment to improving system performance, scalability and reliability to ensure systems evolve with changing needs, influencing teams to stay current with industry trends and best in class industry practices, leading continuous improvements to development processes and tools, and integrating users and stakeholders feedback to refine software solutions.
- DOCUMENTATION: Leads establishing and maintaining technical documentation of system architecture and development processes, ensuring clear technical guides and operation manuals to facilitate ease of use, maintaining compliance with regulations and policies, and building the knowledge base for delivering onboarding and training new team members.
- TECHNICAL SUPPORT: Leads and mentors monitoring live trading systems for optimal performance, including addressing real time issues promptly, responding quickly to resolve highly complex operational problems, minimizing downtime and risk, mentoring routine maintenance to keep systems secure and efficient, and leading disaster recovery planning to ensure business continuity during system failures or crises.
Qualifications
- Minimum requirement of 6 years of relevant work experience. Typically reflects 10 years or more of relevant software development experience, with a strong focus on C++.
Preferred:
Technical Skills
- Deep expertise in C++ (modern standards, e.g., C++11/14/17/20).
- Extensive experience with the FIX protocol (Financial Information eXchange).
- Proven track record in designing, developing, and maintaining high-performance, low-latency trading systems.
- Strong understanding of multithreading, concurrency, and performance optimization.
- Experience with network programming and messaging protocols.
- Familiarity with Linux/Unix environments.
Trading Domain Knowledge
- In-depth knowledge of electronic trading systems and financial markets.
- Experience with order management, market data, and execution systems.
Leadership & Communication
- Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor cross-functional engineering teams.
- Experience conducting code reviews and sharing technical knowledge.
- Strong communication and collaboration skills.
Modernization & Best Practices
- Experience modernizing legacy trading systems and adopting new technologies.
- Familiarity with software development best practices, CI/CD, and agile methodologies.
Other
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, mission-critical environment.
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
#LI-KK1
Compensation Data
Minnesota Sick and Safe Leave accruals of one hour for every 30 worked, up to 48 hours per calendar year unless otherwise provided by law
Equal Opportunity Employer, including Disability/Vet.
To apply using chat/text, please click Apply Now button OR use this link to create a login to apply.
See All 19 Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Minnesota
Find roles in Minnesota that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find JobsPrincipal Software Engineer Jobs by City in Minnesota
Where Minnesota roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Principal Software Engineer Job Market in Minnesota
A snapshot from current Minnesota openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Energy
- Manufacturing
- Electronics & Hardware
- Healthcare & Medical Services
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Minnesota Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in principal software engineer jobs across Minnesota.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field
- Ten or more years of software engineering experience including senior or staff-level roles
- Demonstrated ability to lead technical direction and mentor engineering teams across large organizations
- Deep expertise in distributed systems, cloud platforms such as AWS or Azure, or embedded software
- Experience driving system design, architecture reviews, and cross-functional technical decisions
- Strong communication skills for partnering with product management, engineering leadership, and stakeholders
Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Minnesota: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a principal software engineer in Minnesota?
Becoming a principal software engineer in Minnesota does not require a state-issued license, but employers consistently expect a bachelor's degree in computer science or software engineering and extensive hands-on experience building and leading complex systems. Most principal engineers reach the role after progressing through mid-level and senior engineering positions, accumulating depth in a specific technical domain and demonstrating the ability to set technical direction for teams and products.
How much do principal software engineers make in Minnesota?
Principal software engineers in Minnesota earn a median of about $130,050 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $79,900 for the lowest 10% to over $169,810 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire principal software engineers in Minnesota?
Companies currently hiring principal software engineers in Minnesota include Optum, RTX, and Chewy, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Minnesota's concentration of large healthcare, financial services, and retail technology headquarters means demand for principal engineers is consistent and spread across multiple high-growth sectors.
Which Minnesota cities have the most principal software engineer jobs?
Eden Prairie, Minneapolis, and Plymouth have the most principal software engineer openings in Minnesota. The Twin Cities metro drives the majority of listings, anchored by the regional headquarters of major employers in healthcare technology, financial services, and enterprise retail IT, while Rochester's concentration of medical technology and health systems employers supports demand in that market.
Are there remote principal software engineer jobs in Minnesota?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 88% of principal software engineer openings tied to Minnesota are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how deeply the role can be performed from anywhere with a strong internet connection. Architecture, system design, and technical leadership work is especially well-suited to distributed settings, making this one of the more remote-accessible senior engineering roles.
How can I get hired as a principal software engineer in Minnesota with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is landing an associate or mid-level software engineering role first. Large Minnesota employers like UnitedHealth Group, Medtronic, and Target run new-graduate and rotational engineering programs that build the foundational experience principal roles require. Moving into a senior engineer or technical lead position from a staff or backend developer role is the most common lateral step, and building a portfolio demonstrating system design and architecture decisions gives candidates a meaningful edge when applying.
Where can I find and apply to principal software engineer jobs in Minnesota?
You can find and apply to principal software engineer jobs in Minnesota on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings in the state. Search the listings to find roles that match your experience level, technical specialty, and preferred location or remote arrangement, then apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 19 Principal Software Engineer Jobs in Minnesota
Find roles in Minnesota that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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